I still believe that the Red Wings may add another forward of the depth scoring or checking variety, as well as a depth defenseman, over the course of the remainder of this summer, because one wants to “over-build” a team in case injuries hit.
This morning, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff suggests that the Red Wings should be set in terms of a goaltending pipeline whose professional ranks consist of Ville Husso, James Reimer, Alex Lyon, Sebastian Cossa and John Lethemon. Duff believes that Lyon is something of an “ace in the hole,” should Husso or Reimer suffer an injury:
[Alex] Lyon went 9-4-2 with a .914 saver percentage between the pipes for the eventual Eastern Conference champions. In fact, when the Stanley Cup playoffs got underway, it was Lyon who was in net for the first three games of the Panthers’ opening-round series against the President’s Trophy-winning Boston Bruins.
“I think sometimes, when things happen that are unexpected, it is better,” Lyon told Florida Hockey Now. He spent much of last season in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers.
Logically, Lyon will be the No. 1 goalie for Detroit’s top farm club, the Grand Rapids Griffins. With 202 AHL games on his resume, Lyon, 30, gives the Griffins a reliable AHL puckstopped. He should also prove to be the perfect mentor for Sebastian Cossa. Made the 15th overall selection by the Red Wings in the 2021 NHL entry draft, Cossa figures to be making his full-time AHL debut next season.
However, the fact of the matter is that should something happen to either Husso or Reimer, Lyon will be looking very comfortable between the posts of an NHL net. It’s been quite some time since Detroit could say that about the club’s No. 3 goaltender.
Husso and Reimer figure to be filling the NHL roles in goal for the Red Wings next season. But if one of them is struggling or ailing, Detroit GM Steve Yzerman won’t be scouring the waiver wire in search of a capable netminder. In Lyon, he’ll have one on standby in Grand Rapids.
Continued; I would not be surprised if the Red Wings add one more “minor-league” goaltender to fill out the Walleye’s depth chart, but Alex Lyon definitely strengthens the depth chart considerably.
