Category: Matt

Red Wings Season Update #2

14-16-7, 35 points; 6^th in Atlantic Division

As 2017 draws to a close and the Red Wings gear up for their annual New Years Eve game, this time against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, there is a sense of relief that accompanies the turning of the calendar – relief that the Wings’ abysmal season is inching closer to becoming a thing of the past. Let’s face it: there isn’t much more to be added since the last season update; following the 10-1 debacle in Montreal, the Wings alternated between a 5-1 win over the first-place Winnipeg Jets, and a 6-1 loss at the hands of the St. Louis Blues. Perhaps captain Henrik Zetterberg summed this team up best following the St. Louis game: “When we’re good, we’re good, but when we’re bad, we’re terrible.”

I could write about how much of a disappointment this team is, but I wouldn’t be writing anything new. I could give you stats that prove the Wings’ shortcomings, but anyone who’s watched one of their games doesn’t need it broken down for them. Jonathan Ericsson is leading the team in +/- at +3, one of only three non-negative players. Their record speaks for itself; this team hasn’t been unlucky, they haven’t had to deal with injuries, they simply aren’t that good. They can be exciting when they decide to put in a complete effort for a game; that doesn’t happen frequently enough to justify watching in hopes of catching them on a good night.

This Red Wings season seems to be sort of a microcosm of 2017 in general: the year where everything went to shit and made everyone realize how good we had it before. Who would have thought ten years ago that we would be in the situation we’re currently experiencing? Well, it’s almost over, and hopefully we can write them both off as an aberrations, learn form our mistakes, and start anew next year. I doubt 2017 will be missed by many in Detroit.

Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? If you’re asking about this season, then the answer is undoubtedly so. Let’s just all agree to forget about this season in the future, when looking back on the days of auld lang syne. On this New Year’s Eve, surely we can think of fonder memories than the present.