The Score’s John Matisz is ranking all 32 NHL teams by tiers, and today, he suggests that the Red Wings belong in “Standings Purgatory” (tier 5 of 8), a tier in which a team has playoff chances, but only when presuming that “the stars align” in a team’s favor:
Detroit Red Wings: The Red Wings went on a spending spree in the offseason, acquiring Alex DeBrincat and Jeff Petry via trade, and signing free agents J.T. Compher, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Justin Holl, among others. General manager Steve Yzerman was similarly busy in the summer of 2022.
All of this activity raised Detroit’s floor. They are no longer the club trying to move on from the glory years of a 25-year playoff run.
The Red Wings still need at least two more offensive drivers, as the drop-off from catalysts Dylan Larkin and DeBrincat to Lucas Raymond, Compher, Andrew Copp, and David Perron is, frankly, too steep. Meanwhile, the efficacy of the blue line is still to be determined. Moritz Seider and Jake Walman should be terrific again, but none of the others – Gostisbehere, Petry, Holl, Ben Chiarot, and Olli Maatta – instill a ton of confidence. As for the tandem behind them, well, Ville Husso with James Reimer is fine but nothing special.
Detroit will continue to climb the standings but it likely won’t be enough for the playoffs.
Continued; I won’t disagree that the Red Wings need more “drivers of play,” but I wonder whether those players might exist within the organization as prospects.
We shall find out soon.
