DETROIT —Will the Detroit Red Wings finally return to the NHL postseason?
It’s the biggest, and perhaps only question on the minds of Wings fans as the Original 6 franchise enters its 100th season.
Hockeytown hasn’t felt like Hockeytown in nearly a decade with the Wings last competing in the Stanly Cup playoffs in 2016.
The team missed out on the playoffs two seasons ago by fate of a tiebreaker, and flirted with playoff contention last year, before fading down the stretch.
Amid all the questions and uncertainty entering the 100th season of Red Wings hocky, one thing seems certain: another season of missing the playoffs could spell trouble, and possibly the end of Steve Yzerman’s time as GM.
The Detroit fan base is antsy, the Yzerman reign has not brought the same level of success the team saw while he wore the ‘C’ while playing for the Wings, and he hasn’t been able to repeat the success he saw in Tampa, turning the Lightning into Stanley Cup champions and regular title contenders.
Wings fans, understandably want that Yzerman touch and genius to finally work, and it’s hard to imagine Detroit’s 100th season not including the first NHL playoff game in the history of Little Caesars Arena.
This offseason, Detroit addressed what’s been arguably its biggest need during the Steve Yzerman era: goaltending.
The Wings traded for John Gibson to fortify their netminding while bidding farewell to Petr Mrazek.
They also signed free agents Michael Appleton and Jonathan Leonard.
Veteran Patrick Kane will also return as he chases Mike Modano’s record for most points by a player born in the United States.
He needs 32 points to further etch himself in NHL history.
Following training camp in Traverse City, prospects Axel Sandin Pellikka, Emmitt Finnie and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård all earned roster spots to start the season.
On the coaching side, this will be Todd McLellan’s first full season leading Detroit after taking over midway through the 24-25 season following the firing of Derek Lalonde.
Will all this translate to playoff hockey?
We’ll get our first answer Thursday night when the Wings open the season against the Montreal Canadiens.