In late December, I said that Patrick Kane needed to enjoy a monster second half of the 2024-25 season, and so far, he’s responded well. More than well, really. Back when I wrote that piece, Kane was struggling to look even remotely like the player he was last season. But wow, what a turnaround.
Between December 29th and January 4th, Kane has seven points and three goals. Want more fun? The Red Wings won all four of those contests mentioned, and in total, they scored four-plus goals in each game.
Listen, just a short while ago, this team was so hopeless; they were my laughingstock next to the Buffalo Sabres. Nobody should be laughing at Kane or the Red Wings anymore, or at least not in the present. Now that Kane may be back on form, let’s talk about three other players who must also bring their A-Game to make the 2025 calendar year a successful one.
Dylan Larkin
For a while there, it seemed like Dylan Larkin was the only Red Wings player who knew a thing or two about scoring goals. Now, he’s got just 33 points and 16 goals in 39 contests, putting him further away from that point-per-game pace he needs to be on.
That said, his last few games have kind of gone in the same way as Patrick Kane’s. Larkin has seven points and a remarkable four goals in those last five contests, and it could be a sign he’s finally heating up. If that’s the case, maybe Larkin has already brought his A-Game. He just needs to keep it going for another three months.
Simon Edvinsson
Simon Edvinsson will be a great player for the Red Wings for a long time, and there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll show some A-Game flashes as the season wanes into its second half. So far, his 14 points and four goals in 35 games haven’t been a deal-breaker, and he’s getting in front of nearly two shots per game.
The Wings are also scoring just over 10 percent of all their shots on goal when Edvinsson is on the ice at even strength, and they’re stopping opponents from getting hot. It’s been a successful first full season so far from Edvinsson, and now, we need to see him start taking over a game every now and again.
Alex Lyon
It seems like Alex Lyon’s numbers tanked following what was a hot start. Going on injured reserve didn’t help matters, but since allowing five goals to the Montreal Canadiens on December 21st and playing well for a good 20 minutes in what was ultimately a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Lyon’s last three starts have been spot-on.
The Red Wings beat the likes of the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals, with the Pittsburgh Penguins sandwiched in between, and Lyon allowed just a pair of goals per game. In that stretch, he also didn’t record a single save percentage under 0.913. If he keeps this up, the Alex Lyon we saw earlier this season is back.