The Detroit Red Wings concluded their scheduled preseason games on Oct. 5 with a loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Their preseason was defined by a mix of expected and unexpected lineups and performances across the board, as well as a rotating cast of goaltenders, each doing their best to claim the starting role.
There were standouts at every position, both good and bad, and a lot of what we saw was what we kind of expected after the Red Wings were finished making moves in the offseason. With under a week to go before the regular season begins, it’s time to assess what we’ve learned from the Red Wings’ preseason and training camp.
1. Marco Kasper Belongs
Heading into training camp, there were three forward prospects that were identified as having a legitimate shot at claiming an NHL roster spot: Marco Kasper, Carter Mazur and Nate Danielson. While all three had their moments, it was Kasper that stood out the most.
Drafted eighth overall in 2022, Kasper is an Austrian-born centerman that plays a strong two-way game and isn’t afraid to leave a mark on the opposition. That was on full display during the preseason as the 20-year-old regularly looked like he belonged while playing in lineups filled with NHL talent. He scored goals, he made plays, and he was able to get under his opponents’ skin. He even had the opportunity to play second-line center with Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko on his wings on Oct. 3, an exciting development despite the fact the Red Wings were shut out that night.
Due to the sheer number of NHL contracts on the Red Wings’ books (as well as the possibility that they sign another player to fill a specific role), there is a good chance that Kasper will begin the season in the American Hockey League (AHL) despite his strong showing. To that point, he was one of many players assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins on Oct. 6. Regardless of how the opening night lineup ultimately shakes out, he has firmly placed himself atop the list of players deserving an NHL call-up this season.
It might not happen right away, but Kasper has done enough to show he’s ready to be a Red Wing on a full-time basis.
2. Husso, Talbot & Lyon Seem Equal
One of the biggest storylines heading into training camp was the battle in goal between Cam Talbot, Ville Husso and Alex Lyon. Husso and Lyon both return from last season’s team while Talbot was brought in during the offseason on a two-year deal. After inconsistent goaltending was one of the factors that led to the Red Wings missing the playoffs last season, the onus was on those three goaltenders to stake their claim to the starting role and show that inconsistency won’t be an issue for Detroit this season.
The good news: all three goalies looked good, with Husso specifically looking like the injury issues that plagued him last season are behind him. The bad news: none of the three truly stood out in a way that put the opening night starter debate to rest.
With Jack Campbell recently entering the players assistance program, goaltending depth will once again be important for Detroit as they try to win games in the NHL while also insulating prospect Sebastian Cossa from arriving in the NHL before he is ready. Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has stated in the past that keeping three goalies on the NHL roster isn’t his preference, but he has also said that he is prepared to be flexible if the situation calls for it. With that in mind, Husso and Lyon will probably join Talbot in another goalie trio, at least to start the season, until the opportunity to move one of the three presents itself.
3. We Predicted the Red Wings’ Lineup Back in July
It sure seems like the Red Wings are going to go forward with a lineup that A) looks similar to the lineup the Red Wings closed out the 2023-24 season with, and b) is pretty much the exact lineup fans and pundits were projecting after Yzerman made his offseason moves.
As things stand, the lineup looks something like this:
| Alex DeBrincat | Dylan Larkin | Lucas Raymond |
| Vladimir Tarasenko | J.T. Compher | Patrick Kane |
| Michael Rasmussen | Andrew Copp | Christian Fischer |
| Tyler Motte | Joe Veleno | Jonatan Berggren |
| Ben Chiarot | Moritz Seider |
| Simon Edvinsson | Jeff Petry |
| Olli Määttä | Erik Gustafsson |
The only wrinkle that has yet to be decided is how the rest of their roster shakes out. If the Red Wings are going to move forward with three goalies, that leaves room for only two extra skaters, and Justin Holl and Albert Johansson, both defensemen, would both require waivers to be sent to the AHL. If Detroit would like to have an extra forward on their roster, somebody has to be moved out to create room, and that is probably why Holl was waived Sunday afternoon.
One of the best parts of training camp and the preseason is seeing different lineup looks and realizing that the coaching staff has different ideas than the general public. While it’s not necessarily a bad thing, it is a bit anticlimactic to see that the lineup everyone was predicting three months ago is the lineup we are probably going to see on opening night.
4. Austin Watson Adds Some Punch to the Lineup
If there is one thing the Red Wings’ lineup currently lacks, it’s someone who eagerly engages in the messier side of the sport. Though Klim Kostin’s role was highly limited last season, there was a notable drop off in team physicality when the Red Wings traded him to the San Jose Sharks at the trade deadline. Enforcers are a rare breed in today’s NHL, but they still have their place when utilized correctly.
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Austin Watson, a native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, was brought to training camp on a professional tryout agreement, and he has built his career on being that type of player. A veteran of over 500 NHL games, he has participated in almost 70 fights since he broke into the league in 2013. He showed his willingness to be that kind of physical force for the Red Wings during the preseason, and head coach Derek Lalonde certainly noticed.
“I like that,” Lalonde said of Watson getting into a fight to stick up for defenseman Moritz Seider. “I think it energized our guys. Obviously, [Seider] a very important player for us. We don’t want him to get in any of those type of situations.” Even though Watson’s actions put the Red Wings on a seven-minute penalty kill, Lalonde was pleased by the physicality.
“I actually liked it a lot,” the Red Wings’ head coach said.
5. An Opportunity to Shake Things Up?
Perhaps the biggest thing that stood out from preseason play is that it appears the Red Wings have more NHL-grade talent than they have roster spots. This is great from a depth standpoint, but it also presents an opportunity for the front office to make some adjustments that would allow Detroit to put their best foot forward in their pursuit of a playoff spot this season.
Whether it’s the fact that they have an extra goalie or that they have more than one forward prospect looking to make the jump to the NHL, Yzerman has a few “extra” pieces he could move around or move out to either address the need for depth in other areas (such as the blue line) or to collect future assets. In fact, it probably shouldn’t be too surprising if Yzerman makes a few maneuvers between now and the end of the calendar year as the process of turning the roster over to the kids begins in earnest.
Red Wings Begin Their Season on Thursday
Now that the preseason is over with, the Red Wings and the rest of the NHL will spend the next couple of days locking in their opening night rosters. While Detroit’s roster looks pretty set in stone already, their move to waive Holl suggests that NHL contracts aren’t the only thing dictating who is on the roster and who isn’t.
Could we be in for a surprise before the puck drops on their season opener? We’ll find out soon enough….
