The Hockey Writers’ Tony Wolak wrote up a really excellent article about the status of the Red Wings’ rebuild this morning, and he addresses the reality of the team’s mixed results with building through both the draft and the hit-or-miss world of free agency:
Putting all of this together—where the team started, Yzerman’s actions, the ratings, and the uncontrollable/external variables that the organization has had to navigate—it’s fair to say that Detroit’s rebuild is progressing and has been successful thus far. The on-ice product is coming along, but the prospect pipeline is the true indicator of success, and the Red Wings have a great stable of young players.
If there’s one point of contention, though, it’s the 2022 offseason. Detroit’s many acquisitions propelled them out of the NHL’s basement into the mushy middle. Key additions Andrew Copp and Ben Chiarot have been disappointing during their tenure in Hockeytown. Plus, their bloated, long-term contracts have hamstrung the organization.
This challenge of becoming a slightly improved team—yet still falling short of playoff contention—coupled with reduced salary cap flexibility has become a focal point for critics of the Red Wings’ rebuild. However, the situation is more nuanced, and much of it ties back to the five-stage Yzerplan outlined earlier.
The acquisitions of Chiarot, Copp, and David Perron were strategic moves designed to support Seider and Raymond following their stellar rookie seasons. These veterans were brought in to foster meaningful competition within the lineup and to mentor Detroit’s young players.
Moreover, Dylan Larkin was approaching unrestricted free agency the following summer. There may have been pressure to accelerate the team’s progress and demonstrate a promising future to secure Larkin’s commitment. Losing him—whether through a trade or as a free agent—would have been a significant setback to the rebuild’s trajectory.
Given this, I reject the notion that “being bad for longer” was a realistic strategy for the Red Wings. If anything, Detroit’s salary cap management and/or pro scouting should be criticized, not the high-level direction of the team. The latter has proven to be successful thus far.
