2017-18 record: 30-39-13 (73 points)
Missed the playoffs
Captain: Henrik Zetterberg
These are dark times in Detroit, where the glow of their glory days of the 1990's and 2000's is fading fast. While the Wings think they can still compete, the reality is that the pipeline that had given them the likes of Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Tomas Holmstrom has been drying up, and while they haven't hit rock bottom, they are still stuck in the purgatory that is mediocrity. That figures to be the case once again this season.
If you're looking for a big reason for the Red Wings' decline, begin with the offense, which was 28th in the league. Dylan Larkin rebounded to post a nice 63 point season, and Anthony Mantha certainly has 30-goal potential, but beyond them, there's not much hope. It becomes even more pronounced because Zetterberg is likely to miss the entire season. They have to hope Filip Zadina can make the team and produce right away. Getting Thomas Vanek for a year should also bump the number slightly. The Red Wings' defense was nothing special, as they were slightly below the league average. Jimmy Howard wasn't bad when healthy, but that was a problem, and given that they traded Petr Mrazek in the middle of last season, they needed someone reliable. Jonathan Bernier should provide that. In front of them, Mike Green returns, which is a big coup, as he was their best defenseman last season. Along with Trevor Daley, they are actually the team's best defenders, which speaks poorly of the team's ability to identify talent on the back end lately.
Prediction: 5th in the Atlantic Division
The Eastern Conference is relatively weak, which means a mediocre team like Detroit can somehow sneak into the playoffs. The Zetterberg injury changes things, though, as he was unquestionably the leader on the team. The Red Wings won't outscore many teams, and their defense just isn't good enough to compensate, which means it will be another long year in the Motor City.
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