Is the Yzerplan Finally Coming Together for the Red Wings? 3 Cases For and Against
The Red Wings made us collectively groan at our TVs just one game into the season as they fell 5-1 to the in-your-face Canadiens. It was another brutal defensive and goaltending performance -- exactly what the Red Wings had hoped to improve upon as they opened the season.
Since then, they've climbed to the top of the Atlantic Division with five wins in a row and a 5-1-0 record. They've defeated top competition like Edmonton, Florida, Tampa Bay, and Toronto (twice!). Dylan Larkin is third league-wide with 11 points in six games, Moritz Seider looks ready to lead on the back end, but most of all, this looks like a cohesive team that can find ways to win.
Could this be the final step in the Yzerplan? Could the Red Wings finally return to the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons? Here are three reasons why this is the year, and three reasons why we should pump the brakes.
For: The Young Veterans Are Stepping Up
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The Yzerplan has officially reached the stage where we need to differentiate between newcomers and veterans of the youth movement.
Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are the pillars and the veterans of the youth movement, and although they'd had flashes of brilliance like Seider's Calder Trophy, they've been looking to establish consistency. To be fair, this wasn't necessarily on the players -- they've needed some help with the supporting cast, and they've needed to get the reps in. It seems like it's all coming together right now.
Raymond has been rounding out his game for the past two seasons, and so far, it looks like he's ready to put it all together with two goals, five points, and a plus-five in four games to start the season.
Seider is leading the team significantly in time on ice, averaging 25:38 per night with a plus-two rating to show for it.
These two stepping into major roles on the team have always been a crucial part of the Yzerplan, and at 23 and 24 years old, they look ready to do so.
Against: The Goaltending Remains Suspect
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Goaltending has long been a key issue plaguing the Yzerplan -- as has defense in general. Granted, the market as a whole was slim pickings last offseason, but at least the Red Wings attempted to fix the goaltending issue by trading for veteran goaltender John Gibson.
Gibson, 32, has spent his entire, largely positive career with the Ducks, but he's been dealing with some nagging injuries the past few seasons. On top of that concern, he's struggled to acclimate to Detroit's net so far with a 2.99 goals against average, a .873 save percentage, and -1.1 goals saved above expected in three games.
Cam Talbot, 38, has fared much better with a .932 save percentage and a 1.78 goals against average in four games, but that's masking a pretty rough game against the Leafs that the Red Wings managed to squeak out.
Even if Talbot continues on his positive trend, and even if Gibson just needs some more time getting used to a new team, can this tandem provide enough stability to keep Detroit going?
Against: The Atlantic is a Tough Division
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Make no mistake about it: The Atlantic is still one of the toughest divisions in the league. You've got the back-to-back champion Panthers always lurking, the Canadiens making some noise as loud as Detroit to start the season, the Leafs with something to prove after losing Mitch Marner, and the Senators and Lightning looking to follow up trips to the playoffs last season.
Even the Sabres are showing some early signs of life, and Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman has stolen a few games.
You cannot take a night off in this division, and the problem with the Red Wings of the past few seasons was those nights off after the great games.
For: But Maybe Not as Tough as Before
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The Atlantic is still a gauntlet, but we may have reached the end of its most brutal days as the Central Division rises.
We should know better than to count out the Panthers after a rough start to the regular season, but they'll be strategic until the playoffs without Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. Meanwhile, the Lightning are struggling mightily to start the season in a pretty concerning manner, and the Bruins are entering the first full season of their intentional rebuild.
As the status quo of the division changes, it's as good a time as any for the Red Wings to come up and finally break through to the playoffs.
For: Emmitt Finnie is a Revelation ...
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We've already talked about "young veterans" Seider and Raymond, but the Red Wings have been touted as one of the youngest teams in the league with the most budding potential for a reason -- there's more where that came from.
Rookie Emmitt Finnie, 2023 seventh-round pick, has introduced himself to the NHL with a bang so far. The forward has two goals, five points, and a plus-seven rating through six games with the Red Wings. The best part? He's done all that with zero minutes of power play time.
Finnie earned his spot on the left wing next to Dylan Larkin during training camp and hasn't let up or looked back yet. The Red Wings had been experimenting with that spot next to Larkin and Raymond, and Finnie's shot and style of play have complemented the two stars quite well.
Against: ... But Will His Strong Start Last?
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Finnie has been touted for his hardworking attitude, and a seventh-rounder working his way up to the top line is one of those things that can keep the rest of the team honest. He's been playing great and hasn't given us any indication of slowing down, but still -- this is a rookie with a hot start six games in.
You really want to see a seventh-round workhorse rise and provide a team like the Red Wings with an unexpected and satisfying final touch on the Yzerplan. But even if Finnie keeps it up, you also don't want to put that much pressure on the shoulders of a rookie.
The Yzerplan has yet to pan out largely due to a premature reliance on rookies and not enough structural support down the lineup. Let's take Finnie's start as a nod in the right direction, but we'll give it a few more games before declaring him the catch-all answer to Red Wings fans' prayers.
