#LGRW Daily: Red Wings eager to turn "rebuild" page

DETROIT - The word "rebuild" has consistently been used to describe the recent era of Detroit Red Wings hockey. With such a young core, and four-year stretch of not advancing to the postseason, it's been hard to argue against the validity of that buzzword. But as far as the current and new players on the Red Wings roster are concerned, they'd be just fine with hearing that term less and less.

To a man, the players donning the Winged Wheel speak to the need for taking the next step, and ushering in the next era of winning in Hockeytown. The 2019-20 season was one of the worst in franchise history - just 17 wins, and the Wings were eliminated from playoff contention before the NHL paused its season on March 12, 2020.
It's led to a layoff that no one expected would last nearly 10 months. It's also led to the roster being strengthened and enhanced, and a collective commitment from the players to not let a season like the last one repeat itself.
"It was one of the hardest years of my life, and then you had to sit at home for 10 months and think about it," said center Dylan Larkin, who is entering his sixth season with the Red Wings. "It definitely made it worse that we couldn't have a short summer and work as hard as possible, then come back in September. But it gave us extra time to regroup and put in extra work, and hopefully come back and not be in that position again. For me, and in speaking with a lot of guys that were in town, let's put the work in, let's make sure what happened last year doesn't happen again on our watch."

One of the benefits of enduring the ups and downs of a rebuild is the opportunity for young standouts to grow up together, and to learn on the job. Larkin continues to be excited about the opportunity to skate alongside Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha on the same line, but is equally intrigued about the veteran additions to the roster.
"These (last) couple days, you really get to see these players that are coming from different teams that were in the playoffs last year or have been in the playoffs recently," Larkin said. "They're gamers, they're guys that play hard, they play the right way. We've added some great vets that have been around the league and played in huge games, and I think they're going to bring that experience to us, and we're going to be a hard team to play against."
One of those guys is Sam Gagner, who signed with the Red Wings after being traded to Detroit at the 2020 trade deadline. With an expiring contract, Gagner had other options. But he decided to commit to Detroit, because he liked what he saw, even during a short stint.

"I was treated really well, I enjoyed my role," Gagner said, who spoke to Executive Vice President/General Manager Steve Yzerman a few times before signing a one-year deal to return to the Red Wings in September. "I think this group is underestimated. I think we have a chance to turn things around quicker than most people think. I like the fit."
Gagner was traded to the Wings from the Edmonton Oilers, and has been in a similar situation that Detroit has seen itself in for the last handful of years. He pointed to the value of having experienced, hungry veterans in the dressing room to complement the young standouts of the future.
"I think your top players need to be insulated with depth that can help in a lot of different ways," said Gagner. "We have a great group of young players that have really taken a step and need to continue to do so. I personally think I have a lot of game left. I think Steve felt the same way. It's just a matter of being prepared, which I feel like I am. If everyone goes out and does their part, it helps everyone take a step forward."

For the Red Wings, the next step forward is getting better on Sunday, Jan. 3, a day in which the remaining 24 NHL teams will begin their respective training camps after Detroit and six other teams got a three-day head start. But if the previous two days are any indication, it appears this year's team is eager to leave the 2019-20 campaign in the rearview, and embrace a fresh start to what could amount to the most unique season in NHL history.
"I really feel so far, the first days of camp, that we're all in this together," Larkin said. "Everyone has great attitude; we're handling things professionally. Guys are completely bought in, which is nice to see, and all you can ask for as a member of a hockey team where there's a lot of history.
"The word culture gets thrown around a lot, but there is such a deep culture here, where you show up to the rink every day, you do the right things, you show up to play and you're very proud to put that jersey on. More so than the past couple years, there's a great sense of that in our locker room today."