After winning just 17 of 71 games and finishing with the lowest win percentage of the salary cap era (.275), the Detroit Red Wings should be eager to start this upcoming NHL season. General Manager Steve Yzerman was busy trying to better his team this offseason, drafting 12 players, signing 17 free agents, and making two player trades. Although they weren’t able to land the #1 overall draft pick, they still managed to snag a great player in Swedish winger Lucas Raymond with the 4th overall selection. So far, Raymond has 12 points in 22 games in the Swedish Hockey League and will play for Team Sweden at the upcoming World Junior Tournament. He’ll likely come over to North America for the 2021-22 season.
Trade wise, Yzerman wasn’t as active but still made some useful moves. Detroit traded for former New York Ranger Marc Staal, adding on a 2021 second-round pick as part of the acquisition for taking on Staal’s $5,700,000 cap hit. They also sent Dymtro Timashov to the New York Islanders for “future considerations”, opening up a roster and contract spot.
On the free-agent market, Yzerman made plenty of moves to try to improve the Red Wings’ roster. He signed two top 9 forwards in Vladislav Namestnikov (2 years, $2,000,000 per year) and Bobby Ryan (1 year, $1,000,000). Namestnikov should help shore up the second line, while Ryan will fit in nicely as a winger on either the second or third line. Defensively, Yzerman added two players, former Vancouver Canuck Troy Stetcher (2 years, $1,700,000 per year) and Michigan native Jon Merrill (1 year, $925,000). Stetcher should plugin on the top four and could feature on the powerplay; Merrill will add depth to the bottom pairing. Finally, Yzerman filled the need at goaltender, adding former Islander Thomas Greiss, who will pair nicely with Jonathan Bernier.
THE LINEUP
Forwards:
The forward group should be much improved this year, with the addition of Namestnikov, Ryan, and a full season of former top prospect Filip Zadina. Add in a healthy Anthony Mantha (resigned for four years, $5,700,000 per year) and a rejuvenated Dylan Larkin, and their top nine should produce much more than they did last year. Larkin, Mantha, and last year’s leading goal scorer Tyler Bertuzzi (resigned for one year, $3,500,000) should slot together on the top line, putting together a combination that was lethal at times over the past two seasons. Namestnikov, Ryan, Zadina, and winger Robby Fabbri will all compete for a spot on the second line, and veterans Sam Gagner, Valtteri Filppula, Frans Nielsen, Darren Helm, and Luke Glendening will all look for roles in the bottom six. Also, keep an eye on prospects Evgeny Svechnikov, Taro Hirose, and Michael Rasmussen, who look to snag a roster spot.
First Line: Tyler Bertuzzi-Dylan Larkin-Anthony Mantha
Dylan Larkin will have no worries about his spot as top center; Bertuzzi and Mantha finished second and third in team scoring and have teamed up with Larkin in the past for a great combination. If Mantha’s healthy, he could easily be not just the best player on the team but a top right winger in the league.
Second Line: Robby Fabbri-Vladislav Namestnikov-Filip Zadina
Either Fabbri or Namestnikov can line up at center here, which provides coach Jeff Blashill with plenty of versatility. Youngster Filip Zadina rounds out the line, but either he or free-agent signee Bobby Ryan could fill the open wing. During the stretch of 28 games played, Zadina was the third leading scorer on Detroit with 15 points. Putting him with high skilled players like Fabbri and Namestnikov should boost that scoring even more.
Third Line: Evgeny Svechkikov-Sam Gagner-Bobby Ryan
The biggest question regarding Detroit’s third line revolves around who will end up as the center. While either Valtteri Filppula or Frans Nielsen could potentially line up here, Sam Gagner, who was acquired last season in exchange for Andreas Athanasiou (and subsequently re-signed), adds a bit more versatility. Bobby Ryan should provide solid goal scoring and powerplay ability, and adding Svechnikov (who is no longer waiver-exempt) to play alongside two veterans should help the rookie who’s struggled to find a place in the NHL.
Fourth Line: Darren Helm-Luke Glendening-Valterri Filppula
Helm and Glendening are easy picks for the fourth line, as both provide defensive and forechecking ability. Filppula looks to be in a battle for the last spot with fellow seasoned veteran Frans Nielsen and 25-year-old Adam Erne. Nielsen and Erne struggled offensively last season, and although Filppula wasn’t great in that department either, he was just enough better to win the winger spot. Interestingly enough, all three of these players can also play center.
