The Hockey News’s Sam Stockton issues his Red Wings season prediction this morning, and the most pertinent part thereof is his issuance of three “keys” to the Wings’ upcoming campaign:
1. Newly Acquired Depth Provides Added Stability Across Line-Up: The talk throughout Red Wings training camp—from players, coaches, and executives—has emphasized the significance of off-season acquisitions like Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher, and Jeff Petry. Detroit knows because of its poor lottery luck there is a certain class of elite player it can’t add. Instead, Red Wings brass is banking on the idea that the deepest Detroit team since Steve Yzerman returned as GM can make progress in the Atlantic, even without a top-of-the-draft prospect leading the way.
2. Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin Click Straight Away: It’s no secret that the Red Wings need to score more than they did in 2022-23, and the Michigan-born duo of DeBrincat and Larkin will be central to making that happen. The Red Wings believe a year ago they could hang in games with anybody but struggled to grab the goal they needed to push themselves over the top. DeBrincat (and, to a lesser extent, Daniel Sprong) came to Detroit to help solve that problem, and the Red Wings will also be hoping that the diminutive winger can help push Larkin above the point-per-game threshold for the first time in his career.
3. Ville Husso Thrives in His First Season as an Unquestioned Number One Goaltender: A year ago, injuries forced Detroit to play Husso more than they had intended, and his performance suffered (.896 SV%, 3.11 GAA). This year, Husso enters as the team’s definitive number one option, and Derek Lalonde is counting on somewhere between 55 and 60 starts out of the Finn. For Detroit to be successful, Husso will need to make the most of that opportunity.
Continued; I’m gonna be honest here; I’m not expecting DeBrincat and Larkin to “click immediately.” I fully expect there to be an adjustment period for DeBrincat, as well as search for the right right wing to forecheck and grind out pucks for Larkin and DeBrincat to work with.
To me, the biggest challenge for the Wings may very well be my suspicion that they’re going to have to find secondary scoring while DeBrincat finds his bearings. Between that and the back-up goaltending situation getting sorted out, those are my two biggest “worries” about the start of the Wings’ 23-24 campaign.
