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At this juncture of the season, there is only one squad capable of preventing the Detroit Red Wings from ending their seven-season NHL postseason absence.
That would be the guys they see every morning when they look in the mirror.
The Red Wings have met the enemy, and it is them.
Detroit is embarking on a road trip from hell. The next five games for the Red Wings are at Nashville (Saturday), Washington (Tuesday), Carolina (Thursday), Florida (Saturday) and Tampa Bay (Monday).
Detroit has lost four in a row at Nashville. The Predators are currently the NHL’s hottest squad, with points in 16 successive games (14-0-2). Washington is 6-3-1 in the last 10 home games vs Detroit. At the moment riding a five-game win streak, Carolina is 4-1 the last five times hosting the Red Wings. Florida has won nine of 11 home games from Detroit, while the Red Wings show three wins over their past 22 visits to Tampa Bay.
Finishing this trip with an 0-5 slate would not be out of the question.
And really, that’s the only way any of the teams currently chasing Detroit for the second Eastern Conference wild card spot can get back in the hunt.
“It’s going to start one game at a time with an opportunity against Nashville, but we got to try to eat any point we can get on this road trip,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said.
Currently with 78 points, the Red Wings are three points clear of the Washington Capitals. The New York Islanders are five points back. New Jersey (72), Buffalo (71) and Pittsburgh (69) are running on fumes.
True, both the Capitals (two) and Islanders (one) are holding games in hand on the Red Wings. However, if Detroit just takes care of business, those numbers become immaterial.
The Red Wings, as the saying goes, control their own destiny. Only they can blow it.
Red Wings Adept At Failure
While we’re being honest, let’s remember that the only reason there’s a race at all for that final playoff spot is because the Red Wings took a great fall. They were at least eight points clear of everyone before embarking on a seven-game skid the would open the door for the challengers to gain ground.
One again, that’s the only manner in which those in pursuit can catch Detroit. The Red Wings must stumble.
Even a 2-3 slate on this upcoming road sojourn should be enough to get them home and cooled out. That would prove especially true should they take care of business on Tuesday in Washington. As poorly as the club played in dropping seven in a row, Detroit is now 3-1 over the past four games. They were victorious in key recent home dates against Buffalo and the Islanders. Those triumphs virtually snuffed out the playoff dreams for both of those clubs.
“When you play games like that, it just validates that feeling that we belong in the playoffs,” Detroit captain Dylan Larkin said. “That’s our goal.
“You know there’s gonna be bumps. I don’t exactly how many games we have left (12), but there’s gonna be bumps and we’ve shown that we can stick together.
“That’s what’s important.”
The Wings face non-playoff teams in four of their last six regular-season games. Survive this trip and the playoffs will be their destiny.
If not, then they’ll only have themselves to blame.
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TODAY'S BEST
Bruins' David Pastrnak Calls Out Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky: He Just Lacks Humility'
Juraj Slafkovsky is one of the most promising players in the NHL, but now he has been called out by David Pastrnak, who stated he lacks humility. After being picked No. 1 overall in 2022 NHL Draft, expectations were high in Montreal for young star Juraj Slafkovsky, and thus far, he's shown glimpses of being the elite level player many expected when he entered the National Hockey League. However, there are still some major steps to go, and in a recent interview, Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak pointed out perhaps one area where the 21-year old may need to improve moving forward. When asked about Slafkovsky and his potential, Pastrnak gave nothing but a glowing review of the young Canadiens star, but he did note that he believes Slafkovsky needs more humility. 'He's still a young player who is gaining experience in the NHL every year. This season it was already clear that he gave the team more than before...He just needs a little more humility, he should set an example for the young ones.' On the ice, there's no doubting that Slafkovsky has the presence, the size and the talent to be a true star, posting 101 total points over the past two seasons, but for whatever reason, it appears as though Pastrnak believes he needs to improve off the ice before he can take a major leap in Montreal. Ultimately, the talent is still there for Slafkovsky, and at 21-years old, he'll continue to learn off the ice, and if he can go anywhere close to living up to the potential that he's shown in his first three years at the NHL level, there's no doubt that he can be a big time star and help lead the Canadiens to significant post-season success.
