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Detroit Red Wings: Thoughts after the first quarter of the season

By Mike Rizzo

GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 12: Head coach Jeff Blashill of the Detroit Red Wings looks over his bench during the third period of the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on October 12, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Red Wings defeated the Coyotes 4-2. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 12: Head coach Jeff Blashill of the Detroit Red Wings looks over his bench during the third period of the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on October 12, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Red Wings defeated the Coyotes 4-2. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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The Detroit Red Wings are just over 20 games into their 2017-18 season and while they have shown some improvements, they still have a ways to go.

The Detroit Red Wings have played 24 games so far this season and I think it’s time to make some observations about the Red Wings so far.

This team is better than they were last year. They’re faster, getting better goaltending and believe it or not, slightly improved on defense. In fact if the playoffs started today, the Red Wings would be in.

Andreas Athanasiou, Anthony Mantha and Dylan Larkin are seeing more playing time and are becoming the Red Wings best players. For this rebuild to work, the Red Wings need those three players to be playing well and being the best players on the ice.

The Red Wings still have flaws though. They’re currently on a four game losing streak with three of those losses coming in overtime. One of those losses was a crushing loss to the Colorado Avalanche last Sunday. The Red Wings blew a 3-1 and lost 4-3 in overtime.

The Red Wings on Wednesday got blown out by the Edmonton Oilers 6-2. After the game Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill criticized Anthony Mantha again. Blashill and the Red Wings management’s criticisms of Anthony Mantha are really getting tiresome. Whether it’s Jim Devellano, Ken Holland or Jeff Blashill, it feels like they’re signaling him out.

The problem with this management team is they’re so quick to throw the young guys under the bus, yet they don’t rip players like Jonathan Ericsson, Justin Abdelkader or other veteran players.

I do understand that some players play better when getting called out but it feels like this organization is trying to run Mantha out of town. They almost ran Athanasiou out of here and they very well could do the same to Mantha. To Mantha’s credit he has responded very well.

The Red Wings also did this with Petr Mrazek when they left him exposed in the Expansion Draft in June.

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Part of the reason why the Red Wings are improved this year is because the young players are finally getting a chance to play a lot of minutes. Blashill is giving the young players more playing time and it’s paying off. Young players will make mistakes and the Red Wings need to be patient with them.

What do you think about the Red Wings so far this year? Let us know in the comments!

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