Harper Cotie
Last week, Detroit Red Wings’ captain Henrik Zetterberg called it a career. I’m sure it wasn’t the way he wanted to, but it appears that age has caught up with the 37-year-old. It was already a big question mark, with regards to whether we would see Henrik back with the Red Wings this season or not, and it was confirmed a few days ago, that we would not.
Henrik has been battling a severe back injury all summer, and ultimately that is the reason why the future hall of famer has decided to hang them up. Zetterberg had an amazing NHL career. He was a seventh-round pick (210th overall) in the 1999 entry-draft, who went on to play over a thousand games (1082), racking up 337 goals and 623 assists, for a total of 960 points. All of this happened, while wearing a Detroit Red Wings uniform.
The Red Wings’ organization has been truly blessed with some of the players they’ve had, who’ve played their entire NHL careers with the hockey club. Zetterberg is another one to add to the list, along with players like Steve Yzerman and Niklas Lidstrom, just to name a few. You must include Pavel Datsyuk as well, who may still be playing pro-hockey in the KHL in Russia but played his entire NHL career in Detroit. That’s some impressive company right there.
So, now the Red Wings must move on to life without Henrik Zetterberg. With a rebuild underway, we won’t see a Stanley Cup being won in Detroit anytime soon. The last time the Wings’ won a cup was back in the 2007-08 campaign, under Head Coach Mike Babcock, against the Pittsburgh Penguins. A team that was led by the three aforementioned superstars. As we enter the 2018-19 NHL season, the Red Wings will most likely miss the playoffs for the third-consecutive year. Who could forget that only two years ago, their 25-year playoff streak was broken.
It’s going to take time for the Red Wings’ to have success again, but they certainly have some pieces to work with. Starting with 2014 first-rounder Dylan Larkin, who will have to step up, on and off the ice, moving forward. Larkin had a career-year in points last season with 63. The 22-year-old is also fresh off a five-year extension, with a cap hit of $6.1 million. Joining Larkin are the likes of Anthony Mantha, Filip Zadina, Andreas Athanasiou, and Tyler Bertuzzi, who are all under 25-years of age.
By the looks of it, 18-year-old Filip Zadina is set to join the Red Wings for his first NHL season. Zadina was an absolute steal for the Red Wings at sixth-overall in this year’s draft. Zadina is coming off a monster season with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL, putting up 82 points (44 goals, 38 assists), in 57 games. This is an exciting young player, who will be an integral part of the Red Wings’ future. Another steal was pulled off by Ken Holland and company at this year’s draft when they selected Joseph Veleno 30th overall. Veleno is a player who was projected to go in the top 10, at times, by NHL scouts. This young man has a bright future ahead of him. He received CHL ‘Exceptional Status’ after his rookie season in 2015-16 in the QMJHL.
The Red Wings’ 2017 first-round pick is an exciting one as well. There’s a good chance that we could see six-foot-six, 215-pound centreman Michael Rasmussen in a Red Wing’s uniform this season. It’s going to take time, but life without Henrik Zetterberg isn’t looking so bad with the young-core that the Red Wings’ have in Detroit.