The Detroit Red Wings are getting some much-needed rest. The team is off as the All-Star Break has arrived. That said, we are continuing with our Octopus Thrower midseason report cards. Next up is the team's breakout netminder, Alex Lyon.
As the Detroit Red Wings look ahead to the second half, we're looking back on what the team has done so far. Alex Lyon has been a heartbeat for this team, in a way. While Dylan Larkin captains things up front, Lyon has really earned his role between the pipes.
While an injury to Ville Husso has left the Red Wings with a changing tide between the crease, Lyon has proven that it was his crease to lose this month. With the Red Wings posting a 20-point month overall, it was impressive to see how well Lyon was able to play, stepping up in Husso's absence and putting the team on his back.
If you think about it, he did put the team on his back, helping Detroit go 9-2-2 on the month. But, overall, he played a significant role for Detroit, with all three netminders splitting time amid some injury issues and poor performance in December.
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon has been a godsend.
It's been quite impressive to see what Lyon has been able to do. Heading into this year, it was expected that Husso would be the team's primary goaltender. James Reimer was slated to be the backup. Frankly, I thought that Lyon was going to be the Red Wings AHL netminder and come up if he was absolutely needed, boy was I wrong.
The Red Wings carried all three netminders into the year, and Lyon got some looks from the Red Wings, and now he's the team's no.1 netminder. With Husso having some injury trouble and Lyon being red-hot in January, it really feels that way.
Specifically, posting an 8-2-2 record this month, with a 2.50 goals-against average (GAA) and a .923 save percentage (SV%), also posting a shutout. For Lyon, he's surpassed career highs in games played and been money in the process with the Red Wings.
In 2023-24 as a whole, Lyon has played in 21 games with a 13-6-2 record, with a 2.51 GAA and .922 SV% along the way. He's got a .619 quality-start percentage as well. Plain and simple, Lyon has been impeccable between the pipes, and Detroit's better off with him in the net.
This year, Lyon has been every bit of exceptional for the Red Wings. He's leading the Red Wings netminders in games played with his 21 starts. The 31-year-old has established himself as the dominant goaltender, which has only fueled the Red Wings' solid performances.
Husso's had his durability issues, but injuries have left him on the sidelines. However, it's not a big deal because Lyon's efforts have helped Detroit stay in the race. Lyon knows what it means to play in big games, and he had to take over for Sergei Bobrovsky, seeing time in four games across the post-season, making three starts for the Florida Panthers.
Bobrovsky's injury threw Lyon into the fire, and while he may not have led the Panthers to the promised land, he got his taste of playoff hockey and the sense of urgency and fire that these players play with. Now, in Detroit, he'll captain the crease alongside Husso as the Red Wings are hoping to bust back into the playoffs.
Lyon's efforts are more than worthy of an A for his midseason grade. The next question is whether he can help hold things down in the second half. But to this point, Lyon's been huge for the Red Wings.