{"id":437414,"date":"2026-01-31T02:53:24","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T02:53:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/437414\/"},"modified":"2026-01-31T02:53:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T02:53:24","slug":"slow-starts-remain-red-wings-issue-detroit-hockey-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/437414\/","title":{"rendered":"Slow Starts Remain Red Wings Issue \/ Detroit Hockey Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s been a familiar lament from Todd McLellan<\/a>, and in fact dates back to before his tenure as coach of the Detroit<\/a> Red Wings.<\/p>\n

Slow starts have proven to be an ongoing staple of Red Wings hockey for many years. And the ailment is showing no sign of entering the healing process.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur starts have been a little indifferent,\u201d McLellan<\/a> said.<\/p>\n

Lately, that\u2019s proven to be quite the understatement.<\/p>\n

#RedWings<\/a> warm-up for practice prior to hosting league-leading Colorado tomorrow at 1 on ABC. Everyone is practicing. pic.twitter.com\/BeTnZGrq9X<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) January 30, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Over the past eight games, the Red Wings have trailed in seven of those contests. They\u2019ve been behind by two goals in four games and once trailed by three goals.<\/p>\n

In six of those games, Detroit surrendered the first goal of the game. Amazingly, despite breaking from the gate so slowly, the Red Wings own a 4-2-1 record in these seven games.<\/p>\n

Still, they know that their luck can\u2019t last if they continue to play this style of hockey over the long haul. Ultimately, prolonged catch-up hockey turns into losing hockey.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Red Wings Need To Play More Like A Unit From The Outset<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, for sure,\u201d Detroit forward James van Riemsdyk said. \u201cProbably having better starts is definitely a good thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I think it comes back to just playing connected as a five-man group and just playing simpler. And I think when we do that, we get to our game with a lot more kind of consistency and frequency.\u201d<\/p>\n

Defenseman Moritz Seider<\/a> believes the team needs to get back to playing that simple hockey of which van Riemsdyk speaks right from the outset of the opening faceoff.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust gotta make sure we get pucks behind their D, really challenge their defensemen,\u201d Seider said. \u201cMake sure we get onto our forecheck, get everyone going.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I think those are simple things that hopefully make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Knowing that their next two games are a home-and-home set with the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche<\/a>, the Red Wings recognize that digging a hole from the start against the Avs would be akin to burying themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully we gotta do that tomorrow,\u201d van Riemsdyk said of getting off to a fast start. \u201cObviously, you can\u2019t start late against this team, or it\u2019s gonna be a long night.\u201d<\/p>\n

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