My readers have inspired this addition to the post. Andy Griffith doing a beautiful rendition of the 1914 Christmas Truce in Belleau Wood is a staggering moment in the midst of World War 1. Note Griffith’s line toward the end, “Heaven’s not beyond the clouds, it’s just beyond the fear”. The agreement of these soldiers for this night to cease fire was still looked down upon by parts of the German and British leadership. The courage for them to appear and participate in a brief and beautiful moment amidst chaos can inspire us all as we attempt to re enter a dangerous and unknown world. Our fear can become the final barrier to finding peace.
The announcements of a new captain And a “not new” coach were on the docket for the last post. Larkin seems ready, as Mlive noted, and Yzerman took a very serious look at the young face of the franchise. Whereas many times it seems like there isn’t much of a process, the new GM and former captain made an intense study of Larkin and the entire locker room. While Yzerman’s media availability may have been slim, his presence was felt everywhere in the organization. Last year’s audit was no cakewalk, it was apparently intense and thorough. That is good news. Yzerman’s conclusion however is not quite as good.
Everything needs to be better This is hardly “news” to any of us who watched, but a frank commentary on how far down the team has come. Yzerman’s most glaring comment comes after saying he believes the areas of scoring, defense and goaltending will improve. However, “I can’t tell you what that may translate into wins and losses”. In other words, buckle up. It’s going to be another long season.
At different points during this shutdown I’ve been fairly candid about how Detroit is going to fare with free agents. In fact, I’ve been sent messages that I’ve been overly negative. Essentially, Yzerman has put into stone what we’ve all known. The team is not going to attract anyone who wants to win. But, players who want a legitimate chance at top minutes may be another story. Fabbri had a bit of a renaissance and a chance at top 6 minutes he may not have gotten elsewhere. It’s worked well for both he and the team. While, last year, I’d been keen on potentially acquiring Ristolainen from Buffalo, his commentary makes it clear he’s tired of losing and may need a change of scenery. Buffalo has certainly had the benefit of several high draft picks, and Krueger seems to be a good fit for that team. They just need to turn the corner. Risto’s frustration is that the conversation has been the same for 7 years. “Future is bright, but when is the future?” A difficult outlook for all of us.
That brings us to Blashill’s concern I was more than a little surprised a few weeks back when I voice my concerns about 9 - 10 months of no NHL games. There were more than a few comments that indicated this isn’t an issue. Well, to the coach and players it’s a huge issue. Especially in light of 24 teams that will have at least a month of training and play in time to break up the time off. Even teams out in the first round will get a 3 week camp and first round play. We’ve seen players have trouble coming back from LTIR and try to find the tempo of playing again. Imagine an entire team that spent 9 months on LTIR. The players can’t even get on the ice at this point. Creativity with training is helping to some degree, but these players are going to need to figure something out.
Some European players could potentially start playing in international leagues on contracts with “NHL out” clauses. I doubt those teams would allow a large chunk of the roster to be made up of players who will leave early in the season. Once arenas and training facilities are open, players could potentially put together scrimmages and player led practices. It’s currently “illegal” for teams to practice with any type of coaching during the breaks in the off season. I wonder if the league would amend any of those issues.
It’s possible that the fallout from this shutdown is still rather unknown. In past lockouts, players have had difficulty coming back. Some due to conditioning issues, some just suffering from the “use it or lose it” factor. There could be a lot of injuries in trying to get the league up and running. There may be a few players who unexpectedly have played their final NHL game and don’t know if yet. Time will tell.
*Finally, in the good news category, join me in congratulating Justarm216 for winning the “coaching” section of the current brackets. He’d guessed Blashill will be with us still, and Yzerman confirmed that. Now, if there is a quick change I will still recognize (and reward) anyone who correctly guesses the next coach (as long as it happens during this coming season). So put your guesses in! The other categories are draft position and pick. Get in line for a $25 gift card!
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
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