In the NHL, every team has over performers and under performers. Every year, someone adopts an unsustainably high or low shooting percentage that helps or hampers their stats. Sometimes, it's an aberration. Other times, it's a sign of things to come.
In the case of the Detroit Red Wings, a multitude of players under performed. From the hapless bottom-six to the abrupt sophomore slump of Marco Kasper, there were no shortage of players with underwhelming seasons in Hockeytown.
But what about the players that over performed?
Were there any players on the roster that had seasons that defied expectations? Can these one-off seasons translate into full-time production in the future? It's hard to definitively say, as each of the over performers have different factors that played into their production.
Still, it's worth taking a closer look at each of them:
James van Riemsdyk: Detroit's gunslinger
On the surface, a 15-goal season from your fourth liner is fantastic. James van Riemsdyk generated among the most value by contract for the roster, managing 31 points across 72 games this season. This was due in part to his shooting percentage. 15.2% of van Riemsdyk's shots went in. The 36-year-old veteran was third on the team in shooting percentage behind John Leonard (18.2% across 11 games) and Dominik Shine (23.1% across 18 games).
When you take into account that Leonard and Shine played just a few games, it's clear that van Riemsdyk's shooting percentage just can't be relied upon in the future. Sooner or later, that shooting percentage will regress to the mean. If the end of the 2025-26 season was any indication, it's already here.
As of right now, the Red Wings are letting van Riemsdyk walk in free agency. Perhaps the front office realized that they can't rely on a long-time veteran for depth scoring.
Time will come for Patrick Kane eventually
It seems like another part of Patrick Kane is chipped away every season. A few years ago, his defensive awareness dropped. Last season, he lost some speed. Still, time has yet to eat into Kane's production too badly, as the flashy forward finished the season with 57 points in 67 games.
At 37 years of age, it's unfair to assume that Kane will continue his high level of production this late into his career. If the Red Wings have to rely on a late-career NHL star to buoy their way into the playoffs, there are much bigger problems at stake with the team's roster construction.
There will eventually come a game where casual viewers and hardcore fanatics agree that Kane has lost a step. When that comes, the Red Wings need to be prepared with a long-term solution.
The Red Wings can't put all their hopes on John Gibson
First: this is not an indictment on John Gibson. The goaltender's insane level of production was the only reason the team stayed in the playoff race as long as it did. That said, it's clear that Gibson can't be a workhorse anymore at this point in his career. Nor should he, as he can only do so much out there night in and night out.
The Red Wings can't count on Gibson to bail them out like they did so often last season. The good news is that a contingency plan is on the way. Next season, Detroit can groom the goaltender of the future while giving Gibson a bit of slack so he can play at his best.
Barring an extension, the 2026-27 season will be Gibson's last in Detroit. In an ideal world, he continues up this level of production while a new, young goalie blossoms into a bona fide starter. This would be a win-win for both parties: the Red Wings acquire their long-time starter, while Gibson plays well enough to justify another longer contract.
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