Get ready as two of our state’s four major pro sports teams suit up once again.
The Detroit Pistons and Red Wings are back in action this month.
Here is a closer look as both teams prepare to get their seasons underway.
Detroit Pistons
The October 23 opener signals a fresh start for the squad . The Pistons have renewed optimism going into the season.
Detroit will try and put the past 12 months of misery behind them.
Last year was a nightmare that everyone would rather soon forget. The club finished 14-68 with a franchise-low .171 win percentage.
As a result, Detroit’s brass made some sorely needed personnel changes.
Basketball scion J.B. Bickerstaff takes over as the team’s head coach. Fair to say Bickerstaff has his work cut out for him.
23-year-old combo guard Cade Cunningham leads the Pistons’ offensive attack.
The 6-foot-6 Texan carries a heavy burden and will need significant help shouldering the offensive load.
Center Jalen Duren took a big leap during the 2023-2024 campaign.
The 20-year-old Purdue product proved to be a beast on the boards.
Duren averaged a double-double (13.8 ppg, 11.6 rpg) on the season.
His defense in the paint must improve for Detroit to compete with the NBA elite.
Small forward Ausar Thompson is coming off a solid rookie year, showing his skills as a defensive stopper.
He’s sidelined at the moment after treatment for a blood clot and hopes to return before long.
Second-year sharpshooter Marcus Sasser showed his shooting prowess as a rookie.
Will Sasser earn more minutes as a three-point threat?
A cold reality is the Pistons are unlikely to be in the playoff hunt.
One reason that they struggled last season was inexperience. The club’s core is still among the league’s youngest.
And they allowed a gaudy 119 points per game – which is indefensible.
The Pistons’ lack of perimeter shooting has been a persistent problem and could ultimately be their undoing.
This may be the group’s final chance to figure it out.
Detroit added a number of perimeter players to address their spacing and scoring issues.
Former fan favorite Tobias Harris rejoins the roster.
The 6-foot-8 forward is joined by veteran swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. and reserve guard Malik Beasley.
Will the trio help them turn things around? That is yet to be determined.
The Pistons reloaded in this year’s draft.
19-year-old rookie Ron Holland was their fifth overall pick. And the 6-foot-8 newcomer has gotten rave reviews so far.
Unless we see major strides, they might be headed back to the drawing board.
Can Bickerstaff solve the proverbial puzzle?
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings are in a much better place. GM Steve Yzerman steered his team to a winning record in 2024.
While the Wings missed the playoffs for the eighth straight season on a tiebreaker to Washington, here’s the good news: they’ve taken small steps forward every year since they bottomed out in 2020.
As for this year, team defense should be the No. 1 priority. Top line defenseman Moritz Seider signed a seven-year contract extension in September.
Seider is decent but not quite in the upper echelon.
Detroit needs him to be just that to have a chance at greater success.
Detroit added several seasoned vets during the offseason to enhance their chances.
The red and white welcome Russian right winger Vladimir Tarasenko, Swedish defenseman Erik Gustafsson, and Michigan native Tyler Motte at center.
Rookie forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard of Norway is a name to remember. Keep an eye on him.
37-year-old Canadian Cam Talbot is another addition to the pen. Talbot joins 31-year-old Minnesotan Alex Lyon as the Wings’ netminders.
Right wing Alex DeBrincat turbo charged the team's offense last year.
The Farmington Hills native forms a potent first unit with point man Dylan Larkin, a fellow Michigander and left winger Lucas Raymond.
DeBrincat shared his thoughts ahead of the year's first face off:
“We’ve been practicing really hard, competing out there. A couple of our preseason games weren’t up to par. Obviously it’s a lot of timing out there, stuff like that. I thought the last [exhibition] game was pretty good, in practice we’ve been competing a lot. We should be ready for Game 1.”
Opening night is Thursday, October 10 at Little Caesars Arena vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins.