Trailing in standings and ailing in health, Detroit Red Wings embark on challenging trip
Trailing in the standings and ailing in health, the Detroit Red Wings head out what may well be a make-or-break trip.
It's a rule of thumb in the NHL that a trip is considered successful if a team gains as many points as there are stops, but even if the Wings squeeze three points from the trek (Saturday at the Vegas Golden Knights, Monday at the Utah Hockey Club, Tuesday at the Colorado Avalanche), that still would not get them inside the Eastern Conference playoff picture — and that's before they even depart. At 32-30-6, their 70 points entering Friday are four points out of the second wild-card berth, and behind four teams.
"This isn't a walk-in-the-park trip for our club," coach Todd McLellan said Friday. "Vegas is a tough building to play in, just the energy and that seventh-man factor, similar to what we have here in Detroit. They play well in that building. I'm sure they'll be much more energized than what they were here a week ago. So hands full there.
"We're going to have to get off to a good start, and we need everybody on board."
Defenseman Erik Gustafsson won't be on board in Vegas or anytime soon; McLellan described Gustafsson, who suffered an undisclosed injury in Tuesday's game at the Washington Capitals, as "out long-term," adding that Gustafsson might be able to play near the end of the regular season (though there are only 14 games remaining).
Forward Elmer Söderblom (undisclosed, also from Caps game) remains day-to-day but, "he’s coming on the trip and we hope he’ll play at some point on it," McLellan said.
At least for the Vegas game, the Wings will look on the blue line to William Lagesson, who has played just twice for them this season and has been a healthy scratch since being recalled from the minors on Jan. 3, the day after veteran Jeff Petry suffered a long-term injury. Lagesson practiced Friday with Albert Johansson.
"We’ve had Lagesson here a long time and he’s been chomping at the bit, so he’ll get his opportunity to play," McLellan said. "We expect a lot from him despite probably being rusty. That's his job."
That job could be taken later in the trip by Petry, who is nearing a return. Petry could also take over Gustafsson's spot quarterbacking the second power play unit, but at least for Saturday, Simon Edvinsson will get a chance to build on a role he performed in the minors and back home in Sweden.
"It’s a huge opportunity for me," Edvinsson said. "I want to play as much as possible. I might be a little bit rusty but I’m going to have to get into it right away. I have to be sharp right away."
It was at this time last year that Edvinsson joined the Wings from the minors and was part of their late-season push for a playoff spot. They'll have to work even harder to stay in the race this year after losing eight of their past 10, as daunting as the schedule ahead is.
"It’s a tough road trip," Edvinsson said. "I know what the team can do, we’ve done it before, but it’s going to be a hard challenge. It’s going to be tough. So we have to be on top every night. That’s going to be the biggest thing for us."
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.
Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of the Red Wings,” was released October 2024. Her books, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings' Erik Gustafsson out 'long-term' at critical time
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