The Detroit Red Wings have fallen into some trouble down 0-3 in their second round of the playoffs, but this series has shown they have issues that extend into the future as well.  While the Red Wings have lost each game by just one goal, their inability to control the game and take advantage of opportunities has been alarming.  The Sharks have sucked the passion out of the Red Wings, beating them to every loose puck, finishing every check, making the most of lucky bounces, and punishing them for their mistakes.  All that being said, one of the main advantages the Sharks have has been their young talent. The Red Wings displayed their excellent depth in the first round against the Coyotes, but their depth has been neutralized and trumped by the Sharks.

The Red Wings are and will continue to built around Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Franzen, but they have lacked scoring from their young players.  For the most part they mainly rely on their young players to provide energy and occasionally points, but the Sharks have a youth movement that easily trumps the Red Wings.  While Helm, Abdelkader, Filppula and Hudler have all progressed this season they certaintly aren’t on the same level as Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, and Devin Setoguchi.  The Sharks talented trio is contributing impressively in the present and gives the Sharks an impressive blue print for the future.   Meanwhile it would be hard to argue that the Red Wings could rely on their current players to eventually replace their veteran core.

The Red Wings now face the tall task of  trying to come back from being three games to none, but whether they win or not the Sharks have exposed them going forward.  Whenever the Red Wings offseason arrives it will be a far more challenging time as this team must find ways to provide speed and scoring in the difficult cap world.  Obviously it helps having such a strong core, but they still have many questions to answer; will Nick Lidstrom return, can Dan Cleary and Tomas Holmstrom still be difference makers, will Filppula and Hudler every take their games to the next level, do they have future stars in prospects such as Tomas Tatar, Riley Sheahan, Jakub Kindl or Brendan Smith?  HockeyTown nor the Red Wings have any interest in another early playoff exit, but they now find themselves in serious trouble and life won’t get any easier once the offseason does begin.

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