Red Wings Preview: But I Can’t Decide Which Side I’m On

Octopus Thrower

The Detroit Red Wings lineup carousel continues when MLive’s Ansar Khan tweeted out the practice lines yesterday:

The question every rebuilding team’s fan asks at one point is this: What am I rooting for?  A rebuild is a divisive topic for many and something resisted for a number of seasons before the 2016-17 Red Wings showed that time had indeed run out on their quarter century of playoff runs. When the rebuild era dawned, few were sure how long it would take and if the end would justify the means.

What appears like a team beginning to make a slow climb out (think Batman in the pit during The Dark Knight Rises), there’s still that divisive part of what we’re rooting for. An article that once resonated with me came from Winging it in Motown which examined how we all “fan” when it comes to the Red Wings.

Red Wings Season Full of Divided Thoughts

The Red Wings aren’t setting the world on fire but they’re better than last season. They’re not going to make the playoffs in at least the next two seasons, but they’re inching closer to returning. There are veterans playing in the lineup which can be maddening at times, but their contracts are expiring soon, opening up the future of the club to finally have regular ice time.

The other questions asked throughout the season:

  • What should they do with Jeff Blashill?
  • How do you trade some players without upsetting positive momentum?
  • How does Anthony Mantha dazzle and frustrate almost simultaneously?
  • Should they or should they not hold onto Jonathan Bernier?
  • Why root for losing when there’s no guarantee of a high pick?

To go back to the article above, fans are entitled to “fan” how they want. But it won’t quiet some of those divisive emotions or questions that crop up during this rebuild.

So when I see some of the same names getting ice time or when younger players are getting less ice time to prove themselves, it’s that divided idea that there’s always some silver lining. During a rebuild, it’s the positives that have to be retained in order to endure the mountains of losses that inevitably pile up.

Sure, at times I’m divided. But at the end of it all, I just want whatever’s best for the organization long term.

And every fan seems to agree with that.

Red Wings head to Nashville for Two

As the Wings begin a two-game series with Nashville, the Preds appears to be entering a rebuild cycle of their own. The Predators are five points ahead of Detroit in the standings, but just about the same when it comes to performance. Detroit split with Carolina, and Dallas. Now they face a team that should be comparable in terms of skill level.

Sam Gagner registered a hat trick in their last game back in February and the Red Wings have played stronger as a group over the past month.

The puck drops at 8 pm tonight.

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