Addressing the Detroit Red Wings’ issues
By Dave Waddell –
As attention shifts to the opening of the Detroit Red Wings’ training camp in less than a month’s time, it’s a good time to assess what’s occurred this summer and what to watch for in the coming weeks and months.
It’s been a rather quiet summer for the Wings in terms of reshaping their roster. Yet never has such quiet triggered such noise among the Detroit faithful.
Let’s tackle some of the fallout from the related issues.
Detroit is no longer a destination
The Wings can paint it anyway they want, but there’s no doubt this issue needs to be addressed head-on moving forward.
When you offer more money or more term as Detroit did to several free-agent targets in July and come up empty for the second time in three summers, it’s no longer an aberration.
There’s no doubt the team isn’t viewed as good enough by free agents. It’s not viewed that way by Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, who have both publically stated the team needs to be strengthened to go deeper into the playoffs.
Another factor is the Joe.
Fans may hold a fondness for the Joe Louis Arena, but if you take off the rose colored glasses it’s a dump Wings fans would ridicule if it were located in another city.
Former assistant GM Jim Nill conceded some years ago when he brought the team’s prospects to the Joe for the first time they were always shocked at how inferior the facilities were to their college or major junior teams.
The new rink will fix that, but it’s still about three years away.
The Wings are also starting from behind based on the reputation of the city of Detroit. It might not be justified, but it’s a reality.
With lifestyle decisions playing an increasingly important role in free agents’ decisions, this will remain a challenge in attracting players without Michigan ties.
Mike Babcock is scaring off free agents
Is Babcock tough, demanding, arrogant, owner of a large ego and disliked by many players? Yes.
He’s also thorough, well-prepared and widely respected as one of the game’s great coaches and stands alone in hockey history as the only bench boss to win the World Junior, World Championship, Olympics and Stanley Cup.
Players like to win and as long as Babcock is viewed as giving them the best chance to do that, players will play hard for him.
As for the criticism that he’s chasing away free agents, I present former Wings’ defenseman Mike Commodore.
No one hates Babcock more than Commodore, but it didn’t stop Commodore from signing with Detroit a few seasons ago even after he spent years telling everyone that Babcock had tried to ruin his career previously.
It’s a lack of talent and the perception the team isn’t a cup contender that’s keeping free agents away more than a demanding coach.
Cleary signing
It’s hard not to feel for Dan Cleary this season. This will be a lightning rod issue for the Wings. It’s impossible to remember a move by general manager Ken Holland that has garnered such pointed criticism.
Holland will have boxed himself in and wasted a couple million dollars if Cleary is ineffective. It’ll be worse if he’s mediocre but stays in Detroit and a youngster is sent to Grand Rapids because of contractual status.
Cleary deserves better than to be remembered as the focus of fans’ venom if this doesn’t work out, but things could get ugly quickly for one of the game’s good guys.
Howard needs to bounce back
Goalie Jimmy Howard’s leash is getting shorter.
Jonas Gustavsson proved a reliable alternative last season and talk is when Grand Rapids star Petr Mrazek comes to Detroit permanently it’s with the thought he’s not just coming to serve as Howard’s caddy.
Holland is past his best-by date
Never has Ken Holland been subjected to such criticism as this summer and there’s a growing segment of the fan base wondering if it’s time for a change at the top.
You can forget that happening.
The Ilitches love Holland, how he presents the face of the franchise and the success the team has enjoyed.
There’s no doubt Holland has had better summers and his record since 2009 in free agency and in trading has been poor.
He’s coming out second-best in fans’ minds in comparison with former Wings Steve Yzerman and Jim Nill.
However, Yzerman has already missed the playoffs more (twice) with Tampa in his four years as GM than Holland has in his career. Neither Nill’s nor Yzerman’s teams got any further than the Wings did this past spring in the playoffs either.
However, Holland needs his youngsters to continue to grow as quickly as they have and have two or three defensemen in Grand Rapids come good this year or next to erase the memories of this summer’s free-agency whitewash.