The Detroit Red Wings shocked the NHL landscape on Wednesday. They announced that Steve Yzerman would no longer lead the front office and hockey decisions, moving on to a different role with the organization. The Yzerplan is officially dead, and the Red Wings are moving on.
The reasoning was clear. Red Wings CEO and Governor made that clear in the press release.
“Clearly, we are not where we and our fans expect to be as an organization,” said Ilitch. “I’m looking forward to bringing in new leadership to build the championship-caliber organization Hockeytown deserves.”
For decades, the Red Wings were considered the franchise everyone wanted to emulate. They always made the playoffs and had the Stanley Cups to back up their reputation.
That reputation is essentially gone. When Steve Yzerman left the Tampa Bay Lightning and came “home” to the Detroit Red Wings, it seemed like a knight in shining armor coming to save his kingdom. Yzerman helped build a dynasty in Tampa, even if all the winning came after he left. The Red Wings hadn’t made the playoffs since 2016. Prior to 2016, the last time they missed the playoffs was 1990.
They haven’t made the playoffs since 2016. We officially hit 10 straight postseasons without a playoff appearance in the Motor City. This is Hockeytown. How are we doing the Stanley Cup Playoffs without Hockeytown USA?
Detroit wants to get back to the postseason, but the future depends on who they hire to replace Yzerman. And that GM might have the hardest job in hockey. It’s not just the pressure that comes with being a leader in Detroit. This franchise has so much left to do this offseason.
It all starts with Dylan Larkin. Many blame the bungling of the Larkin trade request as to why Yzerman is no longer in charge. The rumors were interesting, with the asks for Larkin ranging from Matthew Boldy in Minnesota to Wyatt Johnston in Dallas. Of course, these are just rumors, but it’s telling that we’re more than a month since Larkin’s trade proposal became public, and he remains with the Red Wings.
Many blame the very short list that Larkin reportedly gave to the Wings. Since he has a full no–trade clause, he can essentially pick and choose where he ends up. He gave Yzerman the options of the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and more recently, the Dallas Stars.
The new GM has to rectify this situation very quickly. We’re talking a week or two. Either trade Larkin somewhere, or make it clear he’s sticking around with such a short trade list. Either way, the franchise needs closure in this situation, and they need it fast with a new person in charge.
Dylan Larkin's trade request is only part one of the new Red Wings GM's to-do list
The other big name that needs a resolution is Alex DeBrincat. He was briefly in trade rumors this offseason along with Larkin, but those have seriously quieted down. Still, the Wings have to figure out their direction, and what they do with DeBrincat will determine that.
Either the Wings have to sell high on DeBrincat or extend him. He’s going to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season. They have to either build around him or get assets to build around the next generation.
Speaking of the next generation, sneakily, the most important contract of the offseason is the one for Simon Edvinsson. The former sixth-overall pick was given the rock last season, playing 22 minutes of ice time per game. He had 25 points in 72 games. He’s not going to take over as the top defenseman. Moritz Seider has that role locked down, but with the crazy contracts given out to the likes of Simon Nemec and Bowen Byram, defensemen are still getting paid for their draft pedigree.
Edvinsson will likely get a huge contract from the next guy in charge. They still have close to $20 million in cap space, and that’s with Larkin on the roster.
On top of all that, the new GM has to figure out where this team is going. Will they re-sign Patrick Kane and try to compete, or is a reset or… gulp… a rebuild in order? Seider and Lucas Raymond are young enough to survive a rebuild and still be in their primes when it’s time to compete. However, this might not be the direction ownership wants to go in.
There’s so much to do and not much time to do it.
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