Detroit Red Wings 2015-16 NHL Preview

By Josh Hill | Oct 6, 2015

Dec 31, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings left wing Henrik Zetterberg (40) receives congratulations from center Pavel Datsyuk (13) and defenseman Niklas Kronwall (55) after scoring in the third period against the New Jersey Devils at Joe Louis Arena. Detroit won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

Team MVP

Henrik Zetterberg – C

The Red Wings lost the head of their snake when Mike Babcock moved on to Toronto this summer, and that puts a ton of pressure on the leader he left behind in Detroit. Henrik Zetterberg needs to step up and fill in not only for the loss of Babcock but for the benefit of new head coach Jeff Blashill.

If Zetterberg can take the pressure off Blashill and be the leader of the team, it’s going to make the transition from Babcock to the new era even smoother than it might already be. That being said, Zetterberg is playing as much for himself as he is for his new coach, as the window is closing on this aging Red Wings team and their captain can help steer the ship in the right direction as the twilight begins to turn to dark.

Nov 2, 2014; Buffalo, NY, USA; Detroit Red Wings left wing Henrik Zetterberg (40) during the game against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports /

Best Case Scenario

Without Babcock, the Red Wings are a team entirely reliant on their veteran leadership — which there is plenty of to go around. From Zetterberg to Niklas Kronwall and Pavel Datsyuk, the Red Wings have enough carry over from the Babcock era to keep things going and not miss many beats along the way.

Add to that the veteran power of Brad Richards and Mike Green, and all of sudden the Red Wings are looking like the scrappy group of crotchety old men who are just really damn good at hockey they’ve always been. That doesn’t equal a Stanley Cup, but it might give the team enough incentive to win now that it carries them on one more valiant run deep in the postseason.

Worst Case Scenario

The Red Wings are old — there’s absolutely no getting around that. It has worked in their favor in the past as ‘veteran leadership’ but it might start to come back to bite them as the league gets younger and faster. Detroit isn’t so old that they’re going to be the worst team in hockey, but there’s a very real possibility that they miss the postseason this year in a transitional phase for the franchise.

Detroit can’t always be the old guys on the block as the guard has changed since they’ve been on top. There might be one more good run left in this team, but we’ve likely seen the last of this incarnation of the Red Wings leading the charge in the NHL.

More from Detroit Red Wings

Home/Detroit Red Wings