5 Reasons Why Detroit Red Wings Fans Should Be Worried in 2014-15

As if Detroit Red Wings fans didn’t have enough to worry about in 2013-14, an uneventful offseason has added concern for the upcoming season.

Detroit kept its fans on the edges of their seats throughout its previous campaign but still managed to earn a 23rd consecutive playoff appearance.

The Red Wings were eliminated in five games by the Boston Bruins and failed to snag a high-end, free-agent defenseman in the offseason.

With nearly an identical roster heading into 2014-15, Detroit is hoping that some prospects can emerge as regulars, while age and injury hold off this time around.

With the preseason underway and opening night only a few weeks away, these are reasons the fans in Hockeytown should worry about 2014-15.

Defense Has Not Improved

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Detroit notably struck out in free agency over the summer.

Matt Niskanen signed with Washington, Dan Boyle inked a deal with the New York Rangers, Anton Stralman signed with divisional foe Tampa Bay and Christian Ehrhoff joined the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Where does Detroit go from here?

Its immediate response was to re-acquire the services of Kyle Quincey. The same seven defensemen are returning for Detroit, showing little to no improvement on paper.

A right-handed point man would have been a significant improvement, but none are currently in the equation. The club invited free-agent d-man Raphael Diaz to training camp only to be declined in favor of the Calgary Flames, per a tweet from MLive’s Ansar Khan.

It is not out of the realm of possibility that a prospect emerges onto the NHL scene by the end of the year, and it will most likely be Xavier Ouellet (lefty) or Alexey Marchenko (righty).

The rumors of a trade have died down over the last few months, implying nothing imminent. General manager Ken Holland will likely prefer to improve from within, defeating any optimism.

If Detroit hopes to make the playoffs for a 24th consecutive season, reaching for help outside the organization may become inevitable.

Injury Bug Already Biting

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The biggest concern for Red Wings fans is whether the club can stay healthy.

So far, not so good.

Pavel Datsyuk will reportedly miss four to five weeks with a second-degree shoulder separation stemming from a hit from Pittsburgh’s Rob Scuderi in the team’s first preseason game, per a tweet from Ansar Khan of MLive.com.

Darren Helm suffered a broken nose and needed stitches after taking a stick to the face.

Daniel Alfredsson has not rejoined the team due to lingering back issues, and top prospect Anthony Mantha will miss six to eight weeks with a fractured tibia.

Mantha was expected to compete for a job in the preseason, while Datsyuk is now questionable for the start of the regular season.

The club suffered a franchise record 421 man-games lost last season on its way to its 23rd consecutive playoff appearance.

With just two preseason games played, more of the same could be devastating to the team's and city’s playoff hopes.

If the club remains healthy, it will still be among the final eight in the Eastern Conference 82 games from now. If not, then the streak may finally come to an end.

No New Contract for Mike Babcock

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Everybody is back into full swing of the hockey season, but head coach Mike Babcock remains without a new contract.

Entering into the final year of his pact, Babcock has declared he will not discuss terms once the regular season starts. With only a few weeks before the home opener, the dotted line remains empty.

In Hockeytown it would be difficult to see Babcock take another job. He has deeply planted roots in the community and has become a big part of Detroit’s hockey lore.

He was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award in 2013-14, leading Detroit to the postseason despite its inconceivable number of injuries.

He has an innate ability to get the best out of his players, evident in the performances of young talents Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist and Riley Sheahan.

Babcock will be the market’s top commodity if Detroit is unsuccessful in retaining his services. He is revered as one of the league’s top minds behind the bench and would be highly sought after by many teams.

Competitive Conference Opponents Improved

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The Detroit Red Wings targeted defensemen in free agency, some of which took lesser contracts to join their new clubs.

Matt Niskanen (Washington), Dan Boyle (New York Rangers), Anton Stralman (Tampa Bay) and Christian Ehrhoff (Pittsburgh) all left their 2013-14 clubs and joined a new Eastern Conference team for the 2014-15 season.

The Washington Capitals added Niskanen along with Brooks Orpik to their blue line, and they will debut former Nashville Predators head coach Barry Trotz. The Caps finished just three points behind Detroit for the final playoff spot last season.

Within the Atlantic Division, the Florida Panthers added forwards Jussi Jokinen and Dave Bolland alongside defenseman Willie Mitchell.

While it may not seem significant, the Panthers won three of five meetings with Detroit last season.

Detroit lost its season series to four of the seven teams in the Atlantic Division. Excluding its four wins over the lowly Buffalo Sabres, Detroit was just 13-8-5 within the Atlantic. It was a mediocre 6-7 against the divisional playoff teams.

The Red Wings aim to improve upon their 2013-14 season, but the preseason has only just begun and it already appears to be an uphill battle.

Top Players Are Another Year Older

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Heading into the 2014-15 season, the average age of Detroit’s top scorers can’t be ignored.

Last season the team was led in scoring by 41-year-old Daniel Alfredsson and 33-year-old Niklas Kronwall. Henrik Zetterberg will turn 34 on opening night Oct. 9, Pavel Datsyuk is 36 and Johan Franzen turns 35 in December.

Detroit’s core is still as good as ever, but the younger players need to progress soon if they are to make one more run at a Stanley Cup. Otherwise, the reality could darken any hope.

Detroit has plenty of young talent in the system, but none quite ready to take over reigns once the veterans are ready to hang them up. Datsyuk and Zetterberg conveniently entered their prime as some Detroit legends called it quits.

Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar and Danny DeKeyser are presumably the next generation of leaders in Hockeytown, but it is too soon to tell what they will become.

As has become evident over the past few seasons, it is tough to stay healthy in the NHL. With Datsyuk already nursing an injury, the age factor can’t help but cause concern over the course of an 82-game season.