Summer Synopsis: Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings missed the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs by the thinnest of margins after tying with the Washington Capitals in points, but falling five games shy of Washington’s regulation wins. It was splitting hairs, and while Washington went on to be unceremoniously swept by the New York Rangers, it was nonetheless encouraging to see Detroit mixed up with playoff hopefuls. The Red Wings are currently riding an eight-year playoff drought – set on trusting that the long-term outlook of general manager Steve Yzerman (creatively dubbed the ‘Yzerplan’) will return them to their previous glory. But one summer of high-turnover removed from their first 90-point season in nine years, Detroit still doesn’t jump off the page as a playoff favorite.

Draft

1-15: F Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Mora IK, Sweden
2-47: F Max Plante, USA U18, NTDP
3-80: F Ondrej Becher, Prince George, WHL
4-126: G Landon Miller, Soo, OHL
5-144: D John Whipple, USA U18, NTDP
6-176: X Charlie Forslund, Falu IF, Sweden
7-203: F Austin Baker, USA U18, NTDP
7-208: X Fisher Scott, Dubuque, USHL

Yzerman kicked off the summer in typical Red Wings style: opting to take an under-discussed European with their first-round pick. This year’s selection of Brandsegg-Nygård is a bit less egregious than most, largely thanks to his already-established role in the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier pro league. Brandsegg-Nygård managed 18 points across 41 games with Mora IK this season, while also supporting Norway internationally at the World Juniors and World Championship. He scored five points in both tournaments, playing five games in the former and seven in the latter. All the while, Brandsegg-Nygård looked as reliable as they come with his two-way play, excelling at forcing turnovers and playing through contact. His upside isn’t as high as those drafted around him, but Brandsegg-Nygård seems to have all of the fixings of an eventual lock in the NHL lineup.

Detroit will have to hope that’s the case, if for no other reason than to elevate a draft class that’s otherwise a bit lackluster. The Red Wings made a pair of interesting picks in the second and third rounds, first taking the undersized but highly intelligent Max Plante, balanced out by hefty role specialist Ondrej Becher. The pair matches up nicely – both showing the ability to support their teammates from anywhere in the offensive end, but also lacking a layer of explosivity or assured decision-making.

That missing piece will make Plante and Becher’s climb to the pros tough, but they’re still both more projectable than Detroit’s string of late-round picks defined by players with clear standout traits and glaring pitfalls. Charlie Forslund and Austin Baker are perhaps the most interesting – bot high-energy power-forwards unafraid of playing into the dirty areas of the ice. Where Baker earns his role with gritty play behind the net and in the corners, Forslund has found good use of his heavy shot. But the latter is also extremely unproven, getting drafted directly out of Sweden’s U18 league.

Joining the pair of power-forwards are high-upside picks Landon Miller – an athletic goaltender with a six-foot-five frame, but poor track record; Fisher Scott – a diligent defenseman on his own side of the red line; and John Whipple – once a top defense prospect in his age group who’s sacrificed offensive upside for added physicality. All three players have pieces to add after last season, but should find more upside as they settle into stronger roles next season.

UFA Signings

F Jakub Rychlovsky (two-year, $1.9MM)*
F Patrick Kane (extended one-year, $4MM)
F Christian Fischer (one-year, $1.1MM)
F Vladimir Tarasenko (two-years, $9.5MM)
F Tyler Motte (one-year, $800K)
F Joe Snively (one-year, $775K)*
F Sheldon Dries (two-years, $1.6MM)*
D Erik Gustafsson (two-years, $4MM)
D Tory Dello (one-year, $775K)*
G Cam Talbot (two-years, $5MM)
G Jack Campbell (one-year, $775K)*

* denotes two-way contract

The Red Wings were facing looming turnover this summer and chose to embrace it with open arms, finding multiple long-term NHL veterans to fill the holes in their lineup. That started with re-signing Patrick Kane to a true, one-year contract – after he joined the team midway through last season. Kane managed an impressive 47 points in 50 games, but continued to let up opportunity off of the puck. Those concerns could be mitigated by Vladimir Tarasenko, likely Kane’s new wing pairing. Tarasenko recorded 55 points in 77 games last season, split between the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, and seemed to be on an upswing in a career plagued by fluctuating defensive performances.

Tarasenko and Kane each bring 100 games worth of playoff experience and Stanley Cup precedent – invaluable experience for a Red Wings team needing a push. But they’ll likely be the only ones to impact the top ranks of Detroit’s lineup. Their free agent signings otherwise fill the menial and gritty roles down the depth chart, with Christian Fischer and Tyler Motte bound for a fourth-line battle, while Erik Gustafsson carries his depth offense to yet another new blue-line.

But then there’s Cam Talbot, who joins a goalie room that was seemingly already filled by Ville Husso and Alex Lyon. Talbot started for the Los Angeles Kings last season, posting a commendable .913 through 54 appearances. That was better than either Husso or Lyon managed in Detroit, and Talbot now carries the added distinction of being the only Red Wings signed through the 2025-26 season. But it seems premature to assume he’ll be the first choice for the starting role in a room with $4.75MM-man Husso, and emerging minor-league veteran Lyon. The trio will be entrenched in a deep position battle when training camp opens up – one that may not have much impact on Detroit’s long-term outlook.

It’s also worth taking a moment to point out the signing of undrafted free agent Jakub Rychlovsky – a 23-year-old winger who scored 26 goals and 46 points in 51 Czechia Extraliga games last season. He’s a well-built, shoot-first winger who could claw his way into strong opportunity on an open Red Wings’ bottom-six.

