It was a quiet July 4th in the NHL, as the American version of Independence Day coincided with cottage pursuits north of the border.
But one rather bizarre item stood out: Steve Yzerman, who has been GM of the extremely well-funded Detroit Red Wings since 2019, still doesn’t expect them to be a playoff team.
“I expect us to be a comparable team, although the players might be better fits as far as their roles,” Yzerman told reporters Thursday(opens in a new tab) of team’s outlook for this season. “I think we’re in that group of teams that if we stay healthy, our goaltending is good, and some players outplay their expectation, we might get in.