The Athletic’s Corey Pronman conducts an “exercise” in predicting the NHL standings for the 2030-2031 season via the following criteria…
Today, I project what the NHL standings could look like in five seasons. This assessment is mostly based on a team’s young roster core combined with their current roster strength. For the sake of this exercise, I’m assuming that each team will keep every player currently on their roster under 35, even though I realize that certainly won’t happen.
And, perhaps predictably, Pronman has the Red Wings finishing 28th overall 5 seasons from now:
28. Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings have a fine team and a fine farm system. But being just fine at both, for years on end, is not a winning strategy and eventually, when all their star players need to be paid, they will run out of room to add to the team. They’re in a tough spot. They’re not bad, and they should be coming out of the dark days, but without more premium pieces finding their way to the roster, they likely will find themselves drafting high for the next few years.
Continued (paywall); at this point, it’s getting tiring. I understand that the Red Wings need to import star power, but they’re not going to “run out of room” to re-sign players given how high the salary cap’s rising…
And I’m biased, but I don’t see the team flailing through the wilderness of the NHL standings half a decade from now.
At some point, the rebuild is either going to “take,” or it’s not going to “take,” and I am optimistic that, in half a decade, Detroit will at least be a playoff team.
