2024–25 NHL team preview: Detroit Red Wings
LAST SEASON
It was the perfect script.
After winning their second-to-last game of the season against the Montreal Canadiens, in overtime, the Detroit Red Wings had to try and come back again to have a chance at winning their way into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. David Perron’s tying goal with 3.3 seconds to go in Montreal was memorable…until moments later when, in another game happening simultaneously, Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella pulled the goalie, allowing the Washington Capitals to score a game-winning goal in an empty-net, knocking the Red Wings out of playoff contention.
The push for the postseason might be something the Red Wings grew accustomed to over a quarter-century. However, the 2023-24 campaign was the closest the team had come to the playoffs in several years. General manager Steve Yzerman carefully put together a team that was capable of making it to the playoffs, as the Hockey Hall of Famer went out and signed key players to help get his team over the hump. But inconsistency at the worst time of the season hurt Detroit’s chances. Losing twice to the Arizona Coyotes and having another abysmal season series against the Ottawa Senators certainly didn’t help Detroit’s cause.
KEY ADDITIONS & DEPARTURES
Additions
Vladimir Tarasenko, RW (UFA)
Cam Talbot, G (UFA)
Erik Gustafsson, D (UFA)
William Lagesson, D (UFA)
Tyler Motte, LW (UFA)
Jack Campbell, G (UFA)
Departures
David Perron, LW (Ott)
Daniel Sprong, RW (Van)
Shayne Gostisbehere, D (Car)
James Reimer, G (Buf)
OFFENSE
While the ‘Yzerplan’ has never been made public, this phase, planned or not, saw Yzerman ensure this team has the necessary firepower to be a playoff contender. The team scored 278 goals last season, the most of any team that didn’t make the playoffs and more than eight teams that qualified for the postseason, including the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
Lucas Raymond took a huge step in 2023-24. Not only did he set career-highs in goals (31), assists (41) and points (72), he showed maturity with his play at 5-on-5. The Swedish winger led the Wings in scoring and developed a clutch gene that was necessary for the team to push for a postseason spot. Captain Dylan Larkin, injury scares and all, was still one of the most effective players in the lineup. He was the only Wing to average a point per game, scoring 69 in 68 games. A full bill of health will give the Washington Township, Michigan native an opportunity to make an even bigger impact.
Detroit received a necessary boost in the return of Patrick Kane. The Red Wings took a chance on the three-time Stanley Cup champion in his return from injury. Even though he only played in 50 games, there were many games where Kane was the team’s best player. Arguably the biggest addition to the team for 2024-25 is that of reigning Stanley Cup champion Vladimir Tarasenko. After winning a championship with the Panthers, the Russian star signed a two-year contract with Detroit and will give this team another weapon up front.
With such talent on the offensive end, you know Detroit’s power play is expected to be up there with some of the best in the NHL. Even with some players out of the lineup last season, the Red Wings were ninth in the league on the man advantage last season (23.1%). There is a good chance that number can rise this year.
DEFENSE
While the offense was exceptional, the Red Wings’ play in their own zone was suspect at times. Even though proved they could score their way out of problems sometimes, if the offense went silent, the team was in trouble.
That was addressed this offseason by Yzerman, as he went out and signed veteran blueliner Erik Gustafsson, as well as former Toronto Maple Leaf William Lagesson, with the hopes the duo brings in a necessary amount of depth on the blueline. There is no question, Detroit has experience on defense, with players like Ben Chiarot and Olli Maatta in the lineup, but something the back end, which has an average age of almost 30, struggles with is consistency.
One player who is consistently getting better is Mortiz Seider. The 23-year-old has continued to develop as an exceptional player, especially on the offensive end. His play in his own zone has steadily improved each year in the league, solidifying his place as the top player. If he stays on the current pace of progression, he will certainly enter the conversation as one the better defenders in the NHL.
Everyone will have their eyes on what young prospect Simon Edvinsson will bring to the team. After spending most of the second half of last season with Detroit, many believe the Swedish defender could have helped the Wings make the playoffs last year had he been called up from AHL Grand Rapids sooner than he was.
