The rebuild in Detroit is no longer new. It’s real. It’s alive. And it’s tested every ounce of patience in Hockeytown.
For years, Detroit Red Wings fans have watched their team slowly shift from a dynasty into a project. There have been flashes of hope, draft picks with high upside, offseason splashes, brief playoff pushes, but no concrete arrival. Now, entering another season under general manager Steve Yzerman, the question needs to be asked: What exactly are the Red Wings building toward?
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Are they on the same path as the Colorado Avalanche, who took their time, stockpiled elite talent, and erupted into a powerhouse? Or are they closer to the St. Louis Blues, who floated in mediocrity before a few bold moves transformed them into champions almost overnight?
Both teams rose from the ashes. But they got there very differently.
Drafting the Core: Elite Talent vs. Depth Over Time
The Avalanche tanked hard and smart. From 2013 to 2019, they picked in the top 10 five times. Out of that came franchise players like Nathan MacKinnon (1st overall, 2013), Cale Makar (4th, 2017), and Mikko Rantanen (10th, 2015). They nailed their picks. And when the time came, those picks carried them.
The Blues? Not so much. They never picked higher than 4th in that span. They drafted more in the mid-to-late first round and built through shrewd trades, Ryan O’Reilly, Brayden Schenn, and Justin Faulk, and found gems like Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas in later rounds.
Detroit’s path? Somewhere in between.
Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, and Simon Edvinsson appear to be cornerstones. But none were first overall picks. Marco Kasper, Nate Danielson, and Axel Sandin Pellikka are still developing. Yzerman has played it methodically, drafting for upside rather than headlines. The Wings haven’t truly bottomed out like Colorado once did, and they haven’t fast-tracked like the Blues either.
The upside? If the Red Wings hit on multiple picks from 2021–2024, they might have the most complete young core in the East.
The risk? They may lack the superstar explosiveness Colorado had when MacKinnon and Makar hit their prime.
Free Agency & Trade Philosophy: All-In vs. Careful Calibration
When the Blues needed a jolt, they took it. They traded for O’Reilly, signed Tyler Bozak, and brought back David Perron. In 2019, they fired their coach midseason and called up a nobody goalie from the American Hockey League (AHL). Jordan Binnington caught fire. St. Louis won the Cup.
Colorado, meanwhile, was patient. They made smart trades, Devon Toews, Nazem Kadri, and Darcy Kuemper, but only once their young core was ready to lead.
Yzerman has walked a deliberate line. He’s made his team better each year without sacrificing future flexibility. Alex DeBrincat was the big swing. Patrick Kane was the high-upside rental. John Gibson is now the answer in the net. But none of it screams “win-now.”
Detroit hasn’t gambled everything on a single year. That’s not the Yzerman way. But if the Red Wings are following the Avalanche path, the leap has to come soon. Patience is smart, but only if it ends in results.
Coaching Stability and Timing
The Avalanche hired Jared Bednar in 2016. They went 22–56–4 in his first season. He stayed. He grew with the team. He won a Stanley Cup in 2022.
The Blues cycled through coaches until Craig Berube took over midseason and shocked the world in 2019.
Detroit fired Derek Lalonde after a promising stretch turned into a collapse. Enter Todd McLellan, a veteran with structure and experience. But make no mistake, this is now a coach hired to win, not simply develop.
If McLellan can bring accountability and polish to a young core, the Red Wings may finally have their Bednar. But if he’s a stopgap, like the Blues once had in Mike Yeo, the clock will keep ticking without payoff.
Where the Red Wings Stand
The Red Wings are better than they’ve been. That much is obvious. 91 points two seasons ago marked the highest total since 2015–16. But they still missed the playoffs. They still folded when it mattered most. And that matters.
Yzerman’s plan is long-term. It always has been. But fans are ready for the next chapter.
This is no longer a blank canvas. It’s a nearly finished puzzle, with just a few pieces left to click. Maybe Kasper emerges. Maybe Sandin Pellikka becomes the next great puck-moving defenseman. Maybe Gibson finds consistency in Detroit.
And if those maybes turn into yeses? This team could take off, fast.
Conclusion: Wings, Avs, or Blues?
The Avalanche built its foundation through elite drafting and patient development. The Blues went through cycles of disappointment before making the right bets at the right time. Both routes ended with Stanley Cups.
Right now, the Red Wings are straddling both timelines. They have the pieces. They’ve avoided recklessness. But the waiting is nearly over. It’s time to decide who they really are.
Will they follow Colorado’s methodical rise and explode into dominance with a young core peaking together? Or will they ride a Blues-like wave, fueled by grit, balance, and a little bit of chaos?
Either path works if it ends with the Cup.
But Detroit’s done waiting. The rebuild isn’t a dream anymore. It’s a blueprint. And the time to build is now.
