As the dawn of the 2025–26 NHL regular season nears, the floodgates of preseason prognostication have opened. Analysts, insiders, and media outlets alike are unveiling their forecasts—projecting Stanley Cup contenders, playoff hopefuls, and breakout stars poised to command the spotlight.
Among the most closely watched voices is Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, renowned for his sharp insider insight. Last season, Friedman earned praise for identifying the Ottawa Senators as a surprise playoff team—a prediction that ultimately proved correct. This year, when pressed on his picks, Friedman highlighted several intriguing contenders. Notably absent from his list, however, were the youthful Detroit Red Wings.
Friedman elaborated that, in his view, Detroit’s roster remains a touch too youthful to be considered a true contender just yet. The recent decision to place veterans Justin Holl and Erik Gustafsson on waivers—a move widely interpreted as clearing a path for 20-year-old Axel Sandin-Pellikka—underscores that youth movement. As a result, the Red Wings appear poised to open the season with an especially young defensive corps.
"They put Holl and Gustafsson on waivers, which is totally fine, but that says to me, they're thinking about doing a really young defense to start the year, like a really young D, we talked about this at the year end last year how Yzerman didn't give out term to veterans because he's like, the young guys need to play and I will bet on these young players, I wonder if that bet really starts right now, I just I don't think that they're ready," Friedman told The Hockey News.
I disagree, but Friedman has a point
When Steve Yzerman helmed the Tampa Bay Lightning, he encountered strikingly similar skepticism. The team missed the postseason in two of his first three years as general manager, prompting a chorus of critics who fixated on immediate results rather than long-term vision. Many fans were impatient, their focus rooted firmly in the present. Some even called for Yzerman’s dismissal—a reaction that, in hindsight, lacked any real strategic grounding.
Yzerman, however, remained steadfast. Renowned for his patience and foresight, he methodically built a foundation that would define an era. He drafted Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Brayden Point, Ondřej Palát, and Anthony Cirelli—players who would become the core of a powerhouse.
Through shrewd trades, he also brought in Ryan McDonagh, Mikhail Sergachev, and Erik Černák. The result? Nearly every one of those names blossomed into bona fide stars, anchoring a roster that would go on to capture multiple Stanley Cups.
And to Friedman’s broader point about youth, one could argue that there’s no better way for young players to elevate their game than by consistently testing themselves against elite competition. Moreover, the suggestion that Yzerman has ignored the veteran market doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.
Last season’s penalty kill was abysmal, and in direct response, Yzerman added experienced forwards James van Riemsdyk and Mason Appleton to stabilize that area. What Friedman likely means is that Detroit didn’t make any seismic, headline-grabbing veteran acquisitions—and that the current blue line may lack the seasoned presence typically associated with playoff-bound teams. But youth doesn't necessarily make you irrelevant. Sidney Crosby was how old when he led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Stanley Cup? 21? That's only one year older than Axel Sandin-Pellikka is right now.
Friedman's argument also overlooks a crucial detail: the Red Wings are sitting on more than $11 million in available cap space. They’re not preoccupied with chasing marquee superstars like Kirill Kaprizov or Connor McDavid, both of whom are under contract.
And, as history shows, a key component of Yzerman’s Tampa Bay blueprint involved well-timed, calculated trades. With that kind of financial flexibility, it’s entirely plausible that Yzerman could bolster the roster at the trade deadline to deepen the team’s playoff push. What form that move will take remains to be seen—but make no mistake, there’s every reason to believe the Detroit Red Wings are poised to claim a postseason berth.