Red Wings Top 10 Question Marks Heading Into the Off-Season
Who Will Be the Next Head Coach of the Detroit Red Wings?
The Detroit Red Wings, as I stated above, let multiple coaches go this off-season. One of those coaches they decided not to renew was head coach, Jeff Blashill.
Jeff Blashill was one of the winniest coaches in Grand Rapids history and that resume led to him getting the Red Wings coaching job back in 2015. Which, looking back on it, was probably the biggest mistake the organization has made in some time. But, they decided to let him walk this year and not bring him back. Therefore, the Red Wings will now be searching for a new head coach.
The last coach that Steve Yzerman hired was current head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jon Cooper. That hiring seemed to work out pretty well as Cooper is not competing for a third-straight Stanley Cup. So, why can’t Yzerman find a good candiate for the Red Wings? Some of the candidates that I feel the Red Wings should at least consider are the following: Barry Trotz, Igor Larionov, Pete DeBoer, Jim Mongtomery, Sergei Federov, and Jeff Halpern.
We previously broke down the coaching candidates, but here’s a little on each of the coaches and their potential fits.
Barry Trotz, NYI
Trotz has previously coached for the Nashville Predators, Washington Capitas, and the New York Islanders. And until this season, has done well everywhere he has coached. Despite having an mediocre year this year with the Islanders, Trotz is still one of the best coaches in the league.
In my opinion, the Islanders aren’t actually as good people think they are. Trotz made them good. Now, I’m not saying that they didn’t have some good pieces. I mean, Mathew Barzal, and Noah Dobson are some of the more respected players at their desired positions. However, they don’t have the talent people think they do. Trotz being fired for having a mediocre year with a medicore team was not fair. However, that just means he’s available for the Red Wings.
Igor Larionov, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
The Detroit Red Wings are in the market for a new head coach and that means that they will be busy with interviews in the coming weeks/months. It’s unlikely that they will hire someone given the fact that there are teams still in the playoffs. However, you can bet that Yzerman will be making calls and scheduling interviews.
There has been a lot of talk around the Red Wings community about who the next head coach should be, but quite frankly it’s a little too early to truly figure out who’s in the running. All we can currently do is speculate and give our thoughts and opinions. So, with that being said, one of the names that I feel should be at the top of Yzerman’s list is former teammate: Igor Larionov.
Igor Larionov is probably remembered as one of the ‘russian five.’ Having won three Stanley cups with the Red Wings, he knows a great deal about winning and what it takes to do so. Not to mention he understands what it means to put on the winged sweater.
Larionov was once quoted saying this to NHL.com:
“My philosophy is to teach hockey the right way. To be professional, pay attention to detail and play good, enthusiastic hockey that requires skill, the mindset and the work ethic needed to be successful. I guess maybe it’s not appropriate to compare to a previous coach and someone who I have a lot of respect for, but at the same time I’ve tried to go back to the roots of Russian-style hockey, when we played at high speed and used quick minds and quick feet. I enjoy the smart team play and playing an offensive style that requires imagination. We will play with skill, play for each other and give maximum effort.”
Larionov and Yzerman have the connection that I feel makes this an realistic option. Furthermore, I think that Larionov’s connection to Detroit makes him a valuable option that would be loved by the Detroit fan base.
Pete DeBoer, VGK
Pete DeBoer was released from his mantle shortly after being elimated from playoff contention at the end of the season. DeBoer, who was coaching the Vegas Golden Knights, was at the mercy of multiple injuries to not just some but a majority of his roster this past season. His coaching style wasn’t the problem, he was just delt a bad hand that he couldn’t overcome. But a change of scenary could be good for DeBoer and the Red Wings are in need of a head coach.
This could be a long time coming for DeBoer to return to the mitten. Having been in the backyard of the Red Wings when he coached the Plymouth Whalers. His tenure with the Knights was good but, as I said above, he was at the mercy of a ton of injuries and a bad goalie situation. He just didn’t have a lot to work with, but given his coaching history and the success he’s had, he could be a perfect candidate for the Red Wings.
