The Hockey News’s Connor Eargood attempts to break down the Red Wings’ goaltending depth throughout the organization this afternoon, and that isn’t an easy task.
Between Cam Talbot, Alex Lyon, Ville Husso, Sebastian Cossa, Jack Campbell, Carter Gylander, Gage Alexander and the AHL-contracted Jan Bednar, the Wings will bring at least eight goaltenders with them to Traverse City this Thursday, and the team is attempting to build enough developmental runway for at least Trey Augustine to join the organization in a couple of seasons.
Here’s what Connor has to say about the x-factor in oft-injured Ville Husso:
Ville Husso: After two lower body injuries last season, Husso appeared to be on the mend when he took on a conditioning stint in Grand Rapids last April. That lasted until warmups, when he tweaked an injury and had to leave the ice. That ended his season, but more importantly raised questions about his long term future. Going through so many injuries in one season is, frankly, scary.
After an offseason of getting his body right, Husso appears to be ready to go for the season. Yzerman and Lalonde have both maintained this offseason that Husso is 100%. More telling, Husso spent the summer working out with a group of elite NHLers in Plymouth this summer. Just a few of the names: Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat, Andrew Copp, Kyle Connor, Connor Hellebuyck, and all three Hughes brothers. You don’t face shots from NHL All-Stars if you aren’t fully healthy. Husso working out with that crew is as good a sign as any that he’s back to full health.
With health, where does Husso fit into the goalie room? He’s probably not getting his starting job right away with Talbot and Lyon in the mix, but he should be able to compete for the role. His starts, even when healthy, weren’t stellar in 2023-24, though nagging injuries may have played a part in that. Husso is starting on square one, in a way, though starting at all is a big win for him considering where he was five months ago.
Continued (at length);
At this point, the Wings’ goaltending situation looks like this:
Talbot-Lyon-Husso (NHL level), Cossa-Campbell-Gylander (AHL level) and Alexander-Bednar (ECHL level). That’s a complicated situation.