Trade Acquisitions

G Gage Alexander (acquired from Anaheim)

Detroit acquired Gage Alexander in return for Robby Fabbri and a fourth-round pick in their only trade action of the summer. It was a deal that seemed more designed to trim lineup fat than anything else, undercut by Alexander’s struggles as a pro. He’s managed an .884 save percentage through 22 ECHL games, and a .887 in 16 AHL games, over the last two seasons, losing ground to a the many other goalies fighting for ice time in Anaheim’s minor leagues. Alexander is a sharp and athletic skater but has major holes to patch before he’s ready for the top flight. He’ll look to hone those abilities and earn a spot on the Grand Rapids Griffins this season.

RFA Re-Signings

F Joe Veleno (two-years, $4.6MM)

Begrudginly, the Red Wings’ only RFA action has come through Joe Veleno’s bridge contract. The deal itself is good value. Veleno showed he can hold strong Detroit’s third-line center role last season, managing a stout 12 goals and 28 points in 80 games. He’ll now get a chance to really plant his feet in the lineup and earn a pay raise before his prime.

But Detroit is still working on new deals for franchise pieces Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider. Unlike the ongoing negotiations of Jeremy Swayman or Seth Jarvis (the latter recently resolved), there’s been little update on where Detroit sits with their two lineup pillars. The Red Wings have just enough cap space to give both players as much as $8.75MM a year on new deals – which should be enough to secure both long-term – but may opt for bridge contracts amid a growing salary cap. The duo joins Jonatan Berggren, who scored 56 points in 53 AHL games last season, as Detroit’s only remaining RFAs.

Departures

F Theodor Niederbach (unsigned draft pick, unrestricted free agent)
F Daniel Sprong (Vancouver, one-year, $975K)
F David Perron (Ottawa, two-years, $8MM)
F Matt Luff(unrestricted free agent)
F Taro Hirose (unrestricted free agent)
F Zach-Aston Reese (Vegas, one-year, $775K)*
F Robby Fabbri (traded to Anaheim)
D Jake Walman (traded to San Jose)
D Tnias Mathurin (unsigned draft pick, unrestricted free agent)
D Radim Simek (unrestricted free agent)
D Shayne Gostisbehere (Carolina, three-years, $9.6MM)
G John Lethemon (signed with Liberec, Czechia Extraliga)
G James Reimer (Buffalo, one-year, $1MM)
G Michael Hutchinson (unrestricted free agent)

* denotes two-way contract

Detroit’s heft of free agent signings was necessitated by a long list of departures, kicked off by the pre-draft and surprising trade of Jake Walman to San Jose. Yzerman revealed that the move was a needed cap-dump, but that doesn’t make losing the prolific partner of star defender Seider any easier. Walman scored 12 goals last season, the most of any Red Wings defender since Mike Green in 2016-17. Third on the list is Gostisbehere’s 10 goals last season. But now both defenders are headed for new opportunities, to be replaced by Gustafsson and Detroit’s top defense prospects, like Simon Edvinsson. That’s encouraging turnover for a team amid a rebuild, but the Red Wings are suddenly in the mix of playoff hopes – and could be prone to losing a step with such a shift on the back end.

The loss of pivotal middle-six wingers Perron and Sprong also opens glaring holes, though Detroit did better at matching the missing shooting talent with the signing of Tarasenko. He should make up for one of the veterans, leaving one open spot for a scoring winger on Detroit’s third line. That could prove a good opportunity for prospects like Berggren or Brandsegg-Nygård, though it’ll be a role ultimately filled in training camp.

Interestingly, Detroit also let numerous draft picks walk to free agency this summer – but replaced them with signings of undrafted free agents like Rychlovsky, Snively, and Dries. There will be plenty of openings in Grand Rapids this season, giving the new faces a chance to form into the sub-in support Detroit’s offense needs.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Red Wings enter September with $17.65MM in cap space, per PuckPedia. Their RFAs will zap that up quickly once they’re signed, which could make it difficult for the Wings to maintain enough cap space to be comfortable during the regular season. Detroit isn’t out of the weeds of cap troubles just yet. The extent of their troubles will become clear when Raymond and Seider land on a price.

Key Questions

Is Cam Talbot The Starter? Cam Talbot has taken on the role of traveling nurse in his later career, bouncing around goalie-needy teams and always findingstrong results. He’s posted a .911 save percentage in 198 games over the last five seasons, as part of four different clubs. It’s not much of a secret that the tandem of Ville Husso and Alex Lyon wasn’t going to get Detroit to the playoffs, but to see them bid for Talbot’s traveling support is a certain surprise. That’s emphasized by the red-hot emergence of Sebastian Cossa in the minor-leagues. One of the two star goalie prospects in Detroit’s system, Cossa managed a .913 save percentage in 40 AHL games last year – and could challenge the NHL roster sooner rather than later. That’s a lot of competition for one spot, and all four options carry their own right to ice time. Who wins out the Red Wings’ crease – and the extent of role give to Ville Husso and his $4.75MM cap hit – could go a long way towards determining whether this season will be the year that Detroit breaks their playoff drought.

Which Prospects Will Emerge? The Red Wings are entering September down a winger and a defender, and aren’t in much of a position to buy any more free agents. That should spell a great opportunity for top prospects like Nate Danielson, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Simon Edvinsson, and Shai Buium. All four are expected to attend Detroit’s training camp and each boast the talent to warrant NHL games, though there’s no guessing how comfortable they look once they’re in the lineup. If not with one of their prospects, Detroit will need to fill their fringe with the lackluster-but-consistent impacts of vets like Tyler Motte and Erik Gustafsson. The quartet of top prospects would be much, much more exciting options – but they’ll first need to win a spot out of camp.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.