Red Wings Player Grades: Assessing Detroit’s Veterans

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MAY 01: Danny DeKeyser #65 of the Detroit Red Wings skates against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Little Caesars Arena on May 01, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MAY 01: Danny DeKeyser #65 of the Detroit Red Wings skates against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Little Caesars Arena on May 01, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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The Red Wings were one of the oldest teams in the NHL this year. As the prospects slowly churn through the pipeline, Steve Yzerman has filled the current roster with older NHL veterans to guide the process. Let’s take a look at how a few of those vets turned out this year.

Danny DeKeyser

2021 Statline

Games Played: 47

Goals: 4

Assists: 8

+/-: 3

Preseason Projection

Veteran Defenseman Depth

2021 Season in a Nutshell

The road to a 2021 was a rocky one for Danny DeKeyeser. His season was cut short due to major back pain in October last year. The injury culminated in a major back surgery in December, and the offseason was dedicated to rehabilitation.

The 2020-21 season was nearly as inconsistent as the offseason for DeKeyser. Although he started with the team in January, it was clear he was not 100 percent. He ended up missing a nine game stretch in February trying to get back to full strength. The staff eased him back into the lineup, giving the veteran less than fifteen minutes a night. As 2021 progressed, DeKeyser slowly built up his minutes per night (He ended the season with an average of 18:06 time on ice), and he slowly improved his play.

DeKeyser was never one of Detroit’s best defensemen. Other teams in the league agreed, as he cleared waivers in mid February. He finished with a 43.6% CF% and suffered more than a few defensive lapses (A few of those ended in opposing goals). However, DeKeyser truly did improve as the season progressed. He became one of the few defensemen on the team that could activate any sort of offense on the blue line: he led Detroit’s defensemen in goals and finished with the second most points of the Red Wing’s defense.

They Said It

“When Danny is healthy, he’s one of our best defensemen. But he’s not 100% right now.”

-Jeff Blashll via the Detroit News

Final Grade

D. DeKeyser had a surprising amount of offense this season, but let’s be honest: a few goals aren’t going to make up for the amount of defensive failures he had throughout the season. The major back injury has obviously affected speed and strength. DeKeyser just isn’t the same defensemen he was a few years ago. The Red Wing’s veteran certainly deserves credit for his recovery this year; his rehabilitation continued even as the season continued. Subjectively, I’d like to get DeKeyser a better grade considering the circumstances, but objectively, he was just not up to par this year, surpassed by the likes of Troy Stecher, Patrik Nemeth, Jon Merrill and even Gustav Lindstrom late in the season.. Defenseman. Detroit Red Wings. DANNY DEKEYSER

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Sam Gagner

2021 Statline

Games Played: 42

Goals: 7

Assists: 8

+/-: -4

Preseason Projection

Middle/Bottom Pairing Winger or Center

2021 Season in a Nutshell

The hockey metrics agree: Sam Gagner was quietly solid throughout the year. The highlight of his first full year in Detroit was the hat trick against Nashville Predators in February, but other than that flash-in-the-pan, most of Gagner’s contributions to the time were under-the-radar.

Gagner finished the season with a 48.4 CF% and tied for the most points among Red Wings players over 30. While he didn’t light up the scoresheet, Gagner was a great fit for Jeff Blashill’s scheme: defensively sound and occasionally effective offensively. He did all the “little things” right, winning puck battles and making smart, safe passes to drive the offense.

They Said It

“If you look at most of the underlying statistics that we keep, generally, he wins his shifts. His expected goals for when he’s on the ice is better than expected goals against on a consistent basis, night in and night out. Wherever he’s playing in the lineup he’s done an excellent job, both in his play and his example.”

-Jeff Blashill via the Detroit News

Final Grade

Detroit Red Wings. SAM GAGNER. B+. Sam Gagner is not a game changer. On a great team, he’d likely slot in to the fourth line. However, on a rebuilding team in need of depth, Gagner was a great fit. There was not a point in the year where he was a top tier forward on the team, but he was also never bottom tier. Gagner quietly provided that perfect fourth line balance of great defense and competent offense, driving play when needed and shutting down opposing play when needed. In terms of a veteran presence, Gagner is exactly what a team can reasonably expect. Gagner shouldn’t receive a Jakub Vrana-like grade, but of the veterans on the team, he was one of the best.. Forward

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Valtteri Filppula

2021 Statline

Games Played: 38

Goals: 6

Assists: 9

+/-: -1

Preseason Projection

Bottom six forward/depth piece

2021 Season in a Nutshell

Valtteri Filppula was another veteran waived during the 2021 season. He played for the first two months of the season, but after a rough stretch of play near the end of February, Filppula became a regular healthy scratch/taxi squad member. In fact, he did not play in one game during the entire month of March, finally returning to the lineup throughout April.

Filppula scored inexplicably often based on his statistics. While he finished the season with a -4.1 corsi percentage, he tied Sam Gagner in points scored and finished in the team’s top ten in points scored. Although he failed to consistently make the everyday lineup, he did find a way to make a late season push in April to improve the stats of his 2021 season.

They Said It

“He’s been a great role model coming back here to Detroit. He carries himself like a great pro. He practices well. He cares a ton. He’s calm under pressure. So he’s just a really, really good model.”

-Jeff Blashll via the Detroit Free Press

Final Grade

D. Filppula’s never really found a solid role on the team. At 37, Filppula wasn’t expected to bring speed or raw talent. Rather, the intention was yet another guiding voice in the locker room. In that sense, Filppula did what he was asked to do. However, despite making $3 million this year, Filppula struggled to make the team without the help of injuries, while other cheaper veterans like Bobby Ryan ($1 million) and Sam Gagner ($850,000) became regulars and contributors. Other older players found a way to live up to or exceed their expectations in Detroit this year. Filppula did not.. Forward. Detroit Red Wings. VALTTERI FILPPULA

More. Which Red Wings were Forgotten or Just plain Unlucky this season?. light

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