Also in the mix: Frans Nielsen, Adam Erne, Taro Hirose, Givani Smith, Michael Rasmussen
Nielsen and Erne, as stated, didn’t show enough offensively last year to warrant a spot in the lineup. Hirose showed promise in 10 games during the end of the 2018-19 season but struggled to find his footing during the 2019-20 season. Smith performed well in a limited fourth-line role during 21 games last year but will probably get bumped by the veteran players who would need to pass through waivers to create a roster spot. Another year in the minor leagues will also help his development. Rasmussen is currently competing in the Austrian hockey league, where he has 16 points in 17 games. He could challenge for a third-line role, but given the fact that he’s both waiver exempt and could use some extra minor league time to develop as a center, will probably see himself on the outside. Joe Veleno is a player who has performed well the past two years in training camp but is currently playing in the Swedish Hockey League and has a contract that runs through March.
Defensemen:
The defensive side of the roster is definitely the Red Wings’ weakest area. Filip Hronek should lead the way; the 23-year-old had 31 points in 65 games last season and currently has 23 points in 22 games with his Czech league team. A healthy Danny DeKeyser should shore up the top four, and new additions Troy Stetcher, Jon Merrill, and Marc Staal will all compete for spots in the lineup. Also, look for prospect Dennis Cholowski, who is still trying to carve out his role on the team.
First Pairing: Danny DeKeyser-Filip Hronek
Hronek should be Detroit’s best defenseman this year, both offensively and defensively. DeKeyser missed all but eight games last year with back surgery, and the Red Wings are hoping he can bounce back from both injury and some consistency struggles that have plagued him the past few seasons. Either way, this won’t be the league’s best pairing, but it should be efficient enough.
Second Pairing: Patrik Nemeth-Troy Stetcher
Nemeth was a steady force last season; he, as expected, didn’t provide much offense but was perhaps Detroit’s best player defensively. Stetcher is a newcomer who provides both youth and upside. With top-four minutes, he could be leaned on to be one of the Red Wings’ point-getters from the back end and could see some powerplay time.
Third Pairing: Dennis Cholowski-Jon Merrill
Cholowski is in an interesting spot this season. The past two years, he’s made the Red Wings’ roster out of camp but has also been sent down to the AHL midseason in both years. This year, he’ll be in a tight battle for a roster spot but may have the upper hand due to his ability to run a powerplay. Other than Filip Hronek, Cholowski might be the only defenseman Detroit can turn to both offensively and on the man advantage. Jon Merrill should be penciled in as a depth defenseman, although Marc Staal, who has struggled the past few years in New York, could be placed on this pairing.
Also in the mix: Marc Staal, Alex Biega
While fans might like to see both top prospect Mo Seider and young Swede Gustav Lindstrom on the roster, both are currently playing in the Swedish Hockey League and contractually obligated to play there until the season ends in March. Seider has 12 points in 17 games, while Lindstrom has 11 in 20. Marc Staal could be a veteran that Jeff Blashill turns to but has struggled to provide value the past few seasons with the Rangers. Alex Biega is a depth player that will fill in for injuries; he passed through waivers last year but wasn’t claimed, so he isn’t in danger of being picked up if that happens again.
Goaltenders:
Jonathan Bernier-Thomas Greiss
It’s anyone’s guess who’ll be the starter for the Red Wings, but given Bernier’s play at the end of last year and the fact that he’s been with the team longer, Bernier will probably be the man opening night. Adding Greiss to the fold improves Detroit’s goaltending immensely, so look for him and Bernier to form a solid 1A-1B tandem.
THE OUTLOOK
Overall, while this is a much improved Detroit team, they still aren’t quite at the level needed to challenge for a playoff spot. However, potential division realignment could work in their favor. Reportedly, Detroit will be placed in a new Central Division, and although it reportedly contains Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay, it also contains middling teams in Columbus, Nashville, and Minnesota, along with a rebuilding team in Chicago. Hypothetically, if everything goes their way, this weaker division could propel them into a more competitive season, but given the fact that injuries, slumps, and trades will always be a factor in the NHL, the Red Wings will likely find themselves falling somewhere between 20th and 25th place.
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