Ex-Lakers Big Man Ready to Cut NBA Ties With New Contract
It was the Lakers who, eight years ago, gave center Thomas Bryant his first crack at the NBA, putting him into the lineup after acquiring him in a draft trade with the Jazz. Bryant's Lakers career did not last that long--he was gone after one season--but he came back to L.A. in the summer of 2022 after a successful stint with the Wizards. That go-round with the Lakers did not go much better than the first, as Bryant averaged 12.3 points but was traded away in a massive deal at the 2023 deadline that saw the Lakers add Mo Bamba and Davon Reed. The Lakers had two cracks at Bryant but were not able to get his best from him. Bryant has since moved on to Denver, Miami and most recently, Indiana, where he has not been a big-time scorer, but has filled a role nicely in each of his stops. But, unable to drum up a new NBA contract, it looks like Bryant's next role will come overseas. That's according to a report from Telesport, which noted that the Greek team Panathinaikos is in direct contact about getting Bryant signed. From Sportando, which points out that Jonas Valanciunas agreed to, then backed out of a contract with the team: "The American center, born in 1997, played last season with the Indiana Pacers. He has appeared in 333 NBA games throughout his career. It would be a high-level addition for Panathinaikos, who, after the breakdown of negotiations with Valanciunas, are looking for a center to further raise the quality of their frontcourt."
Kirk Cousins makes notable leadership move after Falcons practice
Kirk Cousins might be relegated to the job of backup quarterback, but he is showing veteran leadership to his Atlanta Falcons teammates. Following Sunday's practice, Cousins pulled aside rookie defensive end James Pearce to encourage the first-round pick after his fourth practice in the league at Flowery Branch, Georgia. "QB Kirk Cousins pulled aside Pearce after practice to compliment him on a pass batted down," wrote Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Cousins reportedly had a solid day of practice on Sunday, going 7-of-12 passing against the first-team unit. If Cousins wants out of Atlanta, he's not showing it at practice. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is competing on the field and being a good teammate around the facility. Cousins' actions on the field backed up what Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot praised Cousins for before the team's practice on Sunday. “Outside, it's a lot more of a deal than it is in the building,” Fontenot said to the media about the idea of friction between the Falcons and Cousins, per video from D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He shows up, he does his job, just like anybody ... We've gotta build the best 70-man roster so we can go win games. "That's what we're focused on, and Kirk, just like all the other players, is focused on coming in here and doing their job. That's what he's been doing." Fontenot didn't dismiss the idea that Atlanta would trade Cousins before the season. He said the Falcons will do whatever it takes to make the team better, but stressed that Cousins has been a professional throughout the process of being replaced by Michael Penix Jr., a first-round pick from the 2024 draft. “In terms of making moves, whether it's trades or acquiring players, we're always looking at those factors," Fontenot said. "We're gonna do whatever we can do to make this team the best it can possibly be. But he's been a great professional, and he's handled himself well.” Cousins is coming to work in a manner that will make another owner want to take a chance on the veteran quarterback. That could be one of his best-selling points before he plays in his 13th season in the league.
Cowboys make questionable move amid Micah Parsons stalemate
The Dallas Cowboys extended one of their stars Sunday, just not the one fans wanted them to pay. At Cowboys training camp Saturday, Dallas fans serenaded owner Jerry Jones with "Pay Micah [Parsons]" chants. The EDGE, of course, is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract this season. Jones must not have been listening. He gave tight end Jake Ferguson a new contract instead. Dallas and the 26-year-old pass-catcher agreed to a four-year, $52M contract extension, via NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. This move seems head-scratching. Parsons has won the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned two first-team All-Pro nods since the Cowboys took him with pick No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old EDGE also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Ferguson, meanwhile, is solid but not elite. In three seasons with the Cowboys, the 2022 fourth-round pick has made one Pro Bowl and has never finished with more than 761 receiving yards in a season. An extension for Parsons will devour future cap space. The Cowboys may be worried about that after giving quarterback Dak Prescott (four years, $240M) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (four years, $136M) long-term deals in 2024. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt signed a lucrative three-year, $123M extension on July 17, making him the league's highest-paid non-QB. Parsons could command a similar contract. If cap space is Dallas' primary concern, however, why would it extend Ferguson? He's now set to be the NFL's seventh-highest-paid TE. The Cowboys waited to extend Lamb and Prescott just before the start of the 2024 season. They may be doing the same with Parsons. The star defender has said, "Ownership is always gonna make [contract negotiations] drag out." Regardless, the Cowboys should've paid Parsons before Ferguson. That's a much bigger priority for the team.
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