Jim Montgomery, St. Louis Blues
Jim Mongtomery has been the underlying name in most people’s list to fill the coaching vacancy. Kind of acting as a dark horse candidate, I wouldn’t be surprised to see his name slowly move up the charts as we get closer to the free agency mark.
Mongtomery was the assistant coach for the St. Louis Blues this past season, but prior to that, he coached the Dallas Stars and led them to their fist playoff apperance in three years. Now, in a full disclosure statement, he was fired from the Stars back in 2019 due to alchol abuse. He then checked himself into rehab before making a return to coaching back in 2020.
Montgomery’s ability to coach a team is undeniable. I mean, where he has gone, there has generally been success. But, It would be a bit of a flyer taking a chance on a guy with a checkered past.
Sergei Federov
This one would be quite the surprise, but I think I’d love to see it happen.
Federov was one of the most remarkable players the Red Wings ever had. He was respected by some of the all-time greats a lot. Players like Wayne Gretzky, Aleksander Ovechkin, and Brendan Shanahan had nothing but good things to say about him as a person, and for his hockey talent.
Now, the reason this would be a big flyer would be because he doesn’t have any listed coaching experaince. So, him jumping right into a coaching position would be an adjustment. Now, I do think that knowing how he was as a player, would make his transition easy, but it’d still be quite the risk.
What Should the Red Wings Do at Pick Eight?
The Red Wings, after they name a coach, have to figure out the game-plan for the draft. Which, since they are in rebuild mode, has be the top priority for Yzerman.
There are a lot of things that they could look to do at pick eight, but that’s always been what makes the draft so exciting. Right? The anticipation. Knowing that whatever the organization decides to do is going to be something that will define them. The fact that they have a 50/50 chance of hitting on the pick or having a bust. Now, it’s always more fun for us as Red Wings fans if they boom, but we don’t get to decide that.
The Red Wings prospect pipeline consists of some top notch players, and I expect them to take that into full-account as they look to make their selection. And yes, I understand that’s not a revolution or something that you don’t know, but felt as though it needed to be said.
Anyways, the Red Wings top prospects are: Sebastian Cossa, Simon Edvinsson, Jonatan Berggren, William Wallinder, Albert Johannson, Theodor Niederbach, Elmer Soderblom, and more.
The reason I listed out the names for you was so you can see that a majority of the prospects the Red Wings have are defenseman. More spesifically, left-handed defenseman. They don’t really have much forward depth outside of Berggren, Niederback, Soderblom, and Mazur.
Now, that is discouting Michael Rasmussen, Joe Veleno, Lucas Raymond, and Taro Hirose. So, it’s not like they don’t have some young, talented players on their roster. They just aren’t considered prospeccts anymore since they all played this season in the NHL. So, with all this being said, what will the Red Wings do when the draft comes? Well, here are some names that the Red Wings have been tied too.
Marco Kasper, C, Rogle(SHL)
Marco Kasper seems to be a name that pops up a lot in recent Red Wings mock drafts. Now, I’ll be rather honest with you guys, I haven’t watched any film on him. However, I do have scouts analysis on him attached below. So, If you want to read up on him as a player, feel free to take a look. In the mean time, I will say that I do like the fact that he seems to be a rather likeable player. Furthermore, I really like that he is a center as well.
Scouts Take
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic:
“For the second time in three years, Austria will likely produce a first-round draft pick, with Kasper joining 2020’s Marco Rossi. He’s not a lock in the way Rossi was. He’s not going to go top-10, like Rossi did, either. But he’s an advanced 200-foot centre like Rossi was (is) and that has pushed him into the SHL at an early age. He actually played 10 games for Rögle last year and he’s already past that this year, despite having actually played fewer games at Sweden’s J20 level (a very rare progression path). He doesn’t look out of place either. After posting six points in six games in the Champions Hockey League with the pro club, he has fit in playing a regular shift in the SHL. I don’t see game-breaking skill, finishing or creativity, per se, but he’s a strong skater who plays with pro pace, plays on the interior, and makes plays all over the ice. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he became a contributing — maybe even impactful — NHL player in time.”
