DETROIT, MICHIGAN – OCTOBER 14: Tyler Bertuzzi #59 of the Detroit Red Wings celebrates his second period goal with Lucas Raymond while playing the Tampa Bay Lightning at Little Caesars Arena on October 14, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Week one is a wrap for the Detroit Red Wings. The team went 1-0-1 in its first two games of the regular season, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime Tuesday night and earning a win over the Vancouver Canucks. Let’s look at the best Red Wings performances of the first week of play.
Tyler Bertuzzi
Games played: 2
Goals: 4
Assists: 1
After missing a majority of last year due to back surgery and facing controversy in the offseason, Bertuzzi didn’t seem to miss a beat in game one against the Tampa Bay Lightning. In his first regular season game since Jan. 30, Bertuzzi put on an offensive showcase, netting four goals against one of the league’s best goaltenders, Andrei Vasilevskiy. He added to his point total with an assist in Detroit’s 3-1 win over Vancouver. He’s also been one of the key figures in the team’s new identity this season, the “Detroit vs. Everybody” mentality of not being pushed around – even by more talented teams. Bertuzzi was especially noisy against the Canucks, chirping the bench and making life on and off the ice just a bit harder for Vancouver. Bert has stepped up big time to start the season and was the Red Wings best player in week one.
Thomas Greiss
Games Played: 1
Goals against: 1
Save Percentage: .976
Greiss looks like he did in the second half of last season: a nearly impenetrable force between the pipes. In a game where Detroit’s opponent nearly doubled their shots on goal (Vancouver had 41 shots on goal, Detroit had 21), Greiss stifled the Canucks offense and allowed the Wings to skate away with their first win of the year. The team can’t expect goaltending to bail them out every night, but it sure as hell doesn’t hurt every once and a while.
Moritz Seider
Games played: 2
Goals: 0
Assists: 3
It’s just been two games, but Seider already looks like an important piece of the defense. Yes, there were times where he made some minor mistakes and looked a bit uncomfortable. But those moments were outshined by some flashes of excellence as a defender and as the second unit power play quarterback. In a year where development is going to be the primary expectation for the rookie defender, he’s already taken strides just a few games in.
Honorable mention to Nick Leddy, who is taking his pairing with Seider extremely well and has led a vastly improved power play unit.