The Detroit Red Wings kick off the 2018-19 NHL season with an Oct. 4 contest
against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Hockey in (the new fabric of) Hockeytown is
finally back.

It's no secret that the Red Wings are in the midst of a rebuild. General
manager Ken Holland has shipped out nearly a dozen players over the past two
years for prospects and picks. The trend will likely continue this season as
well.Ken Holland has been a busy man as of late. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI
via Getty Images)

In addition to the exodus, Detroit has chosen in the top 10 of the past two
drafts and will likely be in that same range once again this spring. After
years of trading away first-round draft picks or picking toward the end of the
opening round, the Red Wings' success has finally caught up with them.

Those top-10 picks have also produced Michael Rasmussen and Filip Zadina, two
top-six forwards who will be major contributors for the next great Detroit
teams. Another year or two of subpar play during the rebuild will warrant
additional prospects like the young forward duo.

With that being said, how should fans approach their expectations and
preferences for the team? Do you root for the Red Wings to succeed? Or do you
hope for failure and the high draft pick that comes with it?Related: Red Wings
2018-19 Season Preview & Rebuild GuideDifferent Schools of Thought on Red Wings
 "Progress"

Many passionate fans will pull for the Red Wings to succeed. After missing the
playoffs the past two years, the city-and the team-are hungry for a return to
glory.

Team success and a winning culture can lead to player development. Pavel
Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg certainly prospered from winning with the likes
of Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, and Brendan Shanahan in the spotlight.
Likewise, team chemistry develops with success and suddenly goals come easier
than before.

At the moment, today's team does not have the look of a contender - nothing
like the past Stanley Cup-contending Red Wings teams. But neither did the Vegas
 Golden Knights heading into the 2017-18 season. Detroit's new "60 minutes of
Hell" philosophy mirrors the approach Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant took
with his young team; could the Red Wings surprise everyone in the same manner?

If you want the team to succeed-and they do-this is the best-case scenario. But
 is it the right thing for the Red Wings at this stage of their rebuild?How can
 Dylan Larkin take another step forward? (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Many would argue no, and that Detroit still needs a difference-maker or two
before it could legitimately compete for another Stanley Cup with a fully
stocked prospect pool for sustainable growth.

And what's the best way to acquire those high-caliber players? Through the
draft. More specifically, at the top of the draft, where the worst teams
usually pick.

Look at the past two champions: Washington and Pittsburgh. Alex Ovechkin,
Nicklas Backstrom, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Marc-Andre Fleury were all
 top-four draft picks. The two teams also had some luck later in the draft,
hitting on late-first-round and middle-round choices too.

In the category of "difference-makers," the Red Wings have Filip Zadina -
maybe. It's easy to get excited about the 2018 sixth overall pick, but Zadina
has yet to play an NHL game and needs time to develop. Rasmussen, Dylan Larkin,
 and Anthony Mantha are great players, but not quite on the same level.

So if the Red Wings lose, then they'll have a better shot at drafting a Jack
Hughes or Alexis Lafreniere, who can actually be a key cog in a championship
team.Related: Red Wings'; Blue Chips Shine at Prospects ShowcaseRooting for the
 Red Wings

With these conflicting ideologies, which is right for you? Only you can decide
that.

What do you want most for the Red Wings: Possible immediate success or a
non-guaranteed chance to draft a difference-maker?The Red Wings restocked their
 prospect pipeline at the 2018 NHL Draft, but still have work to do. (Amy Irvin
 / The Hockey Writers)

You can also pull for the individual players to improve. Wins may not stack up
this year, but they could next season and beyond if key players take a step
forward.

This doesn't just apply to Larkin, Mantha, Rasmussen, and Zadina, but Danny
DeKeyser, Jonathan Ericsson, and Jimmy Howard too. Why? Because if those
veterans are playing better, then the team improves overall. Also, better
player performance boosts their trade value.

Imagine another team actually taking on DeKeyser's contract and opening up a
spot on the blue line for a prospect. At the moment, his value is low from an
external perspective - no one is willing to pay the Red Wings DeKeyser's
internal worth for his services. And the "trade so-and-so for a bag of pucks"
suggestion just isn't plausible with teams viewing players as assets. So why
not pull for the defenseman to improve and make himself a valuable
commodity?How will you root for the Detroit Red Wings? Comment below with your
thoughts.

The post Rooting for the Red Wings: Which Way Are You Leaning? appeared first
on The Hockey Writers.

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