Corey Pronman of The Athletic:
“Kasper was easy to spot even in SHL games because of how powerful an athlete he is. He would often be the guy to wind it up in his own end to carry the puck due to his great speed and skill. Kasper has a strong 6-foot-1 frame, isn’t afraid to attack the hard areas, and can win some battles versus men as a 17-year-old. Kasper attacks with speed and skill, and while he can pull up to make a play or use his hard shot, his direct style of play will translate to the NHL. He projects as a quality top-two line center.”
Jonathan Lekkerimaki, C, Djurgardens IF(SHL)
Jonathan Lekkerimaki would be a pretty good pick in my opinion if the Red Wings would be able to land him with pick eight. Now, when I say this I know some of you guys may not agree however, please just hear me out.
Lekkerimaki is known for his two-way play, but there is still more to his game. In fact, I’d argue the two-way play isn’t even the selling point on him.
I know there may be some controversy between that statement, but the truth is, his shot is something that impresses me a lot. I think from a goal scoring prespective, he may be the best in this class. If not the best, he will for sure be apart of the elite.
Lekkerimaki has a right-handed shot, but the shot that he has reminds me a lot of a player along the lines of Vladimir Tarasenko. He has an electric wrist and snap shot that just pops off his stick and is able to beat the goalie high or low and can place it pretty well.
Lekkerimaki, who plays for Djurgarden(Sweeden), has always seemed to do pretty well from a production standpoint. This season, he played in 26 games and had 20 goals and 15 assists for a total of 35 points. Which is pretty good especially given the fact that he was also able to finish with a +18.
Jonathan Lekkerimaki, in his time in the SHL this season, didn’t exactly dominate like we have seen him do previously. However, that doesn’t deter from his talent and potnetial.
Scouts Take
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic:
“Lekkerimäki has flashed tantalizing goal-scoring acumen in Sweden’s top junior league early on this season, often on a line with Noah Östlund and Liam Öhgren, two other first-round candidates in the 2022 class. All three have been a ton of fun to watch but Lekkerimaki has more often dazzled. Even though the other two have received the greater SHL opportunities to date, Lekkerimäki’s late-July birthday and ability to put the puck in the net with consistency from mid-range make him the more exciting of the trio to project forward. He has progressed rapidly, quickly becoming a dynamo inside the offensive zone and on the power play. He’s got A-level hands, a deceptive release, and a slyness to his game that allows him to get to spots to score with and without the puck. With the right development and patience, he’s got clear upside as a top-six creator off the flank.”
Corey Pronman of The Athletic:
“Lekkrimaki is a skilled winger who has various offensive elements in his game, but the clear strength of his game is his shot. He is a goal-scoring threat from the faceoff dots with a hard, accurate wrist shot and one-timer that projects to be a weapon in the NHL. He has good speed, hands and vision to generate clean entries and make plays but those aspects don’t pop like his shot. Like a lot of shooters, he leans too much on his best asset and play too much on the perimeter which isn’t ideal for a player who lacks size. Lekkerimaki projects as a quality top-six winger.”
Joakim Kemell, RW, JYP(Liiga)
The Detroit Red Wings have a desperate need to improve upon their goal scoring. Furthermore, they simply need to improve their forward talent. Not really having much production from any players other than the Red Wings first line, that’s a problem. Red Wings could use all the help they could get.
Now, I will say that I’d prefer a center more than a wing, but I just want to make sure we are getting a talented player and Kemell seems to have all the tools.
Scouts Take
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic:
“The first thing I said about Kemell in my preseason ranking, when I slotted him 17th, was that “I’d sooner rank Kemell higher here than any lower than this.” Then he exploded into the Liiga regular season, jumping out to lead the goal-scoring race with 10 goals in his first 13 games of the year (after scoring in his lone Liiga game at the tail end of last season) and earned this ranking. “He hasn’t rode a high individual shooting percentage to that success either (he ranks near the top of the league in shot generation with more than five per game), though he has carried an unsustainably high PDO and his possession numbers aren’t great. Kemell’s a slick, play-creating winger who excels in possession, carves teams up through coverage to take play from the flanks to the interior, and possesses quick hands. Those tools enable him to take advantage of his dangerous wrister, which he can get off quickly from a variety of stances and at a variety of tempos. “Off of the puck, he also plays with a lot of energy and doesn’t shy away from the physical side of the game, which has endeared him to coaches. This should continue as he advances levels. I’d like to see him slow down and utilize his linemates a little better than he does as he’s actually a heady playmaker, but part of what makes him so exciting is his insistence on creating his own looks.”
