The Left Wing Lock

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According to multiple sources, Peter DeBoer is a leading candidate to land one of the two assistant coaching positions available with the Red Wings. Detroit is now expecting to have two assistant coaching vacancies once the Ottawa Senators announce Paul MacLean as their next head coach.

Despite his difficulties the last three seasons with the Florida Panthers (103 wins / 107 losses), there is no denying DeBoer’s coaching ability. Before getting a chance at the NHL level, he spent twelve years coaching in the Ontario Hockey League split between the Plymouth … Continue Reading

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With the recent announcement that Assistant Coach Brad McCrimmon’s will not return, the Red Wings will need to hire a replacement. McCrimmon, who had been with Detroit since 2008, had the primary responsibility for coaching  the defense corps and guiding the special teams. With five head coaching positions open across the NHL, the Wings will likely have to wait their turn before being able to fill their vacancy.

Below is a list of potential candidates, though additional candidates could emerge once the final decisions on five NHL head coaching positions are … Continue Reading

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 The Red Wings could make history tonight completing a comeback of epic proportions against the San Jose Sharks with a game seven victory. It was just last week that they lost the opening three games of the series and were on the verge of elimination. With three straight wins and a dominating performance in game six, this is a team that enters tonight’s game with a chance to do what just three other teams have done.

While much of the talk in media circles has been of this potential history making win, this … Continue Reading

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** Note since this was originally published, San Jose completed their series meaning that there is no chance Detroit will face Chicago in the Second round of the playoffs.

The Red Wings won’t know who their second round opponent is until the conclusion of the Chicago – Vancouver series late Tuesday night. With the elimination of the Anaheim Ducks, the contenders are down to the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, or the San Jose Sharks. Detroit cannot play the Vancouver Canucks or Los Angeles Kings if either team advances. Outlined below is an overview of each of the potential second round opponents:

Chicago … Continue Reading

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If the Red wings have a glaring weakness heading into the second round of the playoffs, it is their penalty kill. Detroit’s PK rate through four games against Phoenix was a disappointing 66.7% which is only better than the Nashville Predators and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Key to this statistic is the fact that the Wings have struggled more on the road (40.0%) than at home (76.9%).

The Red Wings entered the playoffs with a respectable 82.3% kill rate, but they failed to adapt to changes in the officiating causing them … Continue Reading

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The Red Wings will need to improve their consistency if they have any hope of advancing deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs. On Saturday, Detroit started strong racking up a four goal lead on the strength of Pavel Datsyuk’s four point game. The effort was almost spoiled due to a dismal effort in the third period which saw the Phoenix Coyotes battle back to within a goal.

The Wings, who has been plagued by poor starts all season long, absolutely dominated the first two periods and had Phoenix on the … Continue Reading

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Success in the NHL playoffs is often measured by the performances of the goaltender and defense corp. However, having skaters who consistently generate offense and elevate their play may be just as important. While the Red Wings possess their own offensive arsenal, they will face significant challenges from key players with a history of success against them. Below is a partial list of players who, if not contained, could cause problems for the Red Wings this post season.

• Shane Doan (Phoenix) – The 34 year-old has always been productive against the Red Wings, though this season he was limited to just one assist in three games. In the … Continue Reading
  

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The Red Wings have had a lot to be happy about the last few days after clinching the Central Division title and securing their spot in the NHL playoffs for the 20th consecutive year. While both are significant accomplishments, Detroit is a team that measures its success in the playoffs and not  by season awards or division titles. That being said, the Red Wings enter the post season with significant areas that must be improved to have a chance at a long Stanley Cup run. Here’s a look at a few key areas:

• Big guns must fire regularly – Johan Franzen … Continue Reading
  

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500 points is an accomplishment for any player, but for Tomas Holmstrom it is a milestone that seems improbable. The 6-foot, 198 pound winger is not particularly gifted offensively and certainly isn’t the best skater on the ice. None of that matters for Holmstrom, who has earned his paycheck the hard way by crashing the crease and scoring ugly deflection goals near the net.

The Red Wings discovered the 38 year-old winger after Detroit scout, Hakaan Andersson, watched him play in 1993 Swedish national team selection camp. They drafted him a year later in 1994 with a 10th round selection – 257th overall.

The Pitea, … Continue Reading

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Detroit’s shot at the Stanley Cup was nearly over before it started on Saturday as Jimmy Howard was helped off the ice. The 6-foot, 210 netminder suffered a sprained shoulder when Toronto’s Joffrey Lupul crashed the Red Wings crease early in the third period.

The Red Wings are already without Chris Osgood who had a setback in his recovery from a sports hernia surgery and was placed on long-term IR earlier this week. He isn’t eligible to return until April 8th leaving the Wings with the strong possibility of entering the playoffs with journeyman Joey MacDonald as their backup.

Howard has … Continue Reading