After an offseason full of moves, the Detroit Red Wings have positioned themselves to be quite the riser in the Eastern Conference for the 2023-24 season. With these additions and numerous moves come bold predictions for the team. Here are three predictions for the 2023 season, with a couple being somewhat unlikely. But after all, that’s why they are called “bold” predictions.
Alex DeBrincat Tops 50 Goals, 100 Points
The biggest addition of the 2023 offseason for Detroit was acquiring Alex DeBrincat from the Ottawa Senators. He brings a level of goal-scoring that the Red Wings have been lacking for quite a while.
Topping 40-plus goals twice already in his time with the Chicago Blackhawks (2018-19 and 2021-22 seasons), DeBrincat holds the skill set to finally top the 50-goal plateau and could very possibly do so in 2023. The team will rely on him to be the go-to goal scorer on the first line. Granted, Dylan Larkin may not be on the level that Patrick Kane was in his prime (DeBrincat’s teammate in Chicago), but he gives DeBrincat a more than capable linemate to set him up for scoring opportunities.
Going hand in hand with the goal scoring and being linemates with Larkin comes the 100-point mark. This is more unlikely than the 50-goal part of this prediction, but it’s still in the realm of possibility due to both his and Larkin’s abilities playmaking-wise. Add in the possibility of having a player such as David Perron mixed in with these two players, and this prediction still has a chance to come to fruition in the 2023-24 season.
Alex Lyon Ends the Season as the No. 2 Goalie
The Red Wings let two netminders depart via free agency this summer (Magnus Hellberg and Alex Nedeljkovic) and replaced them with veterans James Reimer and Alex Lyon.
The addition of Reimer has been met with a little bit of confusion by many due to the fact that he is coming off of a down season last year and is 35 years old. Last season with the San Jose Sharks, Reimer finished 12-21-8 with a 3.48 goals against average and a .890 save percentage. He is expected to be the team’s primary backup for this season.
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On the flip side, Lyon is coming off a 2022-23 season, where he finished with a record of 9-4, a goals against average of 2.89 and a save percentage of .914. He also filled in for the Florida Panthers during the playoffs, although he did not put up the greatest numbers.
It is not completely out of the question that Lyon overtakes Reimer for the backup spot, and honestly, it’s more likely to happen than not based on Reimer’s 2022-23 season. If Reimer struggles at the start of the season or Lyon impresses and outplays Reimer, he could take over the backup spot sooner than later this season.
Red Wings Make the Playoffs
Having not made the playoffs since 2016, Red Wings fans have long been waiting to fill Little Caeser’s Arena for a Red Wings playoff game. With the moves that general manager Steve Yzerman has made this offseason, mixed in with development and maturation of the younger players on the roster, this season could very well be the year fans are able to do so.
This offseason, Detroit has been one of the most active and improved teams in the Atlantic Division. With the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning both losing key players, the question marks that have arisen in Toronto with the Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens still being a step behind the Red Wings in the rebuild stages, there is no reason that Detroit cannot make the jump to the playoff scene.
Not saying that Detroit will jump teams such as Boston, Tampa or Toronto, but they have a very strong chance to at least grab a playoff spot and finally end the fans suffering of not making the playoffs as long as they perform as expected and are able to stay healthy. Overall, the 2023-24 season should be an exciting one for Red Wings fans and the organization itself.
