Pro Hockey Talk’s Adam Gretz posted an article discussing the Red Wings’ possible options for improvement over the course of the 2020-2021 season and thereafter, emphasizing that the Red Wings’ cap space during the next offseason will be key as to the direction of the Wings’ rebuild:
The outlook
The Red Wings are looking at another season in the NHL’s basement. The biggest key for this season is that the short-term free agents work out individually to give them additional trade chips and they see progress from young players (Filip Zadina, Filip Hronek, any other rookies on the team).
They have one of the league’s best general managers, more salary cap flexibility than any team in the league, collected a bounty of draft picks over the past couple of years, have even more coming this year, and have three recent top-six picks (plus what almost certainly be another one in the 2021 draft) to hopefully build around.
They are still a long way from contention, but with the GM and resources (draft picks, prospects, salary cap space) at their disposal they are finally in a position to start building.