GOALTENDING
It’s another year, another offseason in which Yzerman has shaken up the goaltending situation. With Alex Lyon playing some big minutes after Ville Husso ran into injury troubles last season, James Reimer was allowed to move on. However, the team signed veterans Cam Talbot and Jack Campbell, ensuring plenty of NHL-ready options in Detroit.
One season after dragging the Panthers to the playoffs, Lyon almost did it again with Detroit. After starting the year as the third-string, he was clutch in some games when the Red Wings’ offense went cold. Even though he will still have to fight for the starting job with Talbot and a healthy Husso heading into training camp, the way Lyon has played over the past two seasons, he has a better chance than Husso to earn significant playing time this season.
Husso’s health certainly influenced the move to go after Talbot. Behind the Los Angeles Kings’ system, he played very well in stretches and earned an invite to the All-Star Game. Over the past few years, when healthy, Talbot has shown he is a reliable netminder. On a fresh contract at a $2.5 million AAV, he’s the clear favorite for starting duty.
Yzerman did go out and sign former Edmonton Oiler Jack Campbell. After a tumultuous run with the team, the Oilers bought out the veteran netminder. He is expected to be sent down to the AHL and hold down a mentoring role for the Wings’ top goaltending prospect, Sebastian Cossa.
COACHING
Heading into his third season as the head coach in Hockeytown, Derek Lalonde has the necessary experience to get his team to believe they can be a playoff team.
The former Tampa Bay Lightning assistant went through some growing pains over the first couple of years, but his knowledge of the game is what made him an exceptional coach under Jon Cooper during the Lightning’s back-to-back Cup seasons, and why he was hired by Yzerman in the first place. As Lalonde continues to grow in his role, along with the team, he is proving to be a solid bench boss.
What has become apparent over his time in Detroit, is that Lalonde is finding his groove as a head coach. While the NHL isn’t a development league by any standards, the former Ferris State assistant is definitely growing in parallel with his team.
ROOKIES
With players like Edvinsson and Jonatan Berggren no longer considered rookies, it is going to be interesting which prospects make the jump next season.
Marco Kasper made waves when he played in the final game of the 2022-23 season, but he spent all of last year with the Griffins. The elevated playing time and different roles he played allowed him to work on his versatility, something the Red Wings would like to utilize. He and 2022 NCAA champion Carter Mazur meshed well in 2023-24 and are both on the cusp of getting a call-up to Detroit.
There are many from around the organization who feel like Albert Johansson is the next defenseman who will close in on making the jump. In his first two seasons in the AHL, his confidence has grown mightily at both ends of the rink.
BURNING QUESTIONS
1. Will Simon Edvinsson be on the top pair? At first? Probably not. As important as he was down the stretch last season, he probably starts on the second or third pair. Edvinsson certainly has the tools to be a No. 1 defenseman, but with he and Seider both having the offensive vision, the two probably wouldn’t work well together on the same line.
2. What needs to happen to reinvigorate Alex DeBrincat? The former Windsor Spitfire scored 27 goals for the second consecutive season, far from the 40-goal guy that Debrincat became while as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. They tried pairing him with his old linemate, Kane, but only with limited success. It might sound like a lame answer, but DeBrincat just needs to get off to a good start like he did last year, and keep on the grind to show that he is still an elite scorer.
3. Is it Jonatan Berggren’s time to make an impact? One of the quiet storylines is what the Red Wings are trying to do with Berggren. The former second-round pick was one of the best players in the AHL last season but saw limited time in Detroit compared to the 2022-23 campaign. Even when he was called up, Berggren hardly saw the ice, which left the Swedish forward feeling disgruntled near the end of the regular season. He has shown he can be an everyday NHLer, but he needs to demonstrate that he can buy into the Red Wings’ system.
PREDICTION
There’s no excuse for the Red Wings not to make the playoffs this year. With another year under the belt of the core they have built, an arguably better back end with solid goaltending, they should at least be in the Wildcard picture. This team has cut its teeth and has tasted the excitement of a playoff race. Now, they are ready to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Add that with veteran offensive weapons like Larkin, Kane and Tarasenko, this team has the ability to keep up with the top teams in the Atlantic Division, giving Detroit an outside chance to contend for a top-three spot. The offense has become playoff-caliber. Now it’s time for the defense to catch up.
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