Bleacher Report’s Lyle Richardson offers suggestions as to “Every NHL Fan Base’s Worst Nightmares For the 2024-2025 Season.” Richardson picks the Red Wings’ crowded crease as a problematic situation in Detroit:
Detroit Red Wings: Porous Goaltending
The Detroit Red Wings narrowly missed qualifying for the 2024 playoffs, extending their postseason drought to a franchise-record eighth straight season.
One reason was the inconsistent goaltending of Alex Lyon, Ville Husso and James Reimer, combining for a 3.33 goals-against per game that was among the league’s worst.
Veteran netminder Cam Talbot was signed to replace the departed Reimer, but at 37, he’s well past his best-before date. Lyon and Husso are back, but it’s questionable if they can provide the Red Wings with the goaltending necessary to end their playoff drought.
The Wings’ defensive game is also an issue, but they’ve been lacking reliable goaltending capable of stealing games for years. Until they finally find some, the possibility of a ninth straight season outside the playoff picture remains very real, which could raise questions about general manager Steve Yzerman’s stewardship of this team.
Continued; I hate to criticize Mr. Richardson, but this one’s rife with cliches for me. Cam Talbot was an All-Star last year at 36 years of age, albeit behind the stifling Los Angeles Kings’ defensive corps, so age isn’t much of a concern for me, and if I have to read a “question the Yzerplan” line one more time this preseason, I’m going to yell and scream.
Yes, the state of the Red Wings’ crease is a concern. Talbot is going to be adjusting to a more porous defense in front of him, Lyon’s near-All-Star caliber play at the middle-season mark broke down as he was over-used in the stretch run, and Husso may or may not be healthy and may or may not be a competent #1B goaltender.
It’s a bit of a mess that needs sorting out over the course of the exhibition season and the first 10-15 regular season games, and, should the Red Wings still have crease deficiencies come November, the management team will have to make aggressive moves to shore up the crease.
Is a continued crease crisis the Wings’ worst nightmare? Sure, yeah, I’ll believe that. But I’m not buying the concept that Talbot is an ancient mummy whose wrappings are coming undone, and the, “Well, if X happens, it’s time to question Steve Yzerman” line.
X, Y and Z have already happened, and Wings fans are already questioning the team’s leadership. That’s healthy, not scary.
