Dear Red Wings 2021-22 pre-season poll: 10 questions before puck-drop

The Detroit Red Wings will start the preseason Sept. 29 against the Blackhawks in Chicago.

The first preseason game at Little Caesars Arena is Sept. 30 against the Buffalo Sabres. I have posted the full preseason schedule below the poll.

Detroit is scheduled to open the 2021-22 regular season Oct. 14 at home against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions Tampa Bay Lightning. You can view the entire schedule here.

As the team works through a rebuild with GM Steve Yzerman, expectations remain relatively low. I don’t think anyone actually believes the Red Wings are a playoff team at this stage, but we know teams can turn things around quite quickly in the NHL. I believe expectations for Yzerman’s squad will start to increase by the end of this season.

Detroit made several additions (and additions by subtraction) during the offseason, most notably the acquisitions of goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, forward Pius Suter and defenseman Nick Leddy.

• Read back for context: Dear Red Wings end-of-season notes: 2020-21 vs. 2019-20, looking ahead
• Keep in mind: Unvaccinated Tyler Bertuzzi risks missing significant amount of games in Canada, losing pay

We’ll have a better look at the rest of the lineup after training camp and the preseason, but right now I want to get a general sense of what fans are expecting from the team this season. I have a very simple 10-question poll here focused on expectations:

Here is the 2021-22 preseason schedule:

• 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29 vs. Chicago Blackhawks @ United Center
• 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30 vs. Buffalo Sabres @ Little Caesars Arena
• 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets @ Little Caesars Arena
• 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 3 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins @ PPG Paints Arena
• 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4 vs. Chicago Blackhawks @ Little Caesars Arena
• 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets @ Nationwide Arena
• 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins @ Little Caesars Arena
• 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9 vs. Buffalo Sabres @ KeyBank Center

Previously:

• Filip Hronek signs for 3 years, guessing defensive pairings, Olympic players
• Petruzzelli signs AHL contract with Toronto Marlies
• Filppula goes to Switzerland, Veleno works out
• Nielsen buyout, Svechnikov’s new AHL contract, Verbeek’s second job
• Adam Erne, one of ‘Yzerman’s guys,’ is heart-and-soul player for Detroit
• Vrana and the burgeoning, albeit short-term, offense; awaiting Hronek deal
• Suter joins core; Detroit remains way under cap
• View: Detroit Red Wings 2021 NHL Entry Draft picks
• Kraken grab Cholowski
• Welcome, Nick Leddy
• Ken Holland strikes, Kucherov calls Larionov, and a quiz
• Tanguay joins coaching staff; Chelios to ESPN
• Gallant goes to Rangers; coaches quiz time
• Recalling the magical 2012-13 playoff run with two epic game 7s
• May 31, 2002 -- Red Wings score 7 goals vs. Avalanche in Game 7
• Chris Osgood -- Hall of Famer?
• Jack Eichel -- could Yzerman add him?
• Veleno, Rasmussen showing promise down the middle
• Trading Anthony Mantha was more than Red Wings fans could ask for at deadline