Red Wings With Shot at Franchise Goals Record

Daniel Sprong looks at the Detroit Red Wings and gets a sensation of deja vu.

A balanced team with depth of scoring populating every line. A surprise playoff contender.

Yes, it all looks very familiar to Sprong.

Last season, he was part of a Seattle Kraken squad that would earn a spot in the NHL postseason in just their second year of existence. Sprong was a 21-goal scorer for the Kraken. He was among 13 Seattle players who wound up reaching double digits in goals.

This season, with 13 goals, Sprong is already among 10 Detroit players to crack double digits in goals.

JOEY V → DANIEL SPRONG pic.twitter.com/EV5XsK38qc

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 1, 2024

“Last year in Seattle we had Canner (Jared McCann) at 40,” Sprong recalled. “We had 4-5 guys at 20 goals as well. And then a lot of guys in the teens.

“We had a depth team there. You can see it here as well.”

Currently, captain Dylan Larkin leads the way with 23 tallies for Detroit. Next is NHL All-Star Alex DeBrincat at 18. Sprong, Robby Fabbri and Lucas Raymond are in a group at 13 goals. J.T. Compher has netted 11 times, while Andrew Copp, Jake Walman and Michael Rasmussen are all showing 10 next to their names in the goals column.

Newcomers Adding Up

New players to the Red Wings are committing mightily to the scoring balance. None of DeBrincat, Sprong, or Compher were with Detroit last season. The Red Wings show an NHL-leading 63 goals from newcomers this season.

Fun fact: The #RedWings have recorded 63 goals by players not with the team last season.

The most of any NHL club. 👏 pic.twitter.com/0USmFxWi7Y

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 5, 2024

“It looks like this team, with the management and coaches, kind of built that same type of formula that we had in Seattle,” Sprong said. “Four lines that can play and four lines that are scoring.

“It’s working for us and we just gotta keep playing like this.”

Balanced Scoring Creating Matchup Issues

With at least one 10-goal scorer on every forward line, Detroit is getting goals from all four units.

“For sure that’s been our identity for the whole year, how our team was built and that’s showing it,” Sprong said. “We have 10 guys over 10 goals.”

With so much balance in their attack, the Red Wings are always a going concern for the opposing team

“That means every line’s a tough matchup for the other team, especially at home,” Sprong said, a message that’s echoed by Detroit coach Derek Lalonde.

“I think when you’re getting offense throughout your whole lineup, of course it creates matchups within lines, creates matchups with D pairs, too,” Lalonde said. “It’s probably been a big part of our recent (9-2-2) run here.”

At home with the last change, Lalonde can get the matchup he wants. When on the road, the balance in his lines means he needn’t play the matchup game as ardently as in past seasons.

“For us, on the road we’re confident that we can play any line against any line,” Sprong said. “It gives us when maybe certain guys aren’t going one night, we have different guys going every night. It’s every night like that.

“That’s why we’re winning games. We got everyone going. Those numbers show it.”

Red Wings On Record Pace

Already, the 10 players in double digits is the most for the Red Wings since 2017-18. Detroit suited up 11 players with a minimum of 10 goals that season.

The club mark for 10-goal scorers in a single season is 14. It was set in 1981-82 and equaled in 1995-96.

Potentially, this team could tie that standard. Joe Veleno is at nine goals. Patrick Kane and Shayne Gostisbehere each own seven tallies. Moritz Seider is on six goals.