A roller-coaster of a season for Red Wings fans is over
The Red Wings started the season hoping they would be sneaking into the playoff picture at the very end of the year. During the final 2 games, Detroit was right there in the mix, needing some help to get in, but only a few points out of the wild card spot, they looked right where they were expected to be at the start of the year. In fact, they could’ve made it if Philadelphia had won their game on their final night of the season.
So why would Detroit fans be upset if the team was close to the playoffs?
Well, to put it simply, they should’ve been there by now. Since 2016, the Red Wings have not been there, and the “Yzerplan” era so far hasn’t yielded any results. However, for the first half of the season, they looked like they weren’t just ready, they looked like they might be sneaky contenders.
The off-season wasn’t bad for Detroit, in fact it was really good. A Dylan Larkin extension was the big move, but Steve Yzerman also picked aging stars Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. Another slew of players were added during free agency to short, cheap deals while Yzerman picked up a solid haul of prospects in the NHL draft. The off-season reaffirmed that Yzerman wasn’t just stagnating, and he was going to improve the team.
Maybe the playoffs were not in the cards, but as a fan it sure seemed as though they were making a serious bid for a wild card spot this year just based off the off-season. However, there was a glaring weakness: Stopping the other team from scoring.
Mo Seider is an elite defender, and free agency led to quite a few pickups to help the Wings on defense. But defenders don’t have enlarged pads and a certain spot they’re supposed to stay. Goaltending was seemingly forgotten about. They did get surprise Panthers backup Alex Lyon. The tandem consisted of Ville Husso, who suffered some injuries and spent some time in the AHL, James Reimer, who was a hot and cold goalie all year and mostly saw action in relief of Lyon, and of course Alex Lyon, who started on a hot streak but ultimately fell back to the ground.
Overall, it didn’t seem as though the Red Wings had a great goalie tandem, and that would ultimately hold them back down the stretch. During the complete collapse in the second half of the season, the goalies couldn’t stop a beach ball most nights. Alex Lyon had been the engine to a torrid start, but he would ultimately play so poorly by the end of the Red Wings’ season, and it cost them.
The Wings still showed they have an elite core
Out of all the positives to look back on, none are bigger than the promising core Detroit put on display in 2024. Dylan Larkin played well when healthy, and looked every bit like the captain who signed an 8-year extension. Mo Seider continued to get better and better, looking like a defensive anchor for years to come. Lucas Raymond broke out of a small slump, turning into a goal scoring machine. This was especially helpful during the second half of the Red Wings season, where Raymond was doing everything he could to keep the playoff dream alive.
This core looked great through the entire year. Surrounding these guys with proven winners and tantalizing prospects is a recipe for success. This core is ready to make the league notice who they are, and they really provide an identity for the Red Wings moving forward.
However, they also have some solid pieces surrounding the core. Alex DeBrincat is a star, and the trade to get him looks really good for Detroit. His goal scoring fueled the Red Wings early season surge and he figures to put up similar production in 2024-25 . Other players surrounding the core on good deals include Andrew Copp, J. T Compher, Ben Chiarot, and Michael Rasmussen.
What’s next?
Per CapFriendly, the Red Wings have the 8th most cap space in the league entering the off-season, and they have some moves to make. Re-signing Restricted Free Agent Lucas Raymond is crucial, as is grabbing Shayne Gostisbehere for another year. Another huge signing may not be in the cards after that, but they can shed other contracts such as Christian Fischer, Daniel Sprong and David Perron.
Patrick Kane could return, but the likelihood is seemingly up in the air. As a fan, he’s great and it would be beyond amazing if he could stay. However, the reality is that he might demand an extension that just isn’t affordable, and in that case, Steve Yzerman might not bring him back on board. With the salary cap set to grow for the first time in ages, Kane’s contract shouldn’t be an issue- it’s whether or not he chooses to come back for another year.
I think the big thing should be a trade for a solid netminder. With loads of picks available, Yzerman can show aggressiveness by trading, or he can be timid and try and bring more prospects in. I prefer he uses some of the picks he has at his disposal on a trade, maybe even shedding contracts like Robby Fabbri via trade. Obviously, the need is a solid goalie, which I believe the Red Wings can entice other GMs to trade for with a load of draft assets at their disposal.
Final thoughts
The Red Wings thoroughly managed to be both frustrating and exciting at the same time in 2023-24. They took many steps forward and had a torrid start to the season. They also had injury issues and a major collapse to fall out of the playoff picture. My hope is that the team learns to not stagnate and get content with being “almost there.” In fact, the Wings have been “almost there” for around 2 years now. I say it’s time to see some moves to not just make the playoffs, but win the cup.
Sponsor: Seatgeek
Check out our sponsor Seatgeek. Seatgeek is a third party ticketing app with a handy ranking system that color codes the best deal. Use our code SamShady to make those good deals even better.
YouTube
Please also help us continue growing on our YouTube Channel by subscribing if you haven’t already. Also like and comment on any videos you enjoy! Thank you for your support and we hope you continue to tune in!
Are you on Discord? Do you like sports? We do it all in the Shady Sports server. Join the conversation!
