Detroit Red Wings: Analyzing the Opening Night Roster

The opening night rosters for all 32 NHL teams were sent into the NHL offices Monday at 5:00 PM ET. Much speculation has been made about the Detroit Red Wings roster because the team had one veteran on a PTO, two players are coming back from major injuries, and several players have been nursing minor injuries.

Here is a look at the opening night roster for the Red Wings.

Goaltenders

On July 22nd, the Detroit Red Wings acquired Alex Nedeljkovic from Carolina.  Nedeljkovic was a Calder Trophy finalist and led all NHL goalies in GAA (1.90) and SV% (.932) last year.  It doesn’t matter why Nedeljkovic was traded by Carolina because there is no doubt that Detroit solidified the goaltender position with his acquisition.

Nedeljkovic signed a $6,000,000 contract for two years.  If he establishes himself as the goalie of the future for the Red Wings, he should be able to help mentor 2021 1st round draft pick Sebastian Cossa when he his ready to make the jump to the pros.

Nedeljkovic will share goaltending duties with veteran Thomas Greiss.  With a condensed schedule caused by NHL players playing in the Olympics in February, both goaltenders should see plenty of action during the first half of the season.

Griess is an UFA at seasons end and will be 36 when his contract expires with the Red Wings.

This tandem should provide Detroit with excellent goaltending throughout the season.

Opening Night Goaltenders: Thomas Greiss, Alex Nedeljkovic

Defensemen

The opening night defense has been set since the beginning of training camp.  At the start of training camp, General Manager Steve Yzerman indicated that the Red Wings would carry eight defensemen on the 23 player roster.

To start the year, Danny DeKeyser, Marc Staal and Troy Stecher return to the Red Wings and each of them are in the final year of their contracts before becoming UFA’s.

Top scorer Filip Hronek will have a reduced role on the team this year.  This should allow him to play fewer minutes and be more effective when he is on the ice.

Nick Leddy is the newcomer who will shoulder the load on defense.  He is very good at both ends of the ice and will help mentor rookie defenseman Moritz Seider.  Unless he signs an extension, Leddy becomes an UFA after this season.

Moritz Seider is the only rookie on defense.  He won the top defenseman in the SHL and World Championships last year and, teamed with Leddy, will represent the top defense pair for the Red Wings.

Free-agent signee Jordan Oesterle and returnee Gustav Lindstrom will complete the eight defensemen on the Red Wings opening night roster.

Opening Night Defensemen: Danny DeKeyser, Marc Staal, Nick Leddy, Moritz Seider, Filip Hronek, Troy Stecher, Jordan Oesterle, Gustav Lindstrom

Forwards

Most of the preseason has been focused on what 13 forwards will represent the Red Wings on opening night.  The shoulder injury to Jakub Vrana opens up a spot on the roster until possibly after the Olympics in February.

With Tyler Bertuzzi refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, it opens up a spot for a minimum of nine games during the season.  Bertuzzi will be unable to travel with the team to Canada and if he contracts the virus will have to move into the NHL COVID-19 protocol and be lost for additional games.

Bobby Ryan was on a PTO and on Monday was released and is now a free agent.

On Monday, Joe Veleno was re-assigned to Grand Rapids (AHL).  He should receive plenty of ice time playing as the #1 center on a line with Jonatan Berggren and Riley Barber.

All of these issues presented Red Wings management with important decisions regarding opening night.

Centers

Captain Dylan Larkin will center the top line to start the season.

Free-agent signee Pius Suter was tremendous throughout the preseason and can easily move into the top center position if Larkin falters.

Minor injuries set Michael Rasmussen back during the preseason.  He appears to be ready to play center on the 3rd line to open the regular season.

Mitchell Stephens and Carter Rowney will most likely split 4th center duties to open the season.  The Red Wings will only carry one extra forward so, both should see plenty of games during the compressed schedule.

Opening Night Centers: Dylan Larkin, Pius Suter, Michael Rasmussen, Mitchell Stephens, Carter Rowney 

Left Wingers

Tyler Bertuzzi will play on the top line with Larkin.  For the near future, Bertuzzi will forfeit games in Canada and salary and the Red Wings will require an additional forward for those games.

Robby Fabbri looked excellent playing with Suter during the preseason.  The two players were teammates in junior and appear to have excellent chemistry and scoring ability on the 2nd line.

Adam Erne and Vladislav Namestnikov will rotate on left wing between the 3rd and 4th lines.  Both players are interchangeable and can score which provides the Red Wings with depth in the bottom six forwards.

Opening Night Left Wingers: Tyler Bertuzzi, Robby Fabbri, Vladislav Namestnikov, Adam Erne

Right Wingers

Lucas Raymond has earned the right to play on the top line with Bertuzzi and Larkin.  Raymond showed flashes of brilliance during the preseason and hopefully this will carry over to the regular season.

Filip Zadina is being handed a spot on the 2nd line with Fabbri and Suter. The trio are very skilled and should score numerous goals throughout the season.  The Red Wings certainly need Zadina to step up and be the snipper they thought they picked up when they drafted him 6th overall in the 2018 draft.

Sam Gagner will start the season on the 3rd line playing with Rasmussen and Namestnikov.  He can play both ends of the ice and can chip in offensively.

Givani Smith will start the year on the 4th line with Stephens and Erne.  Because of their physicality, this line will be hard to play against.  This line will also chip in offensively.  If Smith doesn’t deserve to play every night, Carter Rowney is a right shot and can play right wing when needed.

Opening Night Right Wingers: Lucas Raymond, Filip Zadina, Sam Gagner, Givani Smith