Detroit Red Wings impressive play strolls into week 22

Welcome to my 22nd weekly regular season recap of the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings played four games this week going 3-1.

Their six-game winning streak came to an end but not their hopes of a playoff spot. Detroit defeated the St. Louis Blues 6-1, won 3-2 in overtime against the Chicago Blackhawks, dominated the Washington Capitals 8-3, then closed out the week with a 5-3 loss to the New York Islanders, ending their winning streak.

The Detroit Red Wings are playing well as of late and could make the playoffs

Positives

Forward Alex DeBrincat was on fire this week, leading Detroit with six points on four goals and two assists. He has come alive since forward Patrick Kane joined the team and they were placed with captain Dylan Larkin on the top line.

DeBrincat is second on the team with 23 goals and also second on the team with 30 assists for 53 points this season. He has had cold streaks this season where he did not provide much offense but when he is hot, he is one of the best players in the league.

The offense continues to click at an elite level this season. This week, they scored 20 goals in four games, averaging five goals per game. 22 points were scored by the Red Wings roster this week against Washington as the offensive contributions continue to spread throughout the lineup.

Detroit is finding ways to create offense from nothing and the deep roster remains one of the best from top to bottom in the entire league.

The defense has provided stellar play over the past few weeks and seems to have turned around what was a disastrous start.

This week, the defense accumulated 12 points on four goals and eight assists as they are jumping in more in the offensive zone and taking more shots on the power play.

Their play is key as the team is rolling right now and can use those abilities as the season winds down in crucial situations.

Negatives

While he has been outstanding and one of the key reasons for the Red Wings' success, goaltender Alex Lyon has played a ton of hockey since he first took the crease for Detroit. If Detroit is going to remain a strong team and make some noise in the playoffs, Lyon has to be rested now and then.

General Manager Steve Yzerman will have to get creative at the trade deadline, now a week away, to get stability behind Lyon. He cannot continue to start nine out of 10 games, yet be fresh for a lengthy playoff run.

There are goaltenders to be had for a decent price and that should be a move that needs to happen to further strengthen the team as a whole.

We have to wonder what this roster is going to look like a week from now. With the trade deadline next week, will this team be adding or trading away to make this team stronger? There have been rumors of the Red Wings trading away and adding but Yzerman never lets anything out.

Yzerman has to be careful in pursuing a trade. Does he want to break this team up for a bigger piece knowing how they are playing? He will only make a move to make this team stronger and will, not trade only to trade.

The chemistry up and down the lineup is there and trading away a piece, regardless of importance, may shake this team up the wrong way.