Via Paul Kukla over at Abel to Yzerman, Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin weighs in as to how much the Detroit Red Wings have improved over the course of this summer:
3. Detroit Red Wings
In: Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher, Jeff Petry, Klim Kostin, Shayne Gostisbehere, Justin Holl, James Reimer, Daniel Sprong, Christian Fischer, Alex Lyon
Out: Dominik Kubalik, Pius Suter, Filip Zadina, Robert Hagg, Jordan Oesterle, Alex Nedeljkovic
For a second consecutive offseason, GM Steve Yzerman got busy. He evidently understands that, even for one of the franchise’s most legendary players, the runway eventually gets short for every GM. The Red Wings’ 25-year playoff streak has given away to a seven-year drought, and Yzerman seems hellbent on ending it. Big-ticket UFA addition J.T. Compher won’t match the offense he showed in Colorado playing with Mikko Rantanen, but Compher’s two-way game will strengthen a Detroit center group that already boasts Dylan Larkin an Andrew Copp. Alex DeBrincat, acquired from the Ottawa Senators, gives Larkin the best pure goal-scorer he’s played with to date. DeBrincat has a real chance to be Detroit’s first 40-goal contributor since Marian Hossa in 2007-08.
The Wings weren’t exactly knocking on the door of the playoffs last season, finishing 12 points out of contention at 35-37-10. But they’ve undoubtedly deepened themselves at every position. They look like a team that should score more and allow fewer goals this season. If one of their top prospects, such as center Marco Kasper or defenseman Simon Edvinsson, cracks the NHL roster, we could see the Wings jump to the Wildcard periphery.
Continued; at this point, it’s nice to not read smack talk from Buffalo or Ottawa regarding the Wings’ offseason changes…
