NHL.com’s doing a second round’s worth of season previews this month, and today, Nicholas J. Cotsonika previews the Red Wings ahead of the 2024-2025 season. Here are his “3 keys” to Red Wings success:
3 KEYS
1. Goaltending: The Red Wings are opening training camp with three goalies: Cam Talbot, Ville Husso and Alex Lyon. It remains to be seen whether they will keep three, who will emerge as the starter and whether the goaltending can help Detroit reduce its goals against, 24th in the NHL last season (3.33 per game). Talbot, who signed a two-year, $5 million contract July 1, went 27-20-6 with a 2.50 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and three shutouts in 54 games (52 starts) for the Los Angeles Kings last season. Can the 37-year-old play at a high level for the Red Wings? Can Husso, who was limited to 19 games (18 starts) by injuries last season, stay healthy? Can Lyon, who was hot in January and February before cooling off down the stretch, seize the net and sustain it?
2. Team defense: The biggest problem for the Red Wings last season was team defense. They added Talbot in goal and forward Tyler Motte, who signed a one-year, $800,000 contract July 2. But they will need rookie defensemen Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson to perform, and the coaches and players as a group to figure out how to possess the puck more and keep it out of the net better. Forward Patrick Kane said everyone needs to play better defensively, not just the players who are in defensive roles.
3. Replacing offense: The Red Wings ranked ninth in offense (3.35 goals per game) and the power play (23.1 percent) last season, but lost forwards David Perron and Daniel Sprong and defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Jake Walman in the offseason. Those four players combined for 57 goals and 167 points last season, including 13 goals and 62 points on the power play. Detroit will need contributions from forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who signed a two-year, $9.5 million contract July 3, and defenseman Erik Gustafsson, who signed a two-year, $4 million contract July 1. They’re counting on Kane to keep producing, forward Lucas Raymond to keep developing and forward Alex DeBrincat to cash in on more of his opportunities.