Corey Pronman of The Athletic:
“Kemell is a well-rounded winger who has almost every NHL attribute you want other than the size at 5-foot-11. He brings skill and speed to his shifts, showing the ability to carry the puck up ice and create chances for himself and his teammates. Kemell can pass the puck very well, but his shot is his main weapon. You can set him up from mid-range and he can finish. He lacks size, but he plays hard, showing no fear of engaging physically to win back pucks or to take a hit to make a play. He projects as a very good top-six winger who will score a lot of goals in the NHL.”
The Red Wings have a big need to improve their center position, and well, simply improve their team. Now, they do have a large prospect pool filled with so many talented players but they aren’t quite ready yet. So, in the meantime they need to continue drafting pieces to help push players along and continue adding some depth to their roster.
What Will the Red Wings Do With Filip Zadina?
Filip Zadina has shown signs in his time with the Red Wings of being a true threat on the offensive side of the puck. But he has yet to do it consistently. So, knowing that, it araises the question: What should the Red Wings do with Zadina?
Zadina selected eighth overall by the Red Wings back in the 2018 NHL entry draft. Since that point, he has shown that he has the talent, but it’s like something is holding him back. But, when you see these glimpses from him, you think that he could be something special therefore, you continue giving him chances. But when he lays a goose egg the next game, it leaves you wondering. So now, Yzerman will have to try and gauge his worth.
Now, I’ll put in my two cents with this argument and debate:
I’ve always believed that if you are drafted in the first-round, there is no such thing as a bust. If you are drafted in the first-round you have the talent to be a special player in the league and all you need is the right opportunity to show it. I believe that with other players like Nolan Patrick, Kaapo Kakko. I also believe that about Filip Zadina.
Filip Zadina is about to get a fresh start away from Blashill, which personally, I feel he needs. Last season former head coach, Jeff Blashill, moved him around on the lines a lot which made it hard for him to gather chemistry and really get a feel for his teammates. But, with that being said, when he was paired with Jakub Vrana, he was dominant. We saw signs of the player he can, and should, be for us.
So, as I stated above, a change of coach could be exactly what the Red Wings need in order to get consistent production for Zadina. Being able to get paired on the right line with the right play style may be exactly what he needs to make this step up in the NHL.
But, there is a drawback to Zadina and what I just said. Zadina, being in a contract year, showed signs of promise. Right? Right. However, when he played his best hockey was when he was paired with Vrana. But, the minute that he was moved off Vrana’s line, he started to crap the bed again and we were back to plan A. So is he a dependent player? Does he only succeed with Vrana? If so, what type of contract would he want? Additionally, is it worth it?
Does Jake Walman Have A Future With the Red Wings?
At this past years trade deadline, the Red Wings moved on from left-handed defenseman, Nick Leddy. Having moved him to the St. Louis Blues, the Red Wings were able to acquire Jake Walman, Oskar Sunqvist, and a 2023 second-round pick.
Now, Oskar Sunqvist is still under contract for this upcoming season so the Red Wings don’t really need to worry about him. However, Jake Walman is a free agent. Furthermore, he plays a position in which the Red Wings are very deep on. So, has Walman done enough to earn himself more time with the Red Wings organization? Well, let’s see.
Since becoming apart of the Detroit Red Wings, Jake Walman has done nothing but show he belongs in this league and that he has the potential to become a top line defenseman if he can continue to develop and see minutes on the ice to learn.
When he was with the St. Louis Blues, most of his time came from other defenseman being hurt, not neccessarily earning the right to play over others. Which, the Blues clearly made a mistake for. His skating is something that you cannot dispute. He skates with so much energy, and he is always moving his feet and trying to make stops and close gaps on the opposition. He is an elite skater, but the thing that makes him have such a high ceiling isn’t even his skating.
