The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan examines the Atlantic Division’s eight teams today, and Kulfan sees the Red Wings finishing in a similar spot to last year–in fifth place, possibly earning a Wild Card playoff spot:
5. Detroit Red Wings
▶ 2023-24: 41-32-9, 91 points. Added: RW Vladimir Tarasenko, C Tyler Motte, D Erik Gustafsson, G Cam Talbot. Subtracted: LW David Perron, RW Daniel Sprong, LW Robby Fabbri, D Shayne Gostisbehere, D Jake Walman.
▶ Analysis: Getting RW Patrick Kane to re-sign was a key, and youngsters like D Simon Edvinsson and RW Jonatan Berggren are expected to seamlessly enter the lineup. But there are clear areas the Wings need to improve upon. The team defense has to be better, cutting an inflated goals-against number. Tarasenko, Berggren, maybe Joe Veleno, have to supply the offense lost. Talbot, or Ville Husso or Alex Lyon, has to grab hold of the starting goaltender position
Continued; as we all know by now, the Red Wings have a three-headed goaltending monster right now, and that’s one of a handful of storylines to discuss heading into training camp, including…
- Whether the Red Wings will be able to overcome the losses of David Perron, Shayne Gostisbehere and Daniel Sprong’s offensive contributions;
- Whether the Red Wings will be able to shore up their defensive play enough that they don’t have to rely on the Miraculous Comeback Button of late-game comebacks to win down the stretch;
- Whether they can find the consistency necessary to not be fighting for a playoff tiebreaker in the final game of the season, instead appearing playoff-relevant all season long;
- How the defense will sort itself out given that the Wings have Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson to break in, and Justin Holl still aboard;
- Whether the Wings’ improved balance up front will help the team score more consistently;
- And how the goaltending situation will sort out, because the Wings appear set to have EIGHT goalies in the organization to start out the 2024-2025 season (see: Ville Husso, Alex Lyon and Cam Talbot in Detroit, Jack Campbell and Sebastian Cossa at the AHL level, and Carter Gylander, Gage Alexander and the AHL-contracted Jan Bednar battling it out in Toledo).
