Pro Hockey Rumors is really an unfortunately-named website, because they offer much more content than they do rumors, and their fantasy hockey and general news coverage is superb.
Tonight, Ethan Hetu posted a “summer synopsis” for the Red Wings, assessing the Wings’ draft class, trade acquisitions, free agent signings, departures, and questions for the upcoming season. We’ll examine Hetu’s questions here:
Who will be the Red Wings’ second-line center?: This question isn’t exactly the right one, as we know who will start the year as Detroit’s second-line center: either Copp or Compher. But the important question is who will end up claiming that role moving into the future, seeing as the Red Wings have two quality center prospects in their pipeline in Kasper and Danielson. Will Compher reward Yzerman’s faith and his $5.1MM price tag? Will Copp improve on a first year in Detroit that saw him score only nine goals? Or will both veterans falter as the team pivots towards Kasper or eventually Danielson as Dylan Larkin’s long-term understudy?
Who claims the backup goalie role?: A 475-game NHL veteran, Reimer is undoubtedly the front-runner here. But after posting an .890 save percentage last season, he’s vulnerable. Alex Lyon has largely been a third goalie throughout his pro career. Will that finally change this season in Detroit?
Continued; in both situations, the front office’s answer to the questions as to who plays behind Dylan Larkin and who tends goal behind Ville Husso seems to be the same: “Add depth and see how things shake out.”
In both cases, the Red Wings have two options, whether it’s Andrew Copp and J.T. Compher, with Kasper waiting in the wings (so to speak), or James Reimer and Alex Lyon, who are both viable options in goal.
With the free agent class not offering many high-end offerings in terms of available game-changing talent, the Wings chose to over-build their middle ice position, and begin to establish some depth in front of Sebastian Cossa in Grand Rapids and John Lethemon in Toledo.
I’m not expecting Nate Danielson to enter into the equation as to the Red Wings’ second-line center’s job for a couple of years, mostly because he’s playing Major Junior hockey with the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings this upcoming season, but one never knows with goaltending and injuries, so don’t count Cossa’s NHL debut out until the 24-25 season. We may see him in the NHL this season.