Walman, since being traded to the Detroit Red Wings hasn’t really produced the stats to show how well he’s performed, but stats don’t always mean everything. He has been able to fire shots from the perimeter, has made multiple great defensive stops but more importantly- he learns from the mistakes and continues to get better every game. That’s all you can ask of a player like Walman.
Not really ever seeing minutes with the Blues, it is hard to really help him grow as a player. However, now that he is seeing minutes with the Red Wings it’s becoming more and more clear the player that he can one day be. But has he done enough to earn himself another year with the Red Wings? That is something that will be interesting to figure out this off-season.
Is Alex Nedeljkovic The Red Wings Ride or Die Goalie?
The Detroit Red Wings organization traded for their current goalie, Alex Nedeljkovic, last season from the Carolina Hurricanes. After Nedeljkovic really found his footing, and even made a run for the Calder, the Red Wings couldn’t resist the opportunity to go grab him on the trade block. But, is he the goalie they want to ride with in the coming seasons?
Alex Nedeljkovic is under contract for one more year, and is set to make $3,000,000. Now, they do have a very talented goalie in Sebastian Cossa, but it’s doubtful that he’ll be ready this season.
When looking at the goalies around the league, there are not many goalies that have come in year one and done well. Marc-Andre Fleury took a couple years before he really started performing to his hall-of-fame caliber. Same with goalies like Carey Price, and Ben Bishop.
All three of those names have had very good careers, but they didn’t start off that way. The reasoning behind that is the fact that goalies take awhile to develop. Getting quicker in the crease, reading the offense, breaking down their style of play, it’s hard to come in year one and recognzie all of these things. So, with that being said, they will more than likely not have Cossa this season.
That being said, Nedeljkovic will more than likely be manning the net for this upcoming season. Or will he?
There are a lot of talented goalies out there right now that are looking for a new start. Marc-Andre Fleury is a free agent, Braden Holtby is a free agent, Ville Husso is a free agent, and many more. This goalie free agent class is very, very, very deep.
Alex Nedeljkovic, as much as I’d like to say he has earned his starting spot- hasn’t. He didn’t perform great last season. Well, outside of the last couple games, he didn’t really perform great. And yes, I understand that it wasn’t all on him. However, as a goalie on a real contract, you have to be able to make some of the routine saves that he was letting in. So here’s my thoughts on Nedeljkovic.
Alex Nedeljkovic had a lot of struggles this past season. From making terrific saves to keep the Red Wings in the game, or being the reason why they were down 5-0, it’s been hard to really figure out who he is as a goalie and where to go from here.
I mean, it’s really hard to say that his bad performances this season have been on him, because well let’s face it, the defense is not great. I mean, Seider is phenomonal, and Hronek is still a very good player, but when you look at the big picture, they don’t really have a defense that can lock down an offensive team.
At the same point, you can think back to the time that he scored on himself and well, that was nobody’s fault but his. I mean, that was definetly the worst goal I’ve seen this season… that was hard to watch. It’s just really hard to figure out where the organization want’s to go from here with him. After all, the Red Wings do have Sebastian Cossa coming who has some very high expectations.
So, getting back to talking about Nedeljkovic, I took the liberty of looking at his splits and here is what I was able to gather from it:
By Month
October: 5 games played, 3.27 GAA, .900 SV%
Novemeber: 10 games played, 2.24 GAA, .934 SV%
Decemeber: 6 games played, 3.30 GAA, .899 SV%
Janurary: 12 games played, 3.10 GAA, .899 SV%
February: 4 games played, 5.27 GAA, .845 SV%
March: 13 games played, 3.78 GAA, .891 SV%
April: 3 games played, 3.96 GAA, .895 SV%
Road vs Home
Road: 24 games played, 3.14 GAA, .907 SV%
Away: 29 games played, 3.48 GAA, .895 SV%
Pre All-Star Break vs Post All-Star Break
Pre All-Star Break: 34 games played, 2.90 GAA, .911 SV%
Post All-Star Break: 19 games played, 4.15 GAA, .880 SV%
When you take a look at the stats I have written above, it looks pretty consistent but not in the way that we want. He sat right around a 3.30 GAA, and a .900 save percentage which isn’t great. However, when you take a look at his splits from prior to the all-star break, and then after, it’s almost like he’s a completley different player.
