5 Burning Questions for Detroit Red Wings After the 2015 Trade Deadline

The Detroit Red Wings are one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference, and they are primed for a lengthy playoff run. General manager Ken Holland made two moves at the trade deadline with the additions of Erik Cole on the wing and Marek Zidlicky on defense.

The Red Wings are planning on making a run for the Stanley Cup, but there are a couple of questions surrounding the team going forward. 

Will This Be the Year Jimmy Howard Puts It Together During the Playoffs?

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Jimmy Howard has been a solid regular season goaltender, but during the playoffs, he has been a bit of a sieve. He has a career record of 21-24 with a .919 save percentage and a 2.53 goals-against average. Those numbers aren't good enough to win a Stanley Cup, but will Howard be able to change that this season?

He's been one of the Wings' best players this year when healthy. He could single-handedly carry the team if he goes on a massive hot streak.

If Howard can carry over his 2.20 goals-against average and .919 save percentage into the playoffs, Detroit will be in a position of strength. The team could return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2008-09.

Did the Red Wings Need Erik Cole?

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The Red Wings added Erik Cole at the trade deadline, but did Ken Holland need to make a move for him? Cole was brought in to add secondary scoring, but this season the Wings have five players with at least 14 goals.

Tomas Tatar, Pavel Datsyuk and Gustav Nyquist all have 20 or more goals while Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader have 15 and 14 goals respectively. Although Cole is a veteran who can score goals, the Red Wings' system may end up being too fast for him. The move may not have the intended result.

Detroit decided to add another forward, but its biggest need to be addressed was on defense.

Will Henrik Zetterberg Stay Healthy Enough to Be a Factor?

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Last season, Henrik Zetterberg appeared in two playoff games because of injuries. His battle with injuries has continued this season, as he just came off injured reserve after missing four games with an upper-body injury.

Detroit's captain hasn't played a full 82-game season since the 2011-12 tilt, and his health remains a constant question mark. As the playoffs come closer, the Red Wings should look into resting their captain, because losing him to an injury would be hard for the team to overcome.

Zetterberg is a very dynamic player, but his durability remains the biggest unknown as he continues to age.

Will the Defense Be Able to Contend with Other Rivals?

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The only addition the Red Wings made at the deadline on defense was adding offensive defenseman Marek Zidlicky. Will that transaction end up being enough to shore up the blue line?

Detroit's defense hasn't been bad this season, but it pales in comparison to rival Eastern Conference juggernauts like the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens.

Each team can comfortably roll three pairings. That is something that Detroit hasn't done every game this season. Ice time hasn't always been even, and that has resulted in Mike Babcock leaning on Niklas Kronwall and Danny DeKeyser from time to time.

During the playoffs, it will be important for the Red Wings to have at least seven defenders who can eat minutes. Having tired players on the ice is the easy way to surrender a bad goal. Even ice time leads to rested and more effective defensemen.

Can the Youngsters Continue Their Success from the Regular Season?

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Tomas Tatar, Tomas Jurco and Riley Sheahan have played well this season. They are three of Detroit's most promising young players. Tatar leads the team in goals, Jurco has 15 points in a secondary role and Sheahan has been centering the second line with frequency.

Having success in the regular season is one thing. Stepping your game up in the playoffs is another.

Fortunately for Detroit, the team is full of players with playoff experience like Kronwall, Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Weiss who can carry the load offensively. But will the youngsters have an impact this postseason?

Stats via Hockey-Reference and The Hockey News unless otherwise noted.