Daily Faceoff’s Mike McKenna discusses the goaltending tandems of the Atlantic Division’s teams this morning, and here’s what McKenna has to say about the Ville Husso-James Reimer-Alex Lyon triumvirate:
Detroit Red Wings: Ville Husso, James Reimer, & Alex Lyon
Reason to be happy: There were moments during the 2022-23 season when Husso looked dominant in the Red Wings crease.
Reason to be hopeful: If Husso can smooth out the rough edges – and Detroit performs better defensively in front of him – the Red Wings should be fine in goal. And Lyon was fantastic for the Panthers last season, practically willing his team into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I think he has a real shot at making the roster of training camp.
Reason to be nervous: Detroit has depth in the crease, but what’s the top-end of the team’s goaltending? I’m a big fan of Ville Husso but it’s hard to gauge his performance behind such a defensively atrocious team like the 2022-23 Red Wings. Reimer is durable, but at this stage of his career, can he steal games? What about a Stanley Cup? Another area of concern: Detroit’s top goaltending prospect, Sebastian Cossa, the No.15 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, spent his rookie pro season in the ECHL, where he performed well – but it’s a reminder that he’s still years away if he needs to jump up two leagues.
Continued; Cossa’s ascent may take more than one year, but that’s not a death sentence for his potential.
