The Detroit Red Wings officially begin their 2022-23 season on Friday night against the Montreal Canadiens. It is an exciting year for the rising Red Wings, as they sport plenty of new players to go along with youngsters who seem ready to play in the sport’s most competitive league. Yet, there are also a handful of players on their roster who are heading into this season with the hope of bouncing back from rough 2021-22 campaigns. Three specific ones stand out and here’s a look at why.
Alex Nedeljkovic
When the Red Wings acquired Alex Nedeljkovic from the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2021 offseason, there was plenty of excitement. The 2014 second-round pick had just thrived in his first full season with the Hurricanes, as he sported a 15-5-3 record, 1.90 goals-against average (GAA), and .932 save percentage (SV%) in 23 games. These were truly excellent numbers, and the Red Wings thought that they were getting a potential star netminder. Yet, his first year in Detroit was full of struggles.
Nedeljkovic had an abundance of responsibility with the Red Wings last season, as he was their clear number-one goalie. As a result, it felt as though he was overplayed at times, as evidenced by his 59 appearances. During them, he put together a 20-24-9 record, 3.31 GAA, and .901 SV%. This was certainly far less than what the Red Wings had hoped from him in 2021-22, but thankfully, there are many reasons why the 26-year-old is a clear bounce-back candidate this campaign.
First, Nedeljkovic is expected to share responsibilities equally in net with offseason acquisition Ville Husso. This should create some friendly competition amongst the goalies, and that has the potential to create positive outcomes for both of them. With that, Nedeljkovic is also heading into a contract year and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) next summer. Thus, he has more to play for this year, and hockey fans have seen this lead to better play countless times. Lastly, with the additions of Ben Chiarot and Olli Maatta, the Red Wings’ defense looks much stronger this season. Having more reliability in front of him should help improve his stats.
Dominik Kubalik
Dominik Kubalik had a season to forget in 2021-22 with the Chicago Blackhawks. In 78 games with the Original Six club, he had 15 goals, 32 points, and a minus-16 rating. Although those are not terrible numbers, it was a noticeable step back in production from him and played a factor in the 27-year-old not receiving a qualifying offer from Chicago this offseason. Yet, all of this did not deter the Red Wings from taking a shot on him, and ultimately, I think it has the potential to be a great decision by general manager (GM) Steve Yzerman.
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I truly believe that Kubalik is going to bounce back quite nicely this season as a Red Wing. Keep in mind, this is a player who recorded a 30-goal campaign in 68 games as a rookie in 2019-20. That is not very long ago and given the fact that he is still in his prime, it’s hard to believe the notion that he can’t rebound. With that, he is going to have the chance to play with more talent around him, as Detroit is noticeably better than the rebuilding Blackhawks at this stage.
So, what should we expect from Kubalik this season? I think seeing him hit the 20-goal plateau and record 45 to 50 points is within reach if he remains healthy. This is especially true if the Czech winger receives powerplay time and some looks in their top six. If he does find his old form, he could end up being deemed as one of Detroit’s top 2022 free-agent signings.
Adam Erne
Adam Erne had a very good season with the Red Wings in 2020-21, as he scored 11 goals and recorded a solid 20 points in 45 games. This led to Yzerman re-signing the 27-year-old to a two-year, $4.2 million contract that offseason, and it was a move that made complete sense at the time. Yet, things went backward for the New Haven native immediately after signing the deal, as he had just six goals and 13 assists in 79 games last season. With that, he also had a rather disastrous minus-22 rating.
Needless to say, Erne did not reach expectations last season with the Red Wings, but the new campaign offers a clean slate. Given the fact that he was recently a solid contributor for Detroit, it’s fair to say that he has the potential to bounce back from what was a rough 2021-22 year for him. With the team making several new additions to its roster, he will have the chance to play with different linemates, and that change could provide a much-needed spark for him offensively.
It’s also important to note that Erne is another player heading into a contract year and will have the chance to be a UFA next summer. In situations like these, players often have more motivation and can put together stronger seasons because of it. Let’s see if he can hit, say, the 30-point plateau this season because of this. It surely would help his chances of landing a decent contract in free agency next summer.
Nevertheless, it will be intriguing to see how these three players perform in 2022-23. Out of this group, I believe that the most pressure is on Nedeljkovic, but it is key for both Kubalik and Erne to find their old forms, too. Here’s to hoping each player can have bounce-back campaigns, as it would help the Red Wings’ chances of fighting for a playoff spot this year.
