The Score’s Jon Matisz ranked the NHL’s 31 teams into 8 tiers, and he’s given the Red Wings his lowest ranking as 31st, the “Worst of the Worst.” His reasoning for doing so is pretty plain–the Wings were terrible last year, and as such, “terrible” is where the bar is set:
Detroit Red Wings: The Red Wings’ offseason has been undeniably productive, which is a step in the right direction for a franchise looking to regain respectability. Up front, Vladislav Namestnikov, Bobby Ryan, Sam Gagner, and Adam Erne were brought in on short-term deals. Troy Stecher, Jon Merrill, and Marc Staal are all also under contract for a year or two and were added to the blue line. And inking goalie Thomas Greiss at $3.6 million per season for two years was a tidy piece of business from general manager Steve Yzerman.
These acquisitions improved Detroit, yet the offseason work will only slightly move the needle because the bar was set so laughably low last campaign. The 2019-20 Wings lost 54 of 71 games while finishing with a minus-122 goal differential. Among 31 teams, they’re still the furthest away from a Stanley Cup in 2020-21.
