The Detroit Red Wings have been the NHL’s most disappointing team since the 4 Nations Face-Off break ended, showing that this core has yet to reach a maturity stage. For general manager Steve Yzerman to keep adding to that core, major changes are needed, and they will come with getting rid of a few aging players who no longer fit the billing.
One of those players is Vladimir Tarasenko, but since I’ve written an entire piece on him it’s pointless to rehash everything here. Yet Tarasenko isn’t the only Red Wings player on the other side of 30 who will relocate in 2025-26, nor should he be.
Instead, one forward stands out, and it’s a name you may disagree with considering his moderately decent season. Or, moderately decent following a slow start. The other player on this list has been on injured reserve for a while, and Player No. 3 looks like the odd man out in his position group.
Yeah, each has been serviceable for the Red Wings, but if the 2025 trade deadline has given us any clues of where Steve Yzerman is going with this group if he’s lucky enough to stick around, the following trio won’t be wearing the winged wheel next season.
1 - Patrick Kane
Patrick Kane isn’t finished yet, but heading into his age-37 season, he’ll be insistent on playing for either a top-ranked contender or the Chicago Blackhawks. Yes, the Blackhawks, as who better to help oversee the team’s transition phase than the former face of the franchise?
It all depends if Kane wants to hoist the Stanley Cup one more time or help engage in the massive rebuilding project currently going on in the Windy City. Regardless, he doesn’t fit into the Red Wings future plans unless they want to keep blocking young players and prospects.
Regardless of where Kane ends up, he’ll remain a productive player, ending up with somewhere between 0.75 and 0.80 points per game. Not a bad number, but not where he was. In Detroit’s case, anyone moving up through the rankings may not hit that same mark immediately, but if this is truly the long game, then it makes logistical sense.
2 - Jeff Petry
Jeff Petry’s been on injured reserve for nearly three months now, and being in his age-37 season, he’s also not one with a future in Detroit. Like Patrick Kane, Jeff Petry will be an unrestricted free agent and will likely settle for a sixth or seventh blueliner role for a team that needs more physical play.
Although Petry only has six points and a goal in 34 games this season, he’s still one to count on for denying opponents when his team doesn’t have the puck. Petry’s 56 blocks and 39 hits drive that point home, and his 91.7 on-ice save percentage at even strength also shows how good he plays in the defensive zone.
By not bringing back Petry, it likely means the disappointing Erik Gustafsson will get another crack at proving he can be a long-term asset in the Motor City. But with Axel Sandin-Pellikka in North America, fresh, long-term help is on the way.
3 - Alex Lyon
Yes, Alex Lyon is the final name on this list, as there’s no way he’s returning after Steve Yzerman went out and made a trade for Petr Mrazek and the fact head coach Todd McLellan has a history with Cam Talbot.
Lyon is also the only one of the trio who has an expiring contract, as Mrazek and Talbot are signed on through 2025-26. And, when you add in Sebastian Cossa rising through the ranks, it makes things even bleaker for Lyon.
That said, there’s nothing about Lyon that’s even remotely worth projecting he’s going to remain a member of this Red Wings organization. Yeah, he’s a good goaltender and will get a multi-year deal somewhere, but it won’t be in Hockeytown considering all the circumstances.
Of course, if Talbot and Mrazek start to backslide in 2025-26, this one could haunt Yzerman and company, especially when you add in the fact that Lyon has much less NHL experience and therefore less wear and tear than the former two. Still, logistics say that Lyon won’t spend another second with the Red Wings once free agency opens.