The 2023-24 regular season is coming to a close. With that, Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman will be forced to confront a flurry of crucial decisions for a club that desperately needs a makeover. While the team has most certainly improved from a standings perspective, there are still many holes to fill this summer as the organization continues to search for an identity. If this season has shown us anything, it’s that Detroit struggled to find any kind of consistency throughout the majority of the schedule. Defensively, the Red Wings were a mess, and Yzerman will have to get creative if he wants to see any kind of improvement heading into next season.
Yzerman was left with a tall task after taking over as GM following the 2018-19 season. Detroit was a team in peril after former GM Ken Holland tried to extend the 25-year playoff streak that ended in 2016. A lack of high-end prospects and long-term contracts for underperforming players made this a steep hill to climb. The Hall of Famer has preached patience as he continues to build through the draft, and while his selections have been strong for the most part, there have been some questionable free-agent signings that have hampered the club. Those decisions will most certainly need to be addressed in the not-so-distant future. Yzerman has his work cut out for him. These are five moves – in order – this writer believes are crucial to the team’s success heading into the 2024-25 season.
1. Goaltending
When the goalie you signed to be your third stringer ends up playing the majority of games, you can safely say that is not an ideal situation. While Alex Lyon has filled in admirably for injured starter Ville Husso, he has shown Detroit brass that he’s not someone who can handle a full workload. Husso, who was signed to a three-year deal before the 2022-23 season, has been on injured reserve for the majority of the year and wasn’t playing well when he was on the ice. James Reimer has struggled for most of the season and will be a free agent this summer. I think it’s safe to say that he won’t be coming back.
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So now what? Lyon and Husso are both signed through next season, but neither has shown that they can be relied on in key situations. Yzerman signed Husso to, hopefully, bridge the gap to prized prospect Sebastian Cossa – whom he drafted 15th overall in 2021. Detroit also selected goaltender Trey Augustine, who has flourished during his freshman season at Michigan State. But he is still years away from being ready. This is where things could get interesting. There are a number of goaltenders who may be available this summer that could be worth “kicking the tires on.” The one I think would make the most sense is the Calgary Flames’ Jacob Markstrom.
Markstrom is signed through the 2025-26 season at $6 million per year, so Yzerman would have to move some salary around. But think about this. Cossa, realistically, has one more year in the American Hockey League (AHL) to develop. Bring in Markstrom for next season, and then have him mentor the young goaltender until his contract runs out. That could be a great tandem for a Detroit team that should be ready to compete by then.
The Red Wings would have to find a way to move Husso and most likely part with a significant package of prospects, so this is probably a pipe dream. But this season was frustrating for the organization with the lack of consistency in the net. As the club continues to fight for a playoff spot, you have to believe a high-end puck stopper could have made a huge difference down the stretch – especially when you consider the team is ninth overall in league scoring. The problem is they are a plus-1 in goal differential. This would be a massive addition.
2. Sign Seider and Raymond
Like now, please. These two appear to be the most important cogs of the future, and both need to be signed as soon as possible. This would’ve been number one on my to-do list, but it seems that their contracts are a mere formality at this point. Lucas Raymond has had a breakout year, and the Red Wings are going to have to pay up. He carried the team at times this season and, at just 22 years old, has the potential to be a star – and/or – leader for this franchise for many years to come. Moritz Seider, at 23 years old, is already a top (defensive) defenseman in this league. The former Calder Trophy winner plays some of the toughest minutes in the sport. Combine that with his offensive potential and the sky is the limit. Back the Brinks truck up Illitch family. Players like these don’t grow on trees and the organization needs them to write the next chapter in their storied history.
