The Detroit Red Wings are finally finding ways to collect points. After starting the season off pretty rough, that’s encouraging.
But, there is still a large looming problem hiding in the shadows.
The Red Wings have earned points in their last four games and even won back-to-back games against the Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks. While they have shown an ability to battle back from deficits and not give in when things get tough, the encouraging developments haven’t erased the weakness.
Detroit just isn’t scoring enough goals.
Through eight games, Detroit has just 19 goals, which ranks clear down at No. 27 in the NHL. There are just five teams that have scored fewer goals in all of hockey. That’s an average of less than 2.4 goals per game.
If this team has any chance of breaking the decade-long playoff drought, that number is going to have to get significantly better.
Alex DeBrincat is Key
The Red Wings made a considerable commitment to DeBrincat last week when they signed him to a seven-year, $91 million contract extension.
So far, he’s doing everything in his power to prove why that was exactly the right thing for Detroit to do.
He leads the team with five goals including the game-tying one against San Jose on Saturday evening. That was a key moment in the game.
Detroit was down 3-2 and the team decided to pull John Gibson and leave an open net. There was less than two minutes left in regulation and it was all or nothing. DeBrincat scored with 1:33 remaining.
That goal ultimately led to the Red Wings victory in shootout style. The final score was 4-3.
Lucas Raymond was successful in the shootout and Gibson stood out in the game with 31 saves.
That was an impressive comeback for the team and, yet again, another reminder why DeBrincat is so important to the roster.
It also highlighted the weakness.
Of Detroit’s 19 goals this season, DeBrincat has scored five of them. That’s more than 25% of the whole team’s offensive production.
That is not a statistic that can be maintained. He cannot carry that much of the scoring responsibility.
Raymond, who is usually an important offensive weapon for the team, is still searching for his first regulation goal of the season.
After the game on Saturday, Raymond addressed the scoring situation.
"I'd love to see one go in, but I'll keep shooting and something will go in," Raymond told NHL.com.
Detroit Needs More
There is a lot to be said for a team that won’t quit. So far, this has defined the Red Wings. They have had a plethora of distractions going on around them, both on and off the ice, and for the most part, the players and even the coaches have kept their heads down and gone to work.
They rallied against New Jersey to force overtime. They found a way to win late against Philadelphia. Then overcame a two-goal third-period deficit against San Jose.
Those efforts have allowed Detroit to get to a 3-3-2 record for the year so far.
There’s a big difference, though, between being able to come back and overcome, or putting opponents in difficult positions.
So far, the Red Wings have spent way too much time chasing games rather than controlling them.
Continually depending on late-game saves and being able to overcome deficits isn’t a sustainable strategy in this league.
Overall, this team has to generate more scoring opportunities throughout the entire game. They need to finish the opportunities handed to them and, in general, get more out of their entire lineup.
They aren’t without challenges, either. Marco Kasper and J.T. Compher have been out with injuries, and they have had to rely on younger forwards to handle the tasks.
Emmitt Finnie and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard have been showing some promise. But, in general, the team’s overall production on offense has to improve.
Upcoming Road Trip Will Be a Test
Detroit is beginning a four-game road trip starting on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken. Then they will move on to tour Canada, facing Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton before they come back home to Detroit.
Seattle already handed the Red Wings a 6- 3 loss earlier this month. So, that will give Detroit a chance to weigh just how much they have improved.
This trip will also give them a chance to test their ability to generate offense away from Little Caesars Arena. Home ice has been an advantage so far for them, as they have played seven of their eight games at home.
Nineteen goals in eight games isn’t enough. Finding more offense must be a priority.
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