Invasion of the Swedes? (bring it on)
Personnel on defense is still important.
As for personnel, the Detroit Red Wings have revamped their roster. It’s not quite the turnover that we have seen in seasons past, but the defense core is getting a shake up.
Ben Chiarot (yeah, I get he was better last season, still not my favorite)
Justin Holl (oh dear, seems like a nice guy but he gets a bit too exciting for my taste on the ice)
Olli Määttä (suck it Määttä traders)
Jeff Petry (seems like a nice dude, again not my favorite but all good)
Moritz Seider (does he even go here anymore?)
Newbies (Hooked on a feeling, are we?):
Erik Gustafsson (another Swede, let’s gooo)
Simon Edvinsson (well, kind of new)
William Lagesson (see Gustafsson)
Albert Johansson (leader of the sassy Swedes)
Out:
Jake Walman (farewell to a hero)
Shayne Gostisbehere (get that dough and term, just not from our team)
There’s a lot to unpack, but focusing on the most important factors, in my opinion, Yzerman didn’t go on a spending frenzy this free agency. It’s a nice change of pace.
While it looks like too many names for Edvinsson and Johansson to make a push, there seems to be more flexibility.
Gustafsson comes in to fill the hole left by Gostisbehere, but he isn’t an exact match. If he’s not blowing things out of the water on the power play (or if Seider takes a step back on the power play), Edvinsson would be a fantastic candidate to try on the point. The flexibility of being able to pull back guys and have the depth of an Edvinsson changes things a bit, as there weren’t many defense options to fill in on the power play units last season.
Lagesson and Johansson are likely battling for the seventh spot on defense, but it’s possible (even likely, in my opinion) that Johansson could bump a guy like Holl or Petry. Although Johansson is a left-handed shooting defenseman, he’s played on the right side in his career with some regularity.
At points last season, Johansosn and Edvinsson were a formidable pairing. Johnsson seemed to pick apart the offensive zone cycles of the opponents and transition up to Edvinsson. In turn, Edvinsson would jump start the rush, whether through a pass or carrying the puck up himself.
As the season went along, a few injuries and call ups later the pair wasn’t as successful. However, it speaks to Johansson’s ability to play high up (first pairing minutes in the American Hockey League (AHL)) in a professional hockey league.
Of course, it’s not the National Hockey League (NHL). For those wondering, I think there’s about a 0.0000001% chance Edvinsson and Johansson see ice time together this upcoming season (or really any time in the future with Lalonde as the coach).
He likes to put veterans with the young players, which makes sense.
I think a better defensive pair for a guy like Johansson would be Määttä.
The NHL will have a steep learning curve that Johansson is built to thrive in, but it will take time to adjust. Having a reliable, steady, calm presence like Määttä will make a world of difference for Johansson.
Then, with Edvinsson I know that everyone wants to see him play with Seider as a top pair defenseman.
Let’s give the people what they want, I could see a world where they play together opening night as a pair. While it’s not likely, as it would be too much fun, it’s still more than possible.
Both players have stated they want to play together. I don’t take it as just lip service or an anecdote. When people want to be around each other, it creates a positive environment in anything that they’re doing.
Also, their games might be complimentary. Edvinsson is an impeccable skater who thinks the game differently from most players. He can also do things that nobody else can do on the ice. His overall game is sound, offensively and defensively, and really lacks nothing talent and sill wise.
The biggest opportunities for Edvinsson include his confidence, consistency, and applying himself more often than not.
Seider is a great hype man. His game is also well-rounded. Although his skating and vision for the game may not be on par with Edvinsson, his experience and hunger drives him to soaring heights.
This hungry side of Seider could help Edvinsson channel his own game, as sometimes he goes out to lunch or seems to focus on things that take away from his game.
Edvinsson seems to feed off of the energy of others, mirroring theirs and I think Seider could be a great foil for Edvinsson.
They both can get pretty mean and nasty too. The Detroit Red Wings could use a bit more mean and nasty, especially on the top pairing.
The only question is, would Lalonde be willing to put a rookie defenseman on the top pair? I would hope so, if Edvinsson proves he’s earned it, then he should get the spot.
If not, he’s likely on the second pair with Petry. Chiarot or Gustafsson is probably on the top pair with Seider.
Arguably, I think this second scenario isn’t as fun. While making the second pairing a bit stronger with Edvinsson, it leaves the top pair weaker and Seider to do the heavy lifting again. I’m not sure it would do the team many favors.
My dark horse, hot take: don’t sleep on Shai Buium.
He’s likely bound for a year playing for the Grand Rapids Griffins. Yzerman made it clear with Marco Kasper, Simon Edvinsson, and many more that he is not rushing prospects. It seems like a stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is inevitable for everyone not named Lucas Raymond (and likely Axel Sandin-Pellikka).
However, if there’s anyone on defense who makes a surprise appearance in the Detroit Red Wings lineup, my money would be on Buium.
He’s the most intriguing prospect in the Detroit Red Wings system.
After spending three seasons playing for the Denver Pioneers, winning two championships, he’s proved that he’s not a passenger or a depth piece.
Buium is a two-way defenseman with surprising pops of offense. His skating is effective, even if it’s not as smooth as the Swedes, and his positioning is good. Very smart player with excellent vision, Buium will become a fan favorite.
He’s played in all situations and been successful all over the ice. Leading his team in the regular season with a +33, he appeared in 43 games while scoring 7 goals and 29 helpers.
I’m not sure where he’s spending the summer, but I’m hoping he gets some more time with Niklas Kronwall.
Forgot to mention, Buium can dish some great hits, like his development coach (not to the same degree, of course, or as often).
Overall, I think the personnel will seem to have regressed on paper. I think this regression won’t last long, though, if the young players are given real chances to play meaningful roles with impactful minutes.
They might take a handful of games to adjust, but they have a high potential to perform better this upcoming season than the previous roster performed in 2023-24.