Get caught up on the latest Detroit Red Wings news and rumors as the 2021-22 season kicks off. The Red Wings take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night to get things started. Before then, find out who will serve as the team’s alternate captains, what’s new with the power play, and more.
On Wednesday, the Red Wings announced that Marc Staal and Danny DeKeyser would serve as the team’s alternate captains for the 2021-22 season.
Your 2021-22 Captain & Alternate Captains. pic.twitter.com/RpcxaKP74U
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 13, 2021
Apart from Staal and DeKeyser, another four or five other Red Wings would have been reasonable choices to wear an ‘A’ this season. Tyler Bertuzzi and Sam Gagner received a handful of votes in The Grind Line’s recent column on the matter. For a young team, this surplus of quality leadership is a great thing.
If you’re hung up on Detroit’s choices, DeKeyser’s seniority and determination to battle back from significant surgery shouldn’t be ignored. As for Staal, it’s my understanding that when his New York Rangers reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2014, Staal would have been the player to accept the Stanley Cup from Gary Bettman had they won – not fellow alternates Dan Girardi or Brad Richards. He’s well-respected around the league and has been for some time.
With Alex Tanguay at the helm, Detroit’s power play is already looking better. The 1-3-1 alignment remains intact, though there are tweaks to the five positions outlined below:
For starters, we’re seeing a mix of strong-side and weak-side deployments on the flanks. In addition, Filip Hronek has a new, more appropriate role.
Here’s the latest on Detroit’s two power play units:
Position | PP1 | PP2 |
Quarterback | Nick Leddy | Moritz Seider |
Left Flank | Dylan Larkin | Filip Hronek |
Right Flank | Lucas Raymond | Filip Zadina |
Bumper | Sam Gagner & Adam Erne | Robby Fabbri |
Net Front | Tyler Bertuzzi | Pius Suter |
Based on preseason viewings, here are a few key takeaways from Tanguay’s new power play setup:
Already, Detroit’s power play is looking up.
After allowing five goals in the abbreviated 2021 Traverse City Prospects Tournament, Sebastian Cossa apparently decided enough is enough. The 6-foot-6 netminder opened his WHL season on fire, as evidenced by his goalie-of-the-week honors.
He helped the @EdmOilKings earn five of a possible six points on the road, @DetroitRedWings prospect Sebastian Cossa is the WHL Goaltender of the Week!
— The WHL (@TheWHL) October 12, 2021
| https://t.co/ZR2umyqHTY pic.twitter.com/TyyvDmwcfq
As the heir to Detroit’s crease, it’s encouraging to see a turnaround like this. A major part of goaltending is mental strength and the ability to bounce back after a goal or rough start. Clearly, Cossa bounced back from a subpar Prospects Tournament.
If his stellar play continues, Cossa could find himself on Canada’s 2022 World Junior Championship team – perhaps even starting for his home country. Experience on the world stage would do wonders for Cossa’s development.
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