So far, we’ve conducted a deep dive into how the Detroit Red Wings performed in 2024-25 and what their organizational depth looks like entering the offseason. It’s clear that Detroit needs help offensively, but could also stand to improve team defense. There’s also a desire to be tougher to play against.
How can the Red Wings accomplish these objectives from a roster management standpoint? I’ve put together a list of priorities that, in my opinion, can do just that. Additionally, they’re ranked by their overall importance to the organization and have potential trade/free agent targets listed in alphabetical order. Let’s dive in.
More Red Wings Offseason Analysis
- Red Wings Team Evaluation: Year-Over-Year Analysis
- Red Wings 2024-25 Player Grades
- Analyzing the Red Wings’ Organizational Depth Heading Into the 2025 Offseason
- Red Wings Mock Draft 1.0: Detroit Picks 13th
- Contract Projections for Detroit’s RFAs
Red Wings’ No. 1 Priority: Top-Line Scoring Forward
Rationale: Detroit’s 2.1 five-on-five goals per 60 ranked 30th in 2024-25. High-danger chances per 60 ranked 28th.
Potential Targets: C Sam Bennett, RW Brock Boeser, LW Nikolaj Ehlers, LW Brad Marchand, RW Mitch Marner.
Analysis: The Red Wings need more scoring, plain and simple. This is especially the case at five on five.
Bennett, Boeser, Ehlers, Marchand, and Marner can all help in this regard. Marner, in particular, is coming off of a career-high 102-point campaign for the Toronto Maple Leafs. There’s no denying his talent – a top line of Lucas Raymond, Dylan Larkin, and Marner could dictate play in all facets of the game.
Beyond Marner, there really aren’t any true top-line players reaching free agency. Boeser and Ehlers are both solid scorers, but not play drivers. They can skate on the top line if needed, but would likely spend time on the second line, too.
Bennett and Marchand bring a physical element that’s sorely needed in Detroit. Stylistically, they’d actually fit in well with Larkin and Raymond as the first man in on the attack.
The caveat for all these players, though, is that since there are so few of them, teams will likely overspend this offseason to acquire their services. Plus, there will be plenty of money to throw around with the increased salary cap. Marner will likely get a deal exceeding $12 million in terms of AAV. The others will likely be in the $7-8 million range – at least.
Red Wings’ Priority No. 2: Top-Four Defenseman
Rationale: Beyond Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson, the Red Wings don’t have any top-four-caliber blueliners on the roster. Plus, the team ranked in the bottom-half of the league for most defensive metrics in 2024-25.
Potential Targets: RD Brent Burns, LD Bowen Byram, RD Aaron Ekblad, LD Vladislav Gavrikov, LD Nic Hague, RD Erik Karlsson, LD K’Andre Miller, LD Dmitry Orlov, RD Nick Perbix, LD Ivan Provorov, LD Alexander Romanov.
Analysis: Long term, the Red Wings have a top four that consists of Seider, Edvinsson, and Axel Sandin Pellikka. Rounding out that group with a top-four left defenseman will give the Red Wings stability for the next five-plus years.
That said, the Red Wings have four NHL-level left defensemen signed for next season – Edvinsson, Ben Chiarot, Erik Gustafsson, Albert Johansson. They all have the ability to play the right side, though that may not be the best option.
Burns, Ekblad, Karlsson, and Perbix all address the short-term need for a right-side bridge to Sandin Pellikka. Byram, Gavrikov, and Provorov can play the right side as well, and could give the Red Wings stability on the left side moving into the future. Gavrikov also skated under Todd McLellan and Trent Yawney, so there’s some familiarity there.
There’s also Hague, Miller, and Romanov, who are all best-suited on the left side and would round out the future top four nicely.
Suffice to say, the Red Wings have options. It’s a good offseason to add a top-four defenseman.
Red Wings’ No. 3 Priority: Top-Six Forward
Rationale: Detroit will need to fill the top-six role previously held by Patrick Kane.
Potential Targets: LW Ryan Donato, LW/C Matt Duchene, LW Patrick Kane, LW Chris Kreider, LW Anders Lee, LW Gustav Nyquist, C John Tavares.
Analysis: Kane re-signing would resolve this. But if plans change and he departs, Detroit will have to look elsewhere to fill the void.
Donato, Duchene, Nyquist, and Tavares are the top free agent options. There’s a good chance Tavares re-signs in Toronto. The same can be said about Duchene in Dallas. Still, they’re targets worth looking into – even as backup plans behind Kane.
Kreider could be dealt by the Rangers this offseason and would add some size to Detroit’s top six. The two years remaining on the 34-year-old’s contract at $6.5 million per year gives pause, though.
Red Wings’ No. 4 Priority: Depth Scoring
Rationale: Larkin, Raymond, Kane, Alex DeBrincat, and Marco Kasper combined for 71 five-on-five goals in 2024-25. The rest of the forwards – just 53. Detroit needs more scoring down the lineup.
Potential Targets: RW Mason Appleton, LW Anthony Beauvillier, LW Michael Bunting, C Yanni Gourde, RW Alex Laferriere, LW Trevor Moore, RW Jack Roslovic, LW Brandon Tanev.
Analysis: I’m curious to see if the Red Wings can pry away some of McLellan’s old players in Los Angeles. Alex Laferriere and/or Trevor Moore would be outstanding middle-six additions.
Laferriere, in particular, does a great job of generating high-danger chances and plays with an edge. His 4.81 iHDCF/60 at five on five ranked 25th among forwards who played 100-plus minutes last season. His 10.23 scoring chances per 60 ranked 10th.
Beauvillier, too, ranked highly in terms of high-danger chances. Roslovic’s 22 goals while playing a limited role was certainly impressive. And if the Red Wings want more physicality—which they should—then Appleton and Tanev should be targeted.
Red Wings’ No. 5 Priority: AHL Depth
Rationale: Veteran depth is needed with Joe Snively, Brogan Rafferty, Tim Gettinger, William Lagesson, and Josiah Didier all set to become free agents.
Potential Targets: RD Cameron Crotty, C Alex Limoges, LW Carson Meyer, LD Calle Rosen, LW Joe Snively, LD Jarred Tinordi.
Analysis: The Griffins stand to have an impressive roster in 2025-26, but could benefit from adding some AHL veterans to insulate Detroit’s top prospects.
Final Word
Sharing a reminder that it takes two to tango. Detroit can have interest in a free agent, but that player also needs to prefer the Red Wings (and their offer) over the 31 other teams for a deal to get done.
Likewise with trade targets, Detroit can pursue a player, but said player’s team needs to be a willing participant at the trade table, too.
Simply put, it’s easier said than done. Still, the Red Wings need to find a way to improve this summer. They’ll have about $19 million in cap space to work with once their restricted free agents are taken care of. That should be enough to accomplish their offseason goals.
Data courtesy of PuckPedia and Natural Stat Trick.
