The Detroit Red Wings’ scoring problems are no longer just a concern. They’re the story.
Detroit dropped a 3-2 decision to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night, suffering its fourth straight loss and extending a stretch that has exposed just how thin the offense has become.
Over those four defeats, the Red Wings have managed only five goals. They’ve now scored two or fewer in nine of their 19 games, a rate of 47.2%, and they’ve already been shut out three times this season.
That’s the backdrop for why the Red Wings have been so reluctant to move Dylan Larkin without getting a proven scorer or center back in return. It also explains why, if Detroit interim GM Shawn Horcoff were to deal restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson, a young scorer would have to be part of the return. The club is still looking around for help on the scoring front.
The Red Wings actually gave themselves a lead in this one, with Andrew Copp scoring with 13 seconds left in the first period. It was only the sixth time this season Detroit opened the scoring. But the Blues answered, and by the time the third period arrived, the Red Wings were chasing the game.
Pius Suter, now with St. Louis after his time in Detroit, notched his 100th NHL goal and 200th career point early in the second period. Justin Barron then put the Blues ahead 2-1 at 2:34 of the second, and Jimmy Snuggerud added what turned out to be the key insurance goal at 15:58 of the third.
Detroit did make it interesting late. Moritz Seider scored his first goal of the season near the end of the third period to cut the deficit to one, and the Red Wings pressed hard in the final minute trying to find the equalizer. They just couldn’t get it done.
The loss left Detroit 0-2 on its current four-game road trip.
There were a few notable personnel points, too. Marco Kasper returned after missing time with an undisclosed injury that had kept him out since Opening Night.
Mason Appleton was also back in the lineup for the first time since the second game of the season. Carter Mazur was a healthy scratch.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard finished with 10 hits.
One bright spot in the numbers: after producing just 12 shots through the first two periods, Detroit fired 20 shots on goalie Joel Hofer in the third. By then, though, the damage had already been done.
The Red Wings continue the trip Thursday against the Florida Panthers at 7:30 p.m. Detroit beat Florida 5-3 in Sunrise eight days ago.
In Other News...
Red Wings Still Have One Roster Problem They Need To Solve
The Red Wings keep running into the same issue in the lower half of their forward group: the bottom-six has not given them enough scoring punch, and that has shown up in the teams overall offensive consistency. Over the past few seasons, Detroit has cycled through different players in those spots, but the production has lagged well behind what the club gets from its top scorers, leaving a roster hole that has lingered longer than the front office would like.
There are a few ways the Wings could address it, starting with a call-up from the AHL if they want to inject some energy and skill into the lineup. The return of injured forwards Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton should help, and the trade market remains another avenue if Detroit decides the answer has to come from outside the organization. For now, the question is less about whether the problem exists and more about which fix the team chooses first. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Get A Key Piece Back And Still Can't Stop Sliding
John Gibson was back in net for Detroit on Monday night after missing time with a lower-body injury, and the veteran goalie gave the Red Wings a chance with 30 saves in a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Andrew Copp and Moritz Seider scored for Detroit, but the result still extended the slide to four straight defeats and five losses in six games, a stretch that has made every small positive feel a little harder to hold onto.
The timing only adds to the pressure, because the road trip rolls on with games against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning still ahead. Detroit has been looking for a way to steady itself, and getting Gibson back was part of that equation, but the latest result showed there is still plenty more to sort out before the trip turns around. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings And Dylan Larkin Are Now Locked In An Ugly Standoff
Dylan Larkins standoff with the Red Wings has moved well beyond a routine trade request. After asking out of Detroit and then refusing to play, the captain has been suspended without pay, while the organization has responded by taking down his banners and pulling his merchandise from circulation. For a franchise that has spent years trying to build around Larkin, the split is now public, messy and unmistakably personal.
The part that makes this situation especially tense is how little movement there has been on either side. Larkin has held firm on the destinations he would accept, even as interest around the league has started to surface, with the Blues among the teams reportedly keeping tabs. Detroit appears ready to move on, but until the trade list changes or another team meets the price, the Red Wings are stuck in a standoff that shows no sign of easing. [Read more 🡒]