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Zach Aston Reese was pulled out of practice in Grand Rapids today and headed toward the Bigs as the “bug” going around caused last minute losses of Patrick Kane and Austin Czarnik and forcing the team to go with 11 forwards which put Holl and Sprong back in action for the Carolina game. At this point, plenty has been said in the comments and they were (rightfully) turned over to allow some of you to vent frustration. The team saw what it looked like to go against a cup contender who added some serious firepower down the stretch and it was unpleasant.
In the moment, it’s never pleasant. Issues with the roster, coaching, management and just about every aspect of the organization make their way to the forefront and it is good to have a place to vent. We’ll do a year end review, but the improvements have done little to take the sting out of an awful stretch that may not get much better. We all saw Florida and Vegas look like they were trying to out purchase each other and the contending teams (like Carolina) are starting to put on post season focus.
This used to be a ritual that for a long stretch (pretty much the tenure of Lidstrom’s career) Detroit was involved in. For anyone who has done martial arts training, it’s pretty much the difference between a Kendo stick (which hurts badly) and a Katana blade (which hurts permanently). The NHL season is a physical punishment. By the time the playoffs start world class players are essentially walking callouses. That being said, everything picks up and we’re seeing the gap.
We’ll go over what Detroit did better this year than last after the season. It just rings hollow in the final stretch until/unless the team steps up and tries to finish well. Nearly half the roster was turned over last year and it will be an interesting watch to see which prospects and/or free agents may come to town. It is doubtful that much will be put in place until Seider and Raymond are settled. The reminder that Raymond at 22 had more NHL experience than some 23 year olds in the former regime was a reminder of a very different approach. With raises needed in several markets, there could be some deals out there.
It is the odd beautiful day in Oakland County today (yesterday was pretty nice as well). We’ve seen robins, wild turkey (the animal, not the beverage), raccoons coming out and all the trees are budding. The closure of the NHL season coincides with the 2nd most beautiful time to be in Michigan (fall is still the favorite). Just as the woodlands transform from bare trees into lush green landscapes the team in Detroit will continue to change and grow. As tough as it is right now, good things are happening. I can’t recommend enough that if you are able, plug into some of what the Griffins are doing and the excitement on the west side. Developmentally, playoff experience is good at every level.
Wherever the Red Wings land, the group in that room are getting a really good look at what it feels like to play against a contending team. Colorado, Carolina, Florida coming up tomorrow are all solidifying into what a team needs to look like to find success at the NHL level after a long season.
I’ll end with the most difficult advice that was ever given to me. Failure is the greatest teacher we have. The application of lessons learned by costly mistakes mold us into a stronger and hungrier version of ourselves. When you are surrounded by continued success it feels better but offers little in terms of how to move forward. Eventually, failure will come. As Sylvester Stallone put it well, “it ain’t about how many times you fall, it’s about how many times you get back up”. That will be the challenge for the members of this team who remain to take part in next season as members of the Detroit Red Wings.
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
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