Derek Lalonde returns to Tampa Tuesday night with the Red Wings two points behind the Lightning in the Atlantic Division. In year one under the former Lightning assistant, Detroit has been one of the early surprises of the season.
And players around the NHL are taking notice.
One Eastern Conference veteran apparently couldn't stop gushing about the Red Wings after playing against last month. The Wings picked up points in 10 of their 13 games in November.
"That team is going to be so legit so soon," the unnamed player told ESPN. "They have the talent, they also have the swag. Watch out for them."
A step forward was expected for the Red Wings this season after a spending spree in agency, but maybe not to this degree. They have 29 points through 24 games entering Tuesday's clash with the Lightning, which puts them on a playoff-worthy 99-point pace.
If they get there, it would mark Detroit's first playoff berth in seven years, tied for the longest drought in franchise history.
The upgrades to the roster have been noticeable. While captain Dylan Larkin still leads the way offensively, newcomers Dominik Kubalik, David Perron and Andrew Copp have given the Wings' top three lines and special teams a major boost. Ben Chiarot and Olli Maatta have stabilized the top two defensive pairs and Ville Husso has been strong in goal.
The improved depth has allowed the Red Wings to survive the absences of Tyler Bertuzzi and Jakub Vrana in a way they wouldn't have in the past.
“We’re just more competitive,” reigning Rookie of the Year Moritz Seider said last month. “We have more depth. It doesn’t matter who’s out, we still find ways to win games. I think sometimes last year we just couldn’t find a way to stay in the game and maybe even win it. I think that’s why we were leaking oil a little bit. If our top guys were out, we were struggling a bit.
“This year, we put our game in the opponent’s face and it’s been working out good.”
The Red Wings have made a statement through the first three months of the season, with a chance to make another against the three-time defending Eastern Conference champs Tuesday night.
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