The Detroit Red Wings had a better effort all-around in week 16

Welcome to my 16th regular season Detroit Red Wings weekly review. The Red Wings played four games this week, posting a 2-2 record.

Detroit started the week with a 4-2 loss against a tough Carolina Hurricanes team. They then turned around and beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1.

The 5-4 loss against the Dallas Stars was ugly as they allowed four goals in period two. They rebounded for a 3-0 shutout win against the Philadelphia Flyers in a feisty game.

The Detroit Red Wings had a good week that had some ups and downs.

Positives

Although they went .500 for the week, the games were against teams either in a playoff spot or on the fringe of getting one.

The Red Wings, aside from the second period collapse against Dallas, played a better defensive game all-around and shut down high danger chances around the net and in the slot by playing as a unit.

While there are still things to work on, this was a good sign as Detroit showed they can compete against playoff teams.

The power-play was again on fire this week, going 4-for-11. The players who should contribute on the man-advantage did just that and also got better chances in the offensive zone.

The Red Wings kept things simple this week instead of rushing the play and looking for the perfect opportunity.

Defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Jake Walman again showed how lethal they can be in these situations, being a factor by setting plays up with precision and letting the play come to them.

The Red Wings also got set up right away once in the zone, something they struggled with the previous week.

Forwards Lucas Raymond (one goal, four assists) and captain Dylan Larkin (two goals, three assists) tied for team scoring this week with five points a piece.

They feed off each other so well and have again been placed on the same line where they have great chemistry.

They are as dangerous on a regular shift as they are on the man-advantage. Raymond and Larkin are going to be counted on heavily as they get into the second half of the season.

Negatives

The second period of the Dallas Stars game cannot happen when they are fighting for a playoff spot. The Red Wings should consider themselves lucky to have lost by a single goal as that second period was the worst period of hockey by Detroit in a long time.

The Stars had 20 shots on goal in the second period and took control of what was a close game after one period of play and dominated Detroit in all three zones. Goaltender Alex Lyon, who has been amazing between the pipes, was pulled after the second.

While Dallas is a quality team, there was no excuse for how Detroit played that poorly in the second frame.

The news that goaltender Ville Husso was sent to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League for a conditioning stint, brings a few questions. What happens to Lyon when Husso is ready to come back?

Is goaltender James Reimer on the trading block to give Detroit a Lyon/ Husso tandem in the net? Is Lyon on the block now? At this point, MY decision would be the Red Wings go with a Lyon/ Husso duo the way Lyon has played, he deserves this spot.

Husso cannot come back from injury and be thrown into the starter position. Reimer should be sent to Grand Rapids, released, or traded as he has done nothing as of yet.

Defenseman Jeff Petry should also be expendable when the trade deadline comes around. He has not played well in the defensive zone and has one assist in his last five games.

With prospect Simon Edvinsson seemingly ready to go, this potential trade of Petry would give Edvinsson that opportunity full-time and give Detroit a possible decent return.

Petry has not looked comfortable in the bottom pairing and creates turnovers more than he should, sometimes in his own zone. While his 14 points in 39 games are promising, there seems to be more room for Edvinsson than Petry at this point.

Weekly record: 2-2

Season record: 25-18-5, 55 points, 5th in the Atlantic Division