There comes a time in a rebuild where an organization needs to shift priorities. For some, this means trading draft picks and focusing on immediate talent. For others, it means moving on from players that haven't developed and prioritizing the ones that are developing. In the case of the Detroit Red Wings, it's a little more complex than that. Yes, the team has a bevy of young prospects, but where they fall short comes from the pro scouting department.
Of all the major acquisitions general manager Steve Yzerman has acquired in his time with Detroit, only a few have managed to find success. Shayne Gostisbehre was great in his single season with the Red Wings. Alex DeBrincat is the offensive MVP of the team. But, beyond that, there have been far more misses than hits.
It's clear that the pro scouting department needs to be seriously examined or the Red Wings will continue to sign contracts that age like milk in the summer sun. With that in mind, the Red Wings should take a page from their Eastern Conference rival's notebook and target the pro scouting staff of the Carolina Hurricanes.
What the Hurricanes do best in the NHL
If you've watched the playoffs at all this postseason, you know just how lethal the Hurricanes have been. They've won all eight games they've played and swept both playoff rounds. When they faced the Ottawa Senators, they never once yielded a lead. The line of Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake has a combined 31 points and makes a combined salary of $4.87 million.
How in the world did they manage this? Part of it has to do with drafting. Jackson Blake was the 109th pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. Stankoven and Hall, however, came in from other organizations. Hall was a throw-in piece given to the Hurricanes by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first Mikko Rantanen trade. Stankoven came from the second Rantanen trade. In the regular season, Hall and Stankoven combined for 92 points. Rantanen, on the other hand, scored 77.
Yes, you read that correctly. Not only did the Hurricanes replace Rantanen's elite production, they added a surplus of points for less than a third of Rantanen's salary.
The Hall and Stankoven trades aren't the only acquisitions that have paid dividends for the Hurricanes. K'Andre Miller, who the Hurricanes acquired from the New York Rangers last season, has six points in eight games this series. Former Red Wing Shayne Gostisbehere, acquired in free agency, scored 50 points in 55 games -- nearly a point-per-game.
You get the idea.
How a new pro scouting staff can bolster the Red Wings
If the Red Wings want to show they're serious about this rebuild, they need to start pillaging the Hurricanes' pro scouting staff. The Hurricanes are the gold standard of what pro scouts can bring to the table. There's certainly an argument to be made for the Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche as well, but nobody is doing it quite as efficiently as the Hurricanes.
When looking at the teams still in the playoffs, an important trend begins to manifest itself:
Found it 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/nCcA32Lfcc
May 6, 2026Drafting and developing within an organization is still the crux of contention, but the proverbial bread of a contender is buttered on trades and free agency. Powerhouse teams like the Avalanche are built with a core of in-house talent and bolstered by trades and free agents. The Hurricanes have found extra help in later rounds of the draft, but their additional help comes from outside the organizaiton.
It goes without saying that the amateur scouting is working for the Red Wings. The Yzerman administration has found talent in just about every round of the draft. The wheels fall off the wagon with pro scouting, though. In Yzerman's tenure, there hasn't been a single free agent signing that's made a measurable impact on this team.
The only way the Red Wings can seriously contend in the future is if they upend their pro scouting department. You can't solve everything from within. Like the rest of the NHL's contenders, the Red Wings should seek help from outside.
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