Prior to the all-star break, Alex Nedeljkovic had played in 34 games for the Red Wings. During that stretch, he was able to post a .911 save percentage while only having a 2.90 goals against allowed average. Which, all things considered- that’s pretty respectable in my opinion.
But in contrast to that, you look at his post all-star break stats, and they are not nearly as good.
After returning from the all-star break, Nedeljkovic clearly got worse and hasn’t really bounced back other than maybe a couple games. But there is no excuse for having a 4.15 GAA, and a .880 SV% in 19 games. That’s just not acceptable. Especially when you are looking to leave your mark in this league and with this team.
The Future of the Detroit Red Wings is in Question
The Detroit Red Wings gave multiple prospects chances last season. Between, Michael Rasmussen, Joe Veleno, Taro Hirose, Moritz Seider, and Lucas Raymond, the Red Wings proved that theyhave prospects ready to play and compete. The problem is, they will need more prospects to be NHL ready sooner rather than later.
When looking at Capfriendly.com, the Red Wings roster is looking rather bleak and thin. By that, I don’t mean that they don’t have players, but the fact that in the two seasons, the Red Wings are going to have a lot of contracts expire.
Now, I feel they have every bit of faith they could give in Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider, but this game you can’t rely strictly on just a couple players. This is a game where you need everyone to contribute. Even your fourth-line needs to bring something to the table if you want to win in this league.
There are so many talented teams. I mean, the Rangers, Lightning, Avalanche, Blues, Oilers, they all have three/four lines that can be out there and I feel every team is liking their chances. That’s what the Red Wings need as well if they want to compete in this league.
In the current off-season we are in, the Red Wings have 11 contracts expired. Some of the notable players that don’t have a contract this season are: Filip Zadina, Mitchell Stephens, Sam Gagner, Marc Staal, Danny DeKeyser, Jake Walman, and Thomas Greiss. There are a few more names, but those are the most notable ones.
Now, having 11 names not under contract for the coming year is not good. But then you take a look at next years free agency and they are losing out on even more players potentially. Excluding the current 11 players with expired contracts this year, there is an additional 11 players with expiring contracts next season. Some of the notable names that are free agents next year are: Dylan Larkin, Tyler Bertuzzi, Pius Suter, Oskar Sudqvist, Adam Erne, Joe Veleno, Gustav Lindstrom, Jordan Oesterle, and Alex Nedeljkovic.
As you can tell by the list of names that are free agents, the Red Wings roster is very bleak in the coming years. That being said, the Red Wings will have a lot of decisions to make. Do they want to attack free agency to fill some of their voids or do they feel confident enough to call up some of their top prospects?
What Can The Red Wings Expect From Michael Rasmussen In the Coming Year?
The Red Wings drafted Michael Rasmussen in the first-round back in 2017 NHL entry draft. Rasmusssen, who was the ninth overall pick that year, was projected to be one of the Red Wings top players moving forward. Which, at the time seemed like a fair projection.
Michael Rasmussen was had the traits that would make him be a huge problem for anyone who wanted to go up against him. Standing at 6’6″ and 209 lbs., Rasmussen looked as though he would be a mismatch player each and every shift. However, the production hasn’t really been there from him to this point. Which, when looking at his previous seasons leading up to the draft, is pretty pecuilar.
Leading up to the NHL draft, Rasmussen played in the WHL with the Tri-City Americans. In three seasons with the Americans he played in 160 games and did pretty well. Having produced 81 goals and 76 assists for a total of 157 points, I’d say that all the hype was well placed.
But that’s not all that he seemed to bring to the table. The skill-set that he has between the size, speed, and scoring ability, he has the ability to match a player like Brady Tkachuk beautifully. In fact, I’d say that If Michael Rasmussen rose to the name coming out of the draft, they’d be almost identical players. But, it was misplaced speculation that he would be a player like that because he has not lived up to expectations.
