It was great to see Justin Abdelkader get his first regular season goal as a Red Wing. It came Saturday, October 17th at the Joe vs Colorado, with Darren Helm drawing an assist. Till that point all of Abdelkader's goals in the NHL came in the playoffs - and they were big ones - against the Penguins in last years Stanely Cup Finals.

However for Abdelkader, Helm and strapping young defenseman Jonathon Ericsson (who already has a couple of goals this season) this, their first full year in the NHL,  will be a challenge.

Head coach, Mike Babcock, made the point - and it's a good one - that these guys preformed well in the playoffs and everyone was touting their glory. He went on to say that the playoffs are a time when everybody is sky high and getting yourself up for games is easy. You can feed off of the intensity and adrenaline.

Now these kids have to go through an entire NHL regular season. The practices, the games, the travel.... They have to fight through the grueling grind, the aches and pains, the highs and lows and find a way to play at a high level, consistently, day in and day out. That's what it takes to be a good pro player.

This is going to be a test. Not a test these talented, hungry, dedicated youngsters can't handle, but a test nonetheless, one that they will learn and grow from. It is also one that will see the rest of the Wings go up and down with them along the way this season.

It is going to be a challenging year for the entire team and specifically for these three budding stars as the games roll on. Certainly there will be growing pains but the payoff will marvelous in the long run. Hopefully that payoff comes sooner rather than later.