from Steven Ellis of The Hocke News,

The Detroit Red Wings were never a serious contender to make the playoffs, so we weren’t too shocked to see how they got things going in 2018-19. They kicked off the campaign with seven consecutive losses and the deep hole only grew deeper when injuries derailed what sliver of hope existed for the Red Wings. Five players sat out at least 20 games and nearly the entire roster missed action at least once.

But lately, in the wake of their official elimination from post-season contention, the play of Detroit’s first line has offered anticipation for the future. Anthony Mantha (14 points in six games) and Tyler Bertuzzi (13 points in five games) have found their groove. Dylan Larkin (11 points in six games) has continued his career-best season. And in the past six games, Motor City’s top trio has been too good to ignore, combining for 38 points, a total not even league-leading top units from the Boston Bruins or Tampa Bay Lightning have matched over that span. Teams have had a rough time dealing with the group’s mix of speed, strength and skill that have made Detroit’s leading men so dangerous over the past few weeks.

For Bertuzzi and Mantha, their recent play is a great sign given the relatively slow starts both players had to their careers.

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