You can claim that there's hardly a single member of the Detroit Red Wings not on the hot seat. In the preseason, players can shine while others may tank, and it could change the projected trajectory of anyone.
But there will always be a few guys out there who, regardless of how many players end up on the hot seat, could have their respective fates sealed this preseason. And that's what we're talking about as the Wings preseason kicks off.
Here are three players who could either find themselves in Grand Rapids or wearing another uniform in just two weeks.
Jonatan Berggren
Nobody's on a hotter seat right now than the former 2018 second-round pick. Jonatan Berggren's had his chances, and he's brought forth more downs than ups. The fanbase is rightfully frustrated that he hasn't broken out yet and has put up marginal play as a lower, and primarily fourth, liner.
Yeah, he had a couple good games there when paired with Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin toward the end of the season. He showed urgency and delivered, which raised the bar for Berggren heading into the preseason.
But then again, even Vladimir Tarasenko had a two-goal outing last year, so let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. In an 82-game slate, even the worst players can shine, so consistency's key with Berggren, or else the Wings might just have seen enough.
Carter Mazur
If Carter Mazur wasn't so injury prone, I'd peg him in, right now, that he'd wrap up a spot on the Red Wings big club. Mazur's shown he can be physical, productive, and play hard until he finishes his shift before going back out there with fresh legs.
Mazur needs to have a healthy preseason, and if it earns him a spot with the Wings, then he must find ways to keep himself out of trouble when the games count. That might force him to switch up his playing style, but if he helps the Wings in other ways, then he's still adding a new dimension to a team that can use one.
Regardless, expect Steve Yzerman to give Carter Mazur a long look here. He was good enough for a recall last season, even if things didn't go even remotely as planned.
Justin Holl
I could've used Erik Gustafsson, Travis Hamonic, and Jacob Bernard-Docker. But both Justin Holl and the Red Wings have the most to lose here, considering his $3.4 million cap hit. Burying the other guys in Grand Rapids wouldn't be as big of a deal, but that's not the case with Holl.
If Holl plans on sticking around Hockeytown, he must realize that there are more options this season than there were in 2024-25, when he could look around the locker room and say, "Hey, there's no one else."
Sad, but true. Holl could be a good option on the third pairing if he figures out his positioning and adds more physical prowess to his game. What are the chances of that happening? Less than the universe's smallest atom, if that makes any sense whatsoever.