The Dead Things Are Back

On Friday, the Florida Panthers defeated the Washington Capitals in a shootout, 6-5. This win doesn't mean much on the surface, except for the fact that Florida's win leaves the Detroit Red Wings as the only winless team in the NHL. Sitting at 0-5-2 and dead-last in the Atlantic Division, the Red Wings are already on the fast track to getting the No. 1 draft pick in next season's NHL Draft (#LoseForHughes).

Some Red Wing fans are completely on board with losing, as it signals the dire need for a rebuild. Aging, vestigial players such as Jonathan Ericsson, Frans Nielsen, and Nikolas Kronwall occupy the current roster, armed with hefty contracts and deals. Stars who were supposed to bigger such as Darren Helm haven't been around. The Red Wings have allowed the most goals per game in the NHL with 4.6 goals allowed. They also aren't scoring as much, ranking 27th in goals scored per game (2.1). However, the organization, namely Ken Holland, has been steadfast on trying to compete, not putting much effort into the rebuilding process.

On the plus side, the power play has been okay, ranking 15th in the NHL (22.7 %). The Wings are also killing off penalties well, ranking seventh in the NHL in penalty killing (82.1%). Still, the situation in the Motor City seems dire for a franchise that has seen one of the longest playoff streaks suddenly come to an end. The fall from grace from when they barely lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Semifinals in 2013 seems astronomical. There is some good news as Steve Yzerman is stepping down from a successful stint in Tampa Bay to work in an advisory role in the organization. Maybe he can turn the Red Wings' fortunes around?