DETROIT – Having the Chicago Blackhawks in their division for this unusual 2021 COVID-ravaged season seemed to provide the Detroit Red Wings with a decent chance to avoid last place.
The Blackhawks traded Brandon Saad and did not re-sign free-agent goaltender Corey Crawford. Captain Jonathan Toews was ruled out indefinitely due to an undisclosed illness. Center Kirby Dach, the third overall pick in 2019, suffered a season-ending wrist injury at the World Juniors.
That is why many projected the Central Division cellar for the Blackhawks.
The organization, despite upsetting fifth seed Edmonton in the preliminary round of the expanded 2020 playoffs, went all in on a rebuild, telling fans in a preseason message that they are “committed to developing young players,” while taking a new direction.
Well, some of those young players are giving the Red Wings fits.
Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves Wednesday to register his first shutout in just his 12th NHL appearance, a 2-0 victory over Detroit at Little Caesars Arena. He is 3-0 against the Red Wings.
Philipp Kurashev scored the winning goal on a highlight-reel play by splitting the defense and beating Jonathan Bernier. It was the rookie’s fifth goal, which is as many as any Red Wing has scored.
On Monday, Dominik Kubilak, in his second NHL season, scored a pair of goals, including the overtime tally in a 3-2 victory over Detroit.
Earlier this season, rookie Pius Suter recorded a hat trick against the Red Wings.
The Blackhawks’ multi-year rebuild already looks way ahead of schedule. They are 9-5-4 and have won all four meetings with the Red Wings (4-11-3).
Lankinen and Suter were undrafted free agents from Europe. Kubilak is a seventh-round pick the Los Angeles Kings dumped. Kurashev was a fourth-round selection by Chicago.
The Blackhawks have gotten good value out of these overlooked players. That is why they are in second place in the division and poised to compete for a playoff spot during this 56-game season.
The Red Wings, meanwhile, continue to struggle, destined to miss the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. They have played better over the past six games, competing hard and putting themselves in a position to win. But after Wednesday’s loss, Luke Glendening and coach Jeff Blashill spoke of how this team is not satisfied with moral victories.
More real wins will not materialize until they find ways to generate more offense -- they are tied for last in the league in goals per game (1.94). A huge part of that is improving an awful power play (second-to-last in the league at 7.1 percent and 0 for 29 over the past 10 games).
The Red Wings likely will land another high draft pick as they wait for their younger players to develop and a promising group of prospects to reach the NHL over the next few years.
Better things could be in store if players like defensemen Moritz Seider, Albert Johansson, Antti Tuomisto and William Wallinder, and forwards Lucas Raymond, Joe Veleno, Jonatan Berggren and Theodor Niederbach pan out.
One of the reasons why the Red Wings’ rebuild is taking this long is only three players from their past seven drafts are currently on their roster – Dylan Larkin (2014), Filip Hronek (2016) and Filip Zadina (2018). Each of their first-round picks from 2015 to 2017 is either with the Grand Rapids Griffins (Dennis Cholowski, Michael Rasmussen) or on the taxi squad (Evgeny Svechnikov).
So, while the Blackhawks are retooling without tanking, Red Wings fans have no choice but to remain patient.
More: Red Wings shut out for second time this season as power play futility continues
The Link LonkFebruary 18, 2021 at 06:01PM
https://www.mlive.com/redwings/2021/02/red-wings-rebuild-outpaced-by-blackhawks-retooling.html
Red Wings’ rebuild outpaced by Blackhawks’ retooling - MLive.com
https://news.google.com/search?q=Red&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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