Burning Questions for the Detroit Red Wings as the 2014-15 NHL Season Begins

With the Detroit Red Wings off to a mediocre start at 1-1-1 in the 2014-15 NHL season, some burning questions have emerged.

In the first three games, Detroit has been decent, but there is definitely room for improvement at both ends of the ice.

However, the team defense and goaltending have taken steps forward this season, thus far.

But how will the Wings get back near the top of the Atlantic Division?

Here are five burning questions for the Detroit Red Wings at the beginning of the 2014-15 NHL season.

Is This the Year of Jimmy Howard?

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With a 1-1-1 record, one might think that the Red Wings have been struggling defensively.

This has not been the case, as Jimmy Howard has bailed Detroit out on a number of occasions.

Howard is trying to move on from last season when he had a 2.66 GAA and a 91.0 save percentage. His 1.95 GAA and 92.7 save percentage through three games are trending the right direction.

But will this be the year of Howard? 

The Red Wings hope so, as he has taken strides in his time in Detroit but has yet to finish a full NHL season worthy of Vezina Trophy consideration. Not only that, but he has yet to help the Wings pass the second round of the playoffs.

But lack of accolades aside, the Wings would get a huge boost for the season if the 2012 NHL All-Star goalie can retain this level of play for a whole season.

Can Henrik Zetterberg Get It Going Without Pavel Datsyuk in the Lineup?

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With just one point (an assist) through three games played and a minus-two rating and four penalty minutes, it is clear that Henrik Zetterberg is feeling the effects of Pavel Datsyuk not being in the Red Wings lineup.

But Detroit needs its captain to contribute at both ends of the ice now more than never. After seven shots in his first two games, Zetterberg managed just one shot against Boston in a 3-2 shootout loss. 

How rare is it for Zetterberg to be held to less than two shots?

Well, it happened just five times in the 45 games he played last season and hasn't happened too often in previous seasons either.

With The Magic Man out of the lineup, Zetterberg needs to step up and be more involved in the offense, even if it means sacrificing time getting back on defense to do so.

While it is only a few games into the season, Detroit's scoring six goals in three games averages out to 26th in the NHL in goals per game. That's simply not going to get the job done in most games.

Can Zetterberg get it going offensively?

Can Detroit's Defensemen Quit Being Such a Dumpster Fire?

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Speaking of "burning" questions, can Detroit's defensemen stop being such a dumpster fire?

Simply put, the defensemen through three games have given their opponents every opportunity to beat them by giving the puck away on a regular basis.

The defensemen have been egregiously bad in giving the puck away in the first three games. They have 14 of Detroit's 21 giveaways through the first three games.

Now let's not split hairs here. The Red Wings defense has been under duress due to the lack of offensive-zone time in the past two games, but that is no reason to average seven giveaways per game through three games.

It is hard enough to get the puck in the first place, and giving it away, especially in a position to score, is just not a way to win games in the NHL.

So what is that burning smell? It's the stink of the dumpster fire that is the Red Wings blue line.

It needs to shape up in a hurry.

Will a Bona Fide Second-Line Center Emerge Before Datsyuk Returns to the Lineup?

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His name is Stephen Weiss.

Fans might remember him signing with Detroit for $24.5 million on a five-year deal back in the 2013 offseason, per CapGeek.com. He was projected to be the replacement for Valtteri Filppula who departed for Tampa Bay after not getting the money he was seeking from Detroit.

Fast-forward to October 17, 2014, and the Detroit Red Wings are still without a bona fide second-line center. 

Sure, one could argue that Henrik Zetterberg could center the second line when Pavel Datsyuk returns, but realistically, having Zetterberg and Datsyuk play on the same line would be preferable.

So will Detroit ever get a top-six center not named Datsyuk or Zetterberg?

The team could use a player to step up and fill that hole, as Weiss cannot even crack the starting lineup through three games played.

Whether he will ever fill the role that he was initially signed for remains a long shot at this point.

How Quickly Can Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar Fill Shoes Offensively?

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With the aforementioned offensive struggles of the Detroit Red Wings, the time is right now for Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist.

The secret is out on Nyquist, as he led the NHL in goal scoring for the last half of last season and will look to get back in the groove this season. Tatar, not to be outdone by Nyquist, was well rewarded in the offseason with a three-year deal worth $2.75 million per season, per CapGeek.com.

But the training wheels for both players need to stay off this season. Neither player can afford to take a back seat or a backward step from what he did last season. 

So how quickly can the Detroit Red Wings fill the shoes, so to speak, on offense?

That question will determine whether Detroit continues to sputter in mediocrity or actually has a respectable next month or so.

Detroit is struggling on offense. While part of that struggle is due to Datsyuk being out of the lineup, Nyquist and Tatar pitching in and having 60- or 70-point seasons would go a long way for Detroit to elevate itself from 26th in goals per game in the NHL.

All statistics via CapGeek.com or NHL.com.