The Associated Press’s Larry Lage posted an article which focuses on the Red Wings and GM Steve Yzerman’s offseason roster revisions as part of a push to earn a playoff spot:
Yzerman sent signs over the summer that his patient approach was over, signing 2022 Stanley Cup-winning forward J.T. Compher to a $25.5 million, five-year contract in free agency and later trading for 2022 All-Star forward Alex DeBrincat from Ottawa.
“Players are no different than coaches and fans,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. “You add some pieces, it gets guys excited.”
The newly acquired players, captain Dylan Larkin along with third-year pros Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond give Detroit its best chance to end its skid in years.
“I’m trying to build a nucleus of a team that can make the playoffs on an annual basis,” said Yzerman, who was hired in 2019 to turn around the franchise. “You squeak in one year and you don’t have the foundation to sustain it, we’re going to be sitting here a year or two years from now and wondering again.
“We did what we could in the offseason to improve without mortgaging any part of the future. We’ll continue to try to get better and hopefully sooner than later we’re a playoff team.”
Continued; Lage also discusses the playoff aspirations of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, Nashville Predators and Ottawa Senators.
