Answering all the tough Red Wings’ questions heading into December
The Detroit Red Wings are 11-6-5 through the first 22 games of the season. There is a lot to be excited about surrounding this team, but there is plenty of room for continued growth.
Recently I was able to catch up with Devin Little of The Hockey Writers to talk about the Detroit Red Wings season to date and more. Let’s jump right into things.
What is your impression of Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde so far?
First and foremost, I think Lalonde is a fantastic interview. He gives insightful answers that show that he has a grip on where his team is at. He’s also good for a laugh every now and then, and I appreciate coaches that aren’t all business when they’re answering the media’s questions.
Second, while his general approach to the job sounds similar to his predecessor’s (process, process, process), the Red Wings cannot look any more different this season than they did under Jeff Blashill.
They play an up-tempo, aggressive style at even strength and on special teams, which is a big reason why fans seem to be a lot more invested this season than in past seasons. Furthermore, Lalonde seems committed to his lineup in a way that Blashill wasn’t, generally speaking. Everybody knows about the “Blashill Blender,” but Lalonde seems to be the antithesis of that. He has remained committed to his lineup, especially on defense, where the top four remains untouched from the start of the season.
He also seems to be unwilling to change goaltenders, even in the event of a blowout. When Ville Husso was pulled in Detroit’s recent game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, it was the first time this season that Lalonde decided to switch goalies. I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Lalonde (except for that goaltending thing), but I’ve mostly been impressed by how the team has responded to him. This year’s team is a group that you can’t count out until they’re being blown out, and I attribute a lot of that to the new bench boss.
Captain Dylan Larkin’s future is uncertain. Do you expect a contract extension to be completed? If so, what kind of term and money are you expecting?
I know that the further we get into the season without an extension, the more the idea of Larkin playing for another team will pop up – it’s the nature of the beast. However, I truly believe that a deal will get done, even if it’s at the 11th hour. I believe Larkin when he says that he doesn’t want to play anywhere else, and I believe that he relishes the opportunity to be the captain of this team; there is no other team in the NHL where he would have that opportunity. GM Steve Yzerman also has experience working out a last-minute deal for his captain.
In 2016, he signed Steven Stamkos to an eight-year deal under 48 hours before the Tampa Bay Lightning captain was set to become a free agent. Obviously, you hope it doesn’t get to that point with Larkin, but Yzerman is no stranger to working out last-minute deals.
As for what the deal will look like, I think recent deals signed by Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders and Roope Hintz of the Dallas Stars give us an idea of what Larkin’s deal might look like. Hintz signed for eight years at $8.45 million, and Barzal signed for eight years at $9.15 million. I think somewhere between those two benchmarks is where Larkin will land, though I think it’ll land much closer to Barzal’s number.
Ville Husso appears to be a true number-one goaltender. Does this make Alex Nedeljkovic expendable ahead of the NHL trade deadline?
In theory, yes. But to trade Alex Nedeljkovic, he has to get out of the slump he’s in to boost his value to a place where Detroit can extract some real value. If he’s glued to the bench, that’s not going to happen.
However, I think the ideal situation is that not only does Ned get his game going, but he proves himself worthy of a short-term extension to remain in tandem with Husso. While Husso has undoubtedly been great, I wouldn’t exactly call him a safe bet at this point (we all thought Nedeljkovic was a pretty safe bet at this point last year.) We’ve seen Ned’s highs before, and they are certainly high – it’s just a matter of getting him back there.
While there are some viable options set to be available in free agency next summer, there’s a reason why we were all so high on the Husso-Ned tandem before the start of the season. If the latter can get back to where he was at times last season, there may not be a better option to be Husso’s backup – at least until Sebastian Cossa is ready to go.
The Detroit Red Wings have suffered plenty of injuries this season; when/if they become fully healthy, who do you expect to be removed from the starting lineup?
That’s the million-dollar question. I think an easy answer is Elmer Söderblom, as the young winger has shown that he still has aspects of his game to work on, but that’s not going to solve the roster crunch completely.
Another player I look at as being expendable is Pius Suter. While I appreciate the versatility he brings to the lineup, I think too many players have passed him on the depth chart, and enough teams would be interested in adding him to bolster their depth. I believe Adam Erne is an option to be moved out, too, though I don’t know that teams will be knocking down Detroit’s door for him.
I know many people will suggest that Zadina should be sent off to Timbuktu, but I still believe that he’s the type of player that Yzerman is referring to when he preaches patience through this rebuild.
Remember, it wasn’t that long ago that Michael Rasmussen seemed like a lost cause, and now he is arguably the Red Wings’ second-best center (which is more of an indictment on Detroit’s center depth, but that’s a topic for another day.) If they sell low on Zadina now to make room for others, they’ll regret it when he finally hits his stride and becomes a legitimate top-six threat for another team.
Filip Hronek is exceeding expectations early on this season. Do you see him being part of Detroit’s long-term plans?
I do, and there are two reasons why.
First, the Red Wings aren’t exactly deep on the right side of their blue line. Yes, Moritz Seider is there, but after Hronek, their best option up and down the depth chart is Gustav Lindström. Unless Detroit can trade for or draft someone that can boost their depth on the right side, they are doing themselves a disservice by trading away their second-best option on that right side.
Second, Hronek is still just 25 years old. He fits the age group that Yzerman is trying to build around; if he was a few years older, I think I’d be saying move him while he’s at his peak value. Instead, he’s still young enough to grow with this team, as he’s just now entering his prime.
He is also the third-longest tenured member of the Red Wings (only Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi have been around longer), and I believe there is value in keeping some players around that went through the darkest days of the rebuild.
There is no defenseman on this team that is tired of losing like Hronek is, so you know he’ll be fired up once the Red Wings make their way back to the playoffs. Plus, with Seider on the team now and the salary cap set to go up over the coming years, Hronek should not cost an arm and a leg to keep around past his current deal.
Trending. Red Wings: 3 skaters that are exceeding expectations. light
Will the Detroit Red Wings be a playoff team in 2022-23?
I think they will play important games deeper into the season than they have in years. As for whether or not they’ll make the playoffs, I believe Yzerman isn’t an optimist or a pessimist; he’s a realist.
Unless the Red Wings can play a lot more consistently than they have this season, the best they can hope for is to make the playoffs and then get spanked by one of the powerhouses of the Eastern Conference. Instead, I think they’ll fall off over the next couple of months, setting Yzerman up for an eventful trade deadline where he could be in a position to add some serious draft capital in a draft that is one of the deepest in recent memory.
Yzerman and Lalonde have been cautious about pumping the brakes on playoff expectations, and I think that’s a telling sign that the playoffs may not be the true goal for this season. All things considered, I think that’s fine. The playoff drought will continue, but not for much longer.