It’s the morning of July 8th, and ESPN has decided to issue a set of early-summer power rankings. Their conclusions for some teams are pretty fuzzy, including the Red Wings:
Previous ranking: 19
2023-24 finish: Missed the playoffsAt some point, the Yzerplan must result in the Red Wings’ return to the playoffs. Will it happen for them in 2024-25? Detroit brought back Patrick Kane for another kick at the can, and wisely added two-time Cup winner Vladimir Tarasenko as well. But was that enough?
Continued; again, the Red Wings will have to address the need for a right-side offensive defenseman, and that may take a significant period of time to take place.
Also: I’m surprised that the Wings make the playoff cut in ESPN’s rankings, but I’ll take it.