The Red Wings currently have six players vying to fill the bottom pair in the upcoming 2025-26 season. Unfortunately for them, only two can fill that role regularly, and not all defensemen are created equal.
As it stands, the Red Wings have four NHL vets in Erik Gustafsson, Jacob Bernard-Docker (JBD), Justin Holl, and recently signed Travis Hamonic, along with two rookies in Axel Sandin-Pellikka (ASP) and William Wallinder, looking to grab those final two spots on the team's defense and all bring something to the table that the others don't.
So the big question remains "Who is going to grab those final spots?" So I decided to try and answer that question and find out who would be the best possible combination to fill their bottom pair.
Rookies, Vets, or Both?
This is a relatively tough question since we have so many options. So I have to think "What would Yzerman and McLellan do?" Well, obviously, they would pick the two guys who make the team the best possible, based on analytics alone, that would eliminate the likes of Hamonic and Holl as neither had good 2024-25 campaigns.
Hamonic wasn't very good at either end of the ice, and Holl was terrible in the defensive zone but was passable in the offensive zone. Though Hamonic has the advantage of being a heavy hitter and tough guy. Something Holl hasn't displayed much of.
So if you eliminate Holl and Hamonic from contention, then you have to look into the other four players, and if you're looking for offense talent, then you're primarily going to look at the likes of Gustafsson and Sandin-Pellikka to take those spots. Both offer roughly the same amount of defense, but Sandin-Pellikka has the higher offensive potential. Not to mention the age factor could play a role in any decision made on ASP.
If you're looking for a more well-rounded type of player, then you're gonna be looking at the likes of Bernard-Docker and Wallinder. Both offer solid offensive upside while being able to handle themselves defensively. Neither will be game-breaking D-men who take the game by the reins and pop off for five points, but neither are likely to sink your ship either.
So the question becomes, who do you pick for your final two defensemen? Well, the answer is, you pick three of them. If I were Red Wings management and coaching, I would first look at last season and think about what's needed to round out the defense. Well, you needed a steady hand that can manage the puck in their own end while also being able to adequately transition the puck to the neutral zone.
In my opinion, that's Erik Gustafsson. He didn't have a stellar start to his first season with the Red Wings, but after McLellan took over as head coach, he noticeably played a better all-around game. His defense was still lacking, but he's capable of being better defensively, and I believe he will be this upcoming season.
My second choice would be Jacob Benard-Dockar. He provides an ok amount of offense, but is capable of more and is solid defensively, so he's not going to submarine the team when he's on the ice in his own zone, and can be relied upon to provide enough defense to make him an acknowledged threat in the offensive zone.
Finally, I would bring in Wallinder as the extra defenseman. He got a call-up last season (albeit for one game, and he didn't dress), but it showed where the team sees him, in terms of the overall hierarchy of the Red Wings' defense prospects pipeline.
Not to mention he's a big body, solid skater, and one of the most well-rounded defense prospects the team has, providing solid offensive and defensive talent. He's a good option to spot fill, or even to place in a rotation.
The rest of them are destined for Grand Rapids. Holl and Hamonic are too big of defensive liabilities to be given a regular role on the team, and while I think ASP has the potential to do what Lucas Raymond did and break the door down, I don't believe that he's physically going to be able to handle the NHL level without playing at least one season in the AHL.