ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton issue draft/free agency/summertime trade grades for every one of the NHL’s 32 teams this morning (via a subscriber-only article). They are not bullish on the Red Wings’ moves:
Key players added: F Vladimir Tarasenko, G Jack Campbell, G Cam Talbot
Key players lost: F David Perron, D Jake Walman, G James Reimer
Remaining cap space: $19.92 millionCoach status: Derek Lalonde is going into his third season with Detroit — and his seat is undeniably warm. When GM Steve Yzerman tapped Lalonde for his first NHL head coaching job, it was with the idea that he could help Detroit break through its defensive issues and become a playoff-caliber team.
Despite Lalonde’s best efforts, the Red Wings haven’t turned the corner on that side of the puck — something Yzerman made clear when he said Detroit basically lacked the basic fundamentals of defending. Lalonde must be feeling the heat now as Yzerman has made it clear the status quo — no playoff appearances since 2016 — won’t be accepted from here.
Overall grade: C+. If Yzerman can be critical of how the Red Wings are performing on the ice, it’s worth discussing how they’ve been constructed, too. Yzerman didn’t go all-in anywhere to make Detroit demonstrably better. His notable moves were re-signing Patrick Kane to a one-year contract and adding free agent Tarasenko on two-year pact. Veterans with Stanley Cup-winning experience are generally good to have, but how much of a difference will they make overall?
Granted, Yzerman has RFAs Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider to sign, and that requires cap space. But he is counting on the Red Wings’ internal growth to carry the day here, and how beneficial that strategy is will become clear in due time. Until then it doesn’t appear Detroit is much improved — or all that different — from what Lalonde was working with last season. Hence why the coach and his staff will be tasked with getting Detroit to lose its Achilles heel as an under-performing defensive team.
Continued (paywall); I honestly get kind of pissed off when pundits play the “blame the coach” or “blame the GM” game. Don’t get me wrong, accountability is a good thing, but building a team is a team effort…
And the Red Wings are just at the point where they’ve developed a strong system of prospects, free agents are coming to Detroit because it’s Detroit, and the team is taking those first tentative steps toward making the playoffs on a consistent basis.
The rebuild isn’t over by any stretch of the imagination, and while you, me and Steve Yzerman want more progress by now, things are taking the long route. That’s not a good thing or a bad thing–that’s just the reality of the situation.
