The Red Wings aren’t done making moves this summer–mostly because there are restricted free agents to re-sign, and because, according to my surgically-repaired gut, anyway, the team will probably add another forward or two before all is said and done…
But when I look at the team’s depth charts on PuckPedia and CapFriendly, I’m very satisfied with the State of the Franchise.
With perhaps the exception of Frans Nielsen, most of Ken Holland’s doofiest contractual mistakes have been expunged from the roster. The guys who left to “chase Cups” (as hard as it was to say goodbye to them) have left the roster leaner, meaner, and much younger…
And te few additions made via trades and free agency would seem to indicate that a relatively healthy Red Wings team will finally start turning its ship around after wallowing in “heavy weather” for the past half-a-decade.
Playing in a stacked Atlantic Division, the Wings aren’t likely to make a deep playoff run next season, but they’re at least somewhat likely to be more competitive, and that’s exciting by present-day Red Wings standards.
The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan examined each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams to deem “winners,” “losers” and “flat-liners” of the offseason thus far, and Kulfan offers this take on the Red Wings’ offseason moves (again, “thus far”) in a subscriber-only article. Kulfan places the Wings in the “winners'” category for the following reasons:
Detroit — The Wings aren’t going to be playoff contenders — yet. And who knows how good goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic and forward Pius Suter will turn out to be. But the potential of those two, the immediate help of defenseman Nick Leddy, and two quality first-round draft picks (defenseman Simon Edvinsson, goaltender Sebastian Cossa), make for another step forward.
Kulfan continues (paywall); I can’t say that I’m absolutely ecstatic about the number of wins my gallbladder-less gut says the Wings will earn this upcoming season, but I’m excited about the team’s promise and potential (both short and long-term) for the first time in a long time, and that’s pretty cool.
Ideally the Wings get better but their bottom competition get’s better. On paper only Columbus, Seattle and Buffalo look to be worse. Ana. the same Chicago, LA and NJ look better for next season. I’d be satisfied with more wins and a 4th from bottom finish. But in 2023….
I have given up waiting on the Lions. I do not want to do so with the Wings. I would rather see them make the playoffs this year than pin my hopes on future draft picks and FA signings.
First off, the next “best thing” doesn’t usually work out. Just look at the track record of draft picks. Few make it to the NHL. Free agents may do better because they have some history. Sometimes, however, they do not. And many times they are overpaid.
So I hope they over perform this year.
My Lions mantra is “Just once before I die.” The Wings are more encouraging than that.
I don’t follow the Lions because I try not to be a masochist. It’s just so damn hard to watch those guys literally kick Lucy’s proverbial football like Charlie Brown.
I hope that the Red Wings start to turn things around soon. They may not have superstars, but a team of good star players and strong support players can make noise in the playoffs, if only eventually.
At my age and with my health my “window of opportunity” is shorter than that of many others so I hope for success sooner rather than later.
A timely article supporting my point about free agents came up on Detroithockeynow.com where they mention five really bad signings of the Wings in the past. Uwe Krupp, Stephen Weiss, and Franz Neilsson top the list.
Hoping the current crop of FAs works out a whole lot better is all the hoping I want to do. I do not want to pin any hopes on next years crop of FAs or draft picks. Lets win this year.