The Detroit Red Wings won nine of their first ten games of the season, putting them on track to make the playoffs.
They enter Thursday’s game against the Florida Panthers with a 6-3-1 record, having returned home from a two-game trip with two points thanks to a late rally. When Lucas Raymond scored in overtime against the Islanders on Monday in Elmont, New York, it completed a comeback from a two-goal deficit in the third period.
The win was especially important following the Wings’ dreadful performance in a 4-1 loss in Boston on Saturday. (Another game against the Bruins is scheduled for this Saturday, at Little Caesars Arena.)
Monday’s win snapped a three-game losing streak and gave the Wings 13 points, putting them on pace to surpass 100 points. There’s still a long way to go — and the next stretch includes a pair of games in Sweden — but it’s a good start, and with that in mind, here are five observations from the Wings’ first ten games.
They are capable of scoring.
The most noticeable area for improvement is the scoring. The Wings’ goals-per-game average of 4.00 was tied for third in the league entering Wednesday, and they just showed how quickly they can turn on the offense, scoring three goals less than four minutes apart against the Islanders. It was the priority for general manager Steve Yzerman last offseason, and his moves have paid off: Alex DeBrincat has nine goals, while free-agent signees Daniel Sprong and Shayne Gostisbehere each have three.
It’s not just one line or one defensive pairing: 14 of the 21 skaters who have taken the ice have scored. The Wings have 26 goals at even strength, which is good for second in the NHL as of Wednesday, and 10 goals when playing five-on-four, which is also good for second as of Wednesday. Knowing that a goal can come from anyone, at any time, is a huge source of confidence in the locker room.
Profits after taxes
Ville Husso’s 3.28 goals-against average and.900 save percentage don’t look great on their own, and reflect Husso giving up some soft goals in early games. But he’s coming off two excellent starts — he kept it 2-0 into the third period in Boston, with only the third goal coming when a teammate provided David Pastrnak with a penalty shot.
