Grim prediction for Red Wings angers fans

The 2023-24 NHL season starts this week, and the Detroit Red Wings have completed their exhibition schedule with a 5-2 mark. With a lineup featuring several new faces and a renewed sense of optimism among the fan base, there's a strong belief that the rebuilding process will take a significant leap forward this year.

This year, the Detroit Red Wings have welcomed a notable roster of new additions, including Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher, Justin Holl, Shayne Gostisbehere, Klim Kostin, James Reimer, Jeff Petry, and Daniel Sprong. The question on everyone's mind is whether these additions will be sufficient to propel the Red Wings to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2016.

But a brief read at what some of the so-called "experts" are saying isn't what Red Wings fans, who are longing for a return to the playoffs this spring, wanted to see. 

ESPN has given the Red Wings grim odds by listing them to finish 6th in the Atlantic Division. Only a single NHL.com writer out of 16 believes that Detroit will earn a trip to the dance, while a panel of writers from The Athletic have predicted Detroit to finish 7th in the division, ahead of only the Montreal Canadiens. 

Additionally, according to Bet MGM, the Red Wings have 2-to-1 odds (+200) to make the playoffs and are predicted to reach only 86 points. 

Now it's true that the Atlantic is arguably the toughest division in the NHL. The Maple Leafs look primed to take another run, especially after finally winning a playoff series for the first time in almost 20 years. Of course, the Sabres and Senators are also viewed as teams on the rise, while the Bruins and Lightning are still solid teams despite having lost plenty of talent from last year.

Are you going to view it as a failure if Detroit fails to qualify this season barring devastating injuries to top offensive players like last year?