Detroit Red Wings fans were hoping for change for the better with the hiring of long-time player Steve Yzerman as the GM, sadly that isn’t the case. They’re having one of the worst seasons in NHL history.
The Detroit Red Wings are off to one of the worst starts for a non-expansion team in NHL history I don’t know the last time an NHL team had this bad of a start to a season. The only one I could think of offhand is the 2016-17 Colorado Avalanche.
But as bad as the Avalanche were that year, the Red Wings are actually doing worse. Like so bad that there are at least a couple of AHL teams that could probably beat them. Now they are in the midst of a multi year rebuild, so they are going to be getting a top four pick in the draft presumably. So all is not lost just yet.
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They are dead last in the NHL with a 7-21-3 record. Only 31 games in and their already six points behind the 30th team, the New Jersey Devils.
Other than their first line, which features Tyler Bertuzzi, Dylan Larkin, and Robby Fabbri, they have no offense whatsoever. Andreas Athanasiou is having a career down year, and there just isn’t anyone else to step up.
Fabbri has been one of their lone bright spots on offense this year. He has 12 points, including six goals, in 15 games.
While its definitely nice to have additions like Fabbri have nice starts, you need more than that to be a consistent NHL team.
Their defence has done basically nothing this year, save for Filip Hronek. Mike Green is having a disastrous season and could very well be dealt at the deadline.
But the main problem with the Red Wings is their absolutely terrible goaltending. Their tandem in net this year has been Jimmy Howard and Jonathan Bernier splitting duties in goal. This hasn’t worked at all, as the Wings are last in the NHL in GA/GP with 3.97.
They have a pretty good AHL affiliate in the Grand Rapids Griffins, but its going to take a serious effort on the part of all of their staff to turn this ship around.