Red Wings Summer Review
With training camp starting this week, it’s time to look back on a quiet summer for the Detroit Red Wings. Salary cap issues and player discontent dominated the summer issues that faced the Red Wings. Here’s a look back at what Ken Holland and crew did this summer.
Additions
Trevor Daley
Luke Witkowski
The Wings made a small splash on July 1st with the signing of Trevor Daley. Daley, who will turn 34 just a few days into the season, is a strong skating defenseman who could offer support for the Wings blue line. In the short term, he is an upgrade over the loss of Brendan Smith, but he becomes another high aged Red Wing with term on his contract. Witkowski is a low cost, high physical, player who can be placed into the lineup to protect Detroit’s young, skilled, forwards. He also a player who can potentially clear waivers the first day of the season until Johan Franzen’s (post-concussion syndrome) 3.9M salary can be placed on LTIR. Another huge addition to the Wings season is Little Caesars Arena (LCA). The new arena, and it’s best in NHL accommodations for the players, should provide a huge boost for the team.
Subtractions (From 2016-2017)
Thomas Vanek
Brendan Smith
Tomas Nosek
Drew Miller
Thomas Vanek and Brendan Smith were traded at the trade deadline in February. The Wings, hoping to shed salary in June’s expansion draft, instead lost Tomas Nosek who was on an entry level contract. Drew Miller was a defensive, penalty kill, specialist who didn’t cost the team much in the way of salary but was a major part of the teams PK. The Wings did not lose any irreplaceable players but also failed to shed any salary over the summer as well. The biggest loss for the franchise over the summer was Joe Louis Arena (JLA). Having been the Wing’s home since 1979, it was the site of the last era of Red Wings hockey and oversaw one of the best periods in the franchise’s history.
Questions facing Red Wings in 2017-2018
How much hockey is left in the old core? – Henrik Zetterberg, and Niklas Kronwall are the last remaining players who suited up meaningfully for the Wings in their 2007-2008 championship season. Kronwall is down to one usable leg. Zetterberg lead the Wings last season in every meaningful category but played his 1000th NHL game in the season finale and has dealt with back problems before coming into this season. Zetterberg will turn 37 October 9th. Kronwall is signed through 2019 and Zetterberg through 2021.
Can the youth players step forward? – Dylan Larkin was the brightest spot in the Wing’s 2015-2016 season, then basically fell off the planet in 2016-2017. If the Wings want to make a run at a .500 record, Larkin will have to lead that charge. Anthony Mantha was another disappointment in his first full NHL season. Riley Sheahan scored two goals the entire year, both in the last game of the season. The Wings will need the young players to become the core of this team this year unless the organization wants to continue to step backwards.
Will player discontent ruin the “new arena” gains?
The Red Wings went into the summer in a standoff with goaltender Petr Mrazek. After not being selected by Vegas in the expansion draft, Mrazek took to Twitter to mock the Wings. Going into a salary arbitration hearing with Tomas Tatar, Tatar admitted if he settled to the one-year deal, he wouldn’t return to Detroit. Tatar ended up signing a long-term deal, but the remarks will hang in the locker room. Zetterberg admitted he doesn’t plan to play longer than this season or next. Restricted free agent Andreas Athanasiou has yet to sign a contract and is considering playing in Russia for this season. For the first time in 20 years Detroit will enter a season with turmoil in the locker room.
Can the front office still manage?
Detroit’s salary cap problem will get worse next summer. Ken Holland will have to solve that issue prior to next season’s trade deadline. If Holland attempts to postpone that fix in favor of a run at the playoffs this season, his tenure in the front office must end. Detroit will not be able to retain any of their young players if they continue to pay their old dogs. If Holland cannot take drastic measures before the trade deadline, the Wings will become the Edmonton Oilers of the last decade.
Detroit Red Wings schedule