We are only three games into the Derek Lalonde era and the Detroit Red Wings are already being forced to play without two of their top offensive players, Tyler Bertuzzi and Jakub Vrana.
But according to Lalonde, who spoke to the media on Thursday, the Red Wings are not panicking and he believes they will be just fine.
Derek Lalonde explains how Red Wings will move forward without Bertuzzi and Vrana
One would think the Red Wings could call up a couple of players from Grand Rapids to fill in for Bertuzzi and Vrana, but Derek Lalonde says that will not be the case, at least for now.
“It was an easy conversation,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said.“We’re comfortable with this right now. With (Grand Rapids) being so close, if something happens and we need to pull somebody we will, but for the meantime we’re comfortable where our lineup is at.”
Via Kevin Allen – Detroit Hockey Now
Instead of calling up players from Grand Rapids, the Red Wings feel like they already have the depth needed to weather the storm.
Had this been last year, the Red Wings would be in trouble
Lalonde added that though he was not with the Red Wings organization a year ago, he knows that team would not “have much of a chance” if they were down the players the team is currently missing.
“I obviously was not here last year – but if this team would have went through three of their top six, two of their first-line guys go down, I don’t think they’d have much of a chance,” Lalonde said. “I think that is the luxury we’re having with more depth.”
Nation, do you think the Red Wings will be able to weather the storm while Bertuzzi and Vrana are out?