The Detroit Red Wings made sure to give Rasmussen a chance right away. However, it wasn’t neccessairly the best start for him. In his first 62 games with the Red Wings back in 2018-19, he only had eight goals and 10 assists for 18 total points.
Given the fact that he played in 62 games, those stats don’t really say first-round pick. Additionally, it doesn’t even really say NHL caliber player. However, if there is one thing that we’ve learned from people and teams around the league, it’s that it takes a couple years for a player to really start coming into their own. For example, you can look at players like Nico Hischier, Tage Thompson, Robert Thomas.
It takes awhile for a player to really grow in this league. I mean, Alexis Lafreniere and Quinton Byfield are prime examples. They were both supposed to be periniel all-stars and yet they are struggling to even get minutes on the ice. So we shouldn’t hate on Rasmussen especially after how he has performed recently.
How Important Will He Be Next Season?
Michael Rasmussen has always been considered a big man presence. I mean, it’s understandable right? He’s a 6’6″ forward who is physical and willing to play a little dirty.
Michael Rasmussen just went on a three-game goal streak and this is what Red Wings captain, Dylan Larkin had to say about him:
“Pucks are starting to go in, he’s hard around the net, he’s a thron in the side of key players on the other team every night. It’s really encoraging to see the way he plays. He’s really driving the bus for us right now.” -Dylan Larkin
Hearing that from a player like Dylan Larkin should really give Rasmussen a boost of confidence. Even though he hasn’t scored a goal in a couple games, he is still an very effective player. His size and being able to get to the net and shield the goalie and get the rebound let’s his teammates fire shots from the dot, and perimeter with confidence.
But, it still doesn’t answer the question, where does he fit on this team? Because, he seems to be the biggest wild card on the Red Wings right now. Like if the season were to start today, and the Red Wings had a new head coach, I have absolutley no idea where he would be playing.
So, my thoughts on the matter will be completely my opinion. But, here we go.
Michael Rasmussen was one of the players that really seemed to pick it up towards the end of the season for the Red Wings. Having gone on a three-game goal streak to finish the year, there was a lot of hope that going into this off-season, he wouldn’t lose a step. But, if the past has taught us anything, we shouldn’t get our hopes up. Especially with him.
Rasmussen, althogh I do have faith in that he will eventually get it figured out, hasn’t proven to be the player we think he could be. And just because he had a couple very good games to finish the year, doesn’t mean he can do it for 82 games. His role on the team will more than likely remain as a third-liner or maybe a fourth-liner. I just don’t think we’ve seen enough from him to move him up to the second-line.
But, with that being said, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him and Joe Veleno get a shot at the second-line center position to start the year. I think whoever ends up being the head coach of the Red Wings, if they are smart about it, will try and get both Veleno, Rasmussen, and Suter a chance.
What Will Pius Suter’s Role With the Red Wings be?
Pius Suter is in a less than ideal situation. Heading into the season, his role with the team is one of the biggest question marks of all.
Suter was a undrafted player that orignally signed with the Chicago Blackhawks before signing with the Detroit Red Wings last season. Prior to that though, he spent a lot of time in the NL with the ZSC Lions. A ice hockey organization in Switzlerand.
In his time with the Lions, he always seemed to put up decent numbers, but never really popped off. To further on that, his skill-set and lack of production to make up for the lack of skill, made him one of the least valuable players in the draft. But, after a promising season with the Blackhawks, the Red Wings took a flyer on him.
In the 2019-20 season that Suter spent with the Blackhawks, he played in 55 games. In those 55 games, he was able to produce 14 goals, 13 assists for a total of 27 points. Something about his play stood out to the Red Wings though because he became a Red Wing last off-season and now they are stuck with him for the coming year.
Suter played in all 82 games last season for the Red Wings which is admirable. But in 82 games, you would like to see more from him than what he gave us. Having only scored 15 goals and 21 assists, he did not really produce well which arises the question: What do the Red Wings do with Suter?
