from Dana Wakiji of DetroitRedWings.com,

The Detroit Red Wings will be a significantly different team than the one fans saw in 2017-18.

Coach Jeff Blashill made that clear during his most recent appearance on the Red and White Authority podcast with DetroitRedWings.com's Art Regner Tuesday.

There will be younger players likely to make the team but current players could also find themselves in different roles than in past seasons.

"We have a wide open opportunity to make our hockey team without question," Blashill said on the Red and White Authority. "I think there's less sure bets in terms of guys being cemented in certain spots in the lineup. Why? Because we haven't been good enough for two years. It's hard to be cemented in spots in the lineup when we haven't been good enough. Maybe you've played first or second line, it doesn't mean you're guaranteed to be first or second line next year. Maybe you've been a power play guy, it doesn't mean you're guaranteed to be a power play guy next year.

"That means if other guys come in and are better than the guys we have, they're going to play - more than ever before, and in greater numbers than ever before. Now you have to earn those spots, you have to come in and be great. I've told a lot of the young guys, I would love for that. But again, you got to do the work. So I think it's a wide open roster more than ever before."

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