The Red Wings forward group should’ve been better than it was, but wow, after the No. 5 name on this list, the overall value here took a nosedive. Yeah, that may be a spoiler alert, and one that tells you just how ultra-talented this team could be if they had a fully-fledged top six, or top seven, really.
One of those players is a wild card since he missed the last third of the season, while No.s 7 and 8 were major disappointments. So, brace yourself for quite the discrepancy here for my takes in these forward power rankings.
Oh, and as a side note: Forwards who were traded, or those who saw fewer than 25 games of action are not included. So if you see a few missing names, now you know why. That said, let’s get on with who the top 12 forwards are, right now, who played with the Red Wings big club.
12 - Tyler Motte
Tyler Motte will be heading into his age-30 season and doesn’t look like much more than fourth-line depth. Should he return to Detroit, Motte may be a 13th/14th forward while the youngsters, like our No. 11 forward on the list, see more ice time.
11 - Elmer Soderblom
I’ve seen mixed results for Elmer Soderblom, but I’ve been impressed. His size is just scary, and the fact he uses it to his advantage shows us that the Red Wings may have a big hitter on their hands. It’s something they need following the Joe Veleno trade, but Soderblom also impressed with 11 points and four goals in 26 games.
10 - Jonatan Berggren
Experience and overall ice time are the only reasons Jonatan Berggren gets the nod over Soderblom. Berggren hasn’t been bad, with 24 points and 12 goals in 75 games, but that’s not what the Red Wings signed for when they shifted him into a full-time role. He’s a restricted free agent, so the Wings have the first right of refusal here, but I’d be hesitant about keeping him.
9 - Michael Rasmussen
Michael Rasmussen is one of the Red Wings biggest hitters and he can grind it out with lower-line minutes. His offensive production isn’t great, but he’s still good for double-digit goals and assists. But still, defense and the intimidation factor are what makes him so enticing.
8 - J.T. Compher
J.T. Compher took a step back in 2024-25, and you can even dub this past season as a massive disappointment. Compher put up just 11 goals and 32 points in 76 games, a far cry from what the Wings needed from a top-six forward still in the thick of his prime.
7 - Vladimir Tarasenko
Probably the Red Wings biggest disappointment, and it ain’t even close. Okay, Todd, so why did you rank him in the middle of the pack? Honestly? Because Tarasenko struggled through just one off-year, so I’m not tanking him just yet. If Steve Yzerman doesn’t move Tarasenko, and if he returns at full force, nobody’s remembering this past debacle of a season.
6 - Andrew Copp
Is it a coincidence that the Red Wings started fading when Andrew Copp went down? Maybe. And while Copp didn’t enjoy a spectacular season with just 10 goals and 23 points in 56 games, the Wings lost a reliable forward who could win at the face-off dot.
5 - Marco Kasper
I was tempted to move Marco Kasper up a notch, but it takes more than one good season to upend the No. 4 player on this list. Kasper finished the year with 19 goals and 37 points in 77 contests, and he became a sledgehammer on a team that needed one. It wouldn’t surprise me if he developed into the Red Wings best all-around forward.
4 - Patrick Kane
Like I said, you need more than one good season to pass up a legend who can still play. No, Patrick Kane’s not what he was, but he’s still a monster on the power play, is a 20-plus goal scorer, and he’s good for between 55 and 60 points a season. Until he proves otherwise, Kane’s a top-five forward on the Wings.
3 - Dylan Larkin
If you were to flashback to October 2024 and if I made these rankings then, Dylan Larkin would’ve been my No. 1 forward here. He was solid, but he stumbled when the Wings needed him to perform well, and his recent comments targeting Steve Yzerman didn’t help him. Still, he’s a top-three forward here, but Marco Kasper may be one good year away from passing him.
2 - Alex DeBrincat
He’s the Red Wings best scorer. Period. That said, if Alex DeBrincat can reach that point-per-game level we all know he’s capable of, he’ll challenge the No. 1 player on this list. I mean, few players can score at will more than DeBrincat.
1 - Lucas Raymond
Yep, Lucas Raymond’s not just the top forward on the Red Wings; he’s evolving into one of the game’s best. Having finished his age-22 season, Raymond hasn’t even scratched the surface of his prime yet, and he’s almost as close to point-per-game status as one can get. I’m expecting at least 90 points in 2025-26 as he slowly takes over as the face of the franchise.
More from Octopus Thrower