Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman should be left without a choice if he plans on gaining ground on two teams that passed up his own this season. The Wings looked like they sprinted out in front of the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens last season, only for both teams to prove them wrong one year later.
Instead, the Wings watched the Sens and Habs sneak into the playoffs as wild card teams. To make matters worse, Detroit fell out of contention, thanks to playing some bad down-the-stretch hockey. They disappointed fans who expected differently, and Yzerman may’ve made matters worse when he seemingly defended the lack of moves he made at the trade deadline.
Fortunately for that contingent of fans who expected better, they might get their wish. Yzerman didn’t say much when asked if he’d go after a big-name free agent if one became available, but it should be enough to give hope to the fanbase. "Absolutely. And we’ve kind of felt that all along," were his opening words. That said, it looks like Yzerman’s finally getting the message.
Simply considering a big-name free agent isn’t enough
It’s one thing to say you’d be happy to consider, but it’s another thing to pursue them. I get that you don’t want to bump serviceable players and young stars from the lineup or mess with the brewing team chemistry, and you shouldn’t. But, if you have a chance to bring in an eight-figure player who could serve as the centerpiece that your team doesn’t have right now, you take it.
That’s what Yzerman must realize this summer. Signing gadget players to fill gaps is what rebuilding teams do. But the ‘rebuilding’ label should no longer apply to the Red Wings. Yeah, some fans will claim they’re not done rebuilding until they snag a playoff berth. But the Wings have at least evolved into fringe contenders, meaning they’re, at worst, a building team.
So, Yzerman must find a way to get a deal done should he look into signing a big-name free agent. Well, not even looking into it. It’s non-negotiable. Seek out that free agent, give them what they want, and get fans in Hockeytown excited in a way they haven’t been for well over a decade, or else the fans won’t be happy with you.
What kind of damage would the Red Wings do with an eight-figure star?
This is almost never the case, but suppose everything remained equal in the Atlantic Division and the Wings simply added a big-name. That alone would at least let them challenge for a top-three spot in the Atlantic. And yeah, you can argue that the best teams have multiple stars. But that one name could catapult someone like Lucas Raymond into that Leon Draisaitl type of role.
So, not only are we talking about a player who’d bring the Wings an immediate bump in productivity, elevating players around him. But a surefire talent like Lucas Raymond would benefit even more and likely evolve into at least a 90-point player. And if that happened, I’d be scared of the Red Wings and what they’d be capable of.
If I were Yzerman, bringing in that eight-figure talent would top my to-do list. If that was the only big move I made in the offseason while keeping the team as-is, I’d like my chances to wreak havoc in the Atlantic in the foreseeable future, while also passing up Ottawa and Montreal.