The Detroit Red Wings have re-signed Patrick Kane to a cap-friendly 1-year deal, we know that GM Steve Yzerman is interested in re-signing Shayne Gostisbehere and forward David Perron, and with about $27 million in cap space and 7 forwards, 5 defensemen and 2 goalies signed at the NHL level (per PuckPedia, with Jonatan Berggren, Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider and Joe Veleno left to re-sign as restricted free agents)…
The Red Wings are going to need a couple more forwards to round out the third and fourth lines, the bottom of the defensive corps, and in goal, where Sebastian Cossa and Carter Gylander will at least need a mentor who’s willing to shuffle between Grand Rapids and Detroit as the Wings’ third goalie.
The Wings will have to be aggressive to find their next Christian Fischer or Daniel Sprong, especially as both players are likely to “walk” as unrestricted free agents-to-be who can earn more elsewhere.
As The Athletic’s Max Bultman put it earlier this evening…
Detroit still has many needs, starting with improving its team defense — at all levels. The team traded defenseman Jake Walman but could add a defenseman either for their power play or as a shutdown defensive stopper to take some pressure off Moritz Seider on the right side.
They also could add in goal, although the goalie trade market has recently thinned out significantly.
But it also needs to include defensive improvements from the forward corps, which was particularly weak defensively last season. For everything Kane brings, he does not address that particular need.
We’re all excited to see whether the Red Wings can add a Steven Stamkos or a Brandon Montour in free agency, but at this point, I’m equally interested in seeing how the team addresses its defensive shortcomings through free agency and/or some minor trades as well.
The “back half” of the roster isn’t going to command anywhere near the kind of salary cap space that the “front half” does, but it’s incredibly important that the Red Wings’ management team makes the right decisions so that coach Derek Lalonde’s team is prepared to deliver better defensive play, and weather the effects of injuries.
We all want the Red Wings’ prospects to succeed and “take jobs” from veterans, but it is still important to build the kind of depth that both strengthens Detroit’s roster and builds the veteran corps that will mentor “the kids” in Grand Rapids and Toledo.
