Detroit — We’re getting closer.
The weather is still not cooperating — the beaches are full and the sun is hot — but hockey season is getting closer.
Players are skating and conditioning just a little harder, as the calendar inches closer to September.
That’ll also shake the cobwebs off Red Wings fans, who weren’t entirely pleased with the organization’s summer.
The team signed free-agent forwards Frans Nielsen, Thomas Vanek and Steve Ott, but failed to get the top-four defenseman many analysts (and rabid fans) felt they needed.
All the speculation surrounding Pavel Datsyuk finally ended, too, with Datsyuk returning to Russia to conclude his playing career and be closer to family.