Welcome to my first 2023-24 regular season Detroit Red Wings weekly review. The Red Wings kicked off their 91st NHL season with a tough 4-3 loss against the New Jersey Devils on the road. Detroit then turned to Little Caesers Arena and won 6-4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning . A 4-0 shutout of the Columbus Blue Jackets and a 6-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins concluded the first week of the 2023-24 season. The Red Wings record stands at 3-1.
Red Wings Have Successful Start to The 2023-24 Season
Positives
The Detroit Red Wings look like a completely different team than the one that took the ice last season. They do have a different roster but the play is noticeably different but better. Passing is quicker and smoother, shot selection is on point, every player is back on defense, and Detroit now has four competent lines to go against any line in the league. Different team with a different mindset coming in with high expectations.
What a difference a sniper makes. For the past several years, Detroit was looking for offense from someone other than the captain, Dylan Larkin. General manager Steve Yzerman solved that problem by bringing in 10 new faces that could contribute.
The biggest name was winger Alex DeBrincat, who immediately made this a dangerously offensive team. He has already shown how big of a weapon he is and currently leads the league in points with eight. The offense for the red Wings, once non-existent, has come to life because of that one move. He is a threat to score every shift he has.
As mentioned, DeBrincat is leading the Red Wings, and the league, in scoring but there are a few more Red Wings who also had big weeks. Goaltender James Reimer had the first shutout of the year for Detroit against Columbus, captain Dylan Larkin had six points in one goal and five assists, newcomers Shayne Gostisbehere and J.T. Compher each had one goal and three assists for four points.
Negatives
While the play in the offensive end was much improved, the defense still had some lapses in their game. Not as many as last season and not as noticeable but they are still there. This could be because the defense has a few new faces that are still working on finding their game with their new team. Still plenty of time to figure things out.
Veteran forward David Perron has disappointed with only one point through the first four points this season. In preseason, he was on the top line with Larkin and Lucas Raymond. However, since the season started he has been subjected to the second and third lines. He had a tremendous first season with the Detroit Red Wings last season with 24 goals and 32 assists for 56 points in 82 games. His only point this season was a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the last game. With the talent the Detroit Red Wings now have, he should be able to get out of this funk sooner than later.
Weekly record: 3-1
Season record: 3-1