3. Bring Showtime Back to Motown
You know it. I know it. We all know it. The majority of Detroit fans want to see Patrick Kane wearing the winged wheel again next season. The three-time Cup champion has been electric, and his late-game heroics have been thrilling. The team that hasn’t seen the likes of it since “The Magic Man” himself, Pavel Datsyuk, retired. Kane is definitely on the back nine of his career, but his puck-handling skills are still operating at an elite level. There will be a lot of contenders calling. I have to assume the Red Wings would welcome a reunion, but what does the player want in this situation? He seems to enjoy the Detroit area, and it feels like more than a good fit. This will be a tough decision for both parties. Kane has a strong passion for the game and wants to win. While I hope for a return, I’m going to predict he signs with a team that is closer to winning it all.
4. Move On From Petry and Holl
Fore! No, it’s not time for the Red Wings to hit the links – just yet. But you can bet Yzerman would like a mulligan on both of these acquisitions from this past summer. Justin Holl was always a questionable signing, and a cap hit of $3.4 million for the next two seasons could be a buy-out option. The Red Wings have made it clear that he is not part of the future, as he’s spent a good part of the season in the press box as a healthy scratch. This has always been one of the more questionable moves from Yzerman’s tenure, and I don’t think we’ll be seeing him on the Detroit bench next season – especially if he’s going to continue to sit in the rafters making that kind of change.
Jeff Petry has easily been the biggest scapegoat for Detroit fans this season. Talk show hosts and callers continue to call him out on a daily basis. But let’s face facts. It’s been a rough season for the former Michigan State Spartan. Most of the criticism has been well deserved as he continues to struggle in both zones for the Red Wings. It has been hard to watch at times. Petry still has one more year at a cap hit of $2.4 million and won’t command a lot of attention in trade talks. He could also be a buyout option, but I think he, more or less, will take on the same role that Holl has taken this season.
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There was a point in his career when Petry was a pretty good defenseman in the NHL, but that time has passed. By the way, did you know he’s the son of former Tigers pitcher Dan Petry? If you haven’t heard that, then I’ll bet you didn’t know Clayton Kershaw and Matthew Stafford went to the same high school in Texas.
Simon Edvinsson will be with the team full-time next season, which appears to be all but certain now. Highly touted Grand Rapids Griffins’ prospect Albert Johansson will more than likely make the roster as well or he will have to be exposed to waivers – and believe me, he would be claimed immediately. The Red Wings won’t take that chance, but Johansson is someone who could bring back some good value in a trade. He is a highly regarded prospect and, at 23 years old, could be a fixture on Detroit’s blue line for the foreseeable future.
5. Upgrade at a Premium
Let’s be honest with ourselves. This team needs some more star power up front and I’m interested to see what becomes available via trade this upcoming summer. There are some high-end prospects who will push for roster spots next season. The organization has really high hopes for Marco Kasper, Carter Mazur, and quite possibly Nate Danielson. The Red Wings – in Yzerman’s eyes – are still building so now may not be the time to go big game hunting, but one player who I think could be an interesting addition is Carolina Hurricanes right winger Martin Necas.
The 25-year-old Czechia native was selected just three picks after Detroit drafted Michael Rasmussen ninth overall in the 2017 Draft. He quietly put up 71 points last season and – at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds – provides the kind of size that Detroit lacks up front. His stock continues to see an upward trajectory, but he will be a restricted free agent this offseason. Carolina may have cap issues with the amount of top talent they have. Newly acquired Jake Guentzel will command big dollars, so the Hurricanes may look to move someone like Necas, who will want a decent raise from his current $3 million yearly salary. This is something worth exploring for Detroit, but it has to be at the right price for Yzerman to pull the trigger.
But Wait, There’s More
This is a pivotal offseason for the franchise. Yzerman has more than a full plate. This is just the tip of the iceberg for the three-time Cup winner when it comes to reshaping the roster, as there’s much more to be decided than what’s mentioned above. The future of Jonatan Berggren? Does David Perron come back? What about Shayne Gostisbehere, Daniel Sprong, and Christian Fischer? Does Joe Veleno fit in the team’s long-term plans? There are a lot of questions that need to be answered. It should make for an interesting summer for the beloved GM.