Pius Suter is under contract for this upcoming season and is set to make $3,250,000. Now, although that’s not a ton of money in the league nowadays, it still feels like quite the overpay. His play and production has not backed up that price tag which is why I’ll say this.
I appreciate Suter and the fact that he is consistent. If nothing good comes of his play, at least we can say he was a dependeable player. But you don’t pay a guy who’s best trait is that he’s dependable, $3,250,000. You just don’t. It’s bad business. And that’s why I feel that come this next season, Suter will have to earn his spot on the roster. If he doesn’t he won’t be on the team past the trade deadline.
The Red Wings have some very talented forwards, and after acquiring Oskar Sundqvist, they have plenty of centers. Now, I don’t think going into camp day one, we have anyone who should be manning the second-line. However, I think between Veleno, Rasmussen, Sundqvist, and Suter, Suter would probably be the guy I’d like to sit out. I just don’t have faith in him as a player to produce on that line. Which, makes me hate him because he’s making so much money to do nothing but be dependable.
How Does Robby Fabbri Fit on this Team? What is His Role with the Red Wings?
Robby Fabbri has been an enigma for me. Feeling like he has always just been a one-way player, and an average one at that, it’s made it hard for me to see the long-term plan for him.
When you look at some of the guys that the Red Wings have planned for their future, there’s generally something that they do that brings value to the team. Fabbri, other than speed, doesn’t really have that. I mean, he has offensive talent, yes. But, it’s not really elite. It’s also hard to overlook the fact that he’s missed many, many, many games with injuries. Not just in his time with the Red Wings but even dating back to him with the Blues.
In my opininion, consistency means everything in this league. You see so many players around the league trying to find their place by displaying their strengths for the coaches. However, the minute they are asked to do something they aren’t good at, their weaknesses shine over their strengths leaving them as bottom line players. In this instance, that isn’t good.
Robby Fabbri, although one of the best skaters on this Red Wings team, is one of the worst defensive forwards we have. He has no defensive awareness or IQ that makes his line, well, not great on the +/- chart. Furthermore, I feel like that was a big part of the reason why the Blues were willing to deal him to us for de la Rose. So, where does he fit?
Robby Fabbri is more than likely going to be starting the season on the third-line. In my opinion that is his spot to start the year. However, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him on the fourth-line and ask him to be a grinder. His speed is dangerous and if he can become more aggreisve on the boards, he could make for a really good, quick shift, hard checking, player.
What Does the Red Wings Timeline Look Like?
The Detroit Red Wings have had a rough go of it the past couple seasons. Having missed the playoffs the last six seasons, it’s clear to everybody, this is not a team that can win currently. Especially given the competition.
I recetly touched on this because the Red Wings have a lot of free agents within the next couple seasons, and they also have a ton of prospects, but what their plans are for these players of theirs, has to be determined soon.
The Red Wings will not be competitors this upcoming season. It would take a miracle for that to happen, but, I don’t feel they are far away.
The Red Wings currently rank third amongst NHl teams in terms of cap space. Only ranking behind the Buffalo Sabres, and Anaheim Ducks, the Red Wings have $35,711,111 according to Capfriendly.com.
Now, there will defentialy be less because they will have to re-sign and extend multiple players this off-season. But, they will still finish the off-season with probably about $20,000,000. If that’s the case, they will have plenty of money to spend on free agent players to help bolster their team as a whole. By that I mean, Improve their top defensive pairings, Improve their goal scoring, and get a true goalie one to play in front of Nedeljkovic.
There are a lot of free agents out there that could give the Red Wings a jump on this rebuild. Which, I know that, at least most of us, would like. Because the later we get into the rebuild, the more wins we will see. And I have a feeling that not many of us like losing. I know I don’t. I want to see wins and get back to where they were in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The timeline part of itis a bit tricky. Especially because we don’t exaclty know Yzerman’s plan for the Red Wings in the coming years. I mean, they don’t even have a coach set for next year. So, finding a timeline would be hard. However, I do think that we are not that far away.
We have prospects who are getting closer and closer to making their names known in the NHL. And once that happens, this team is going to be very, very, very dangerous.