The Detroit Red Wings are finally approaching the end of their rebuild. While it probably took longer than most of us would prefer, that's just the reality of a full teardown rebuild. Plus, the lack of a top-three pick in the entire rebuild's history and a few major swings and misses by former Red Wings general manager Ken Holland made this rebuild feel tedious and longer than many other full-teardown rebuilds.
Fortunately, even with the lack of luck from the draft lottery, Steve Yzerman has drafted incredibly well and has given the team a plethora of fantastic players to boost the Wings to the next level. There are enough young players either in the NHL already or getting ready to make the jump who I can confidently say will be a major part of the Red Wings' future success.
Some of these guys are already on the team, and others are on their way to the big club. The Red Wings need most, if not all, of these guys to reach their ceilings for the team to have sustainable long-term success.
These four Detroit Red Wings roster players need to continue to grow as players and leaders
Dylan Larkin
Drafted: 15th overall, 2014 NHL Entry Draft
This may be the most obvious of obvious choices. Not only is Larkin the captain of the Red Wings, but he's also been the team's heart and soul since being drafted. Not only that, but He's the longest-tenured active Detroit Sports Athlete out of all four major leagues.
On top of all of that, he's been the most consistent member of the Red Wings and, until recently, he's been by far the Red Wings' best player. While he's still been one of the team's best players, he's grown immensely into a leader and one of the biggest voices in the locker room.
His leadership isn't just seen and felt in the locker room but on the ice as well. Very, very seldom does Larkin have a bad game, and far more often than not, he's one of, if not, the hardest-working forwards on the team night in and night out.
Lucas Raymond
Drafted 4th overall, 2020 NHL Entry Draft
Raymond has solidified himself as a superstar and potentially the best player on the Red Wings. He was always destined to become a star in the league, but has recently become a massive leader on the ice.
After taking the reins at the tail end of the 2023-24 season, when Larkin went down with an injury in March, he went on an absolute tear. Raymond earned 21 points in the last 20 games and is dragging this team to continue being in playoff contention, kicking and screaming until the very last game of the season.
Raymond has continued his rise to stardom with the Red Wings in the 2024-25 season hitting a career high in both assists and points as he's become more of a setup man for the top line than the goal scorer he was in the 2023-24 season. Still, he's managed to maintain a point per game pace all season, and at 23 years old, he still has tons of room to grow.
Moritz Seider
Drafted 5th overall, 2019 NHL Entry Draft
The moment Mo Seider was brought into the NHL, he became the Red Wings' number one defender. Until the arrival of Simon Edvinsson, he was the team's only hope for consistent and physical defense night in and out.
Seider has consistently had some of the hardest minutes in the NHL since debuting in the 2021-22 season, all while being paired up with lackluster defenders. This never halted his offensive production, finishing his rookie season with seven goals and 50 points. That was good enough to net him the Calder Memorial Trophy.
He has shown off his leadership development on and off the ice and regularly voices his opinions on how he feels the team is performing during post-game interviews. He's only 24 and getting better every season.
Simon Edvinsson
Drafted 6th overall, 2021 NHL Entry Draft
One of the newest members of the Red Wings roster, and the latest in Red Wings' blueline pillars, Edvinsson has already solidified his spot as one of Detroit's cornerstones for the future. Not only is he on par with Seider in every facet, but he may just edge out Seider in terms of offensive talent.
Edvinsson was thrown to the wolves in his first full season with the Red Wings. He was paired with Seider on the top pair, and together, they logged the hardest minutes in the NHL. The tough competition didn't seem to hamper him at all; in fact, he seemed to thrive on it. He defended toe-to-toe with Seider while also showing off his offensive prowess. Edvinsson looks like a shoo-in to become a top defender in the league.
The sky is the limit for Edvinsson. If he's able to continue his current development path, then I have no doubt in my mind that the Red Wings are about to have one of the best (if not the best) top defensive pairings in the NHL. I may be so bold as to say it could even be the best defensive pairing the Red Wings have ever had.