Insight into Detroit Red Wings

NHL.com offers detailed roster, prospectus and fantasy analysis for each of its 31 teams from November 16 through December 16. 16. Today the Detroit Red Wings.

The Detroit Red Wings will look very different this season.

They were active in the trading and free agent markets and added a goalkeeper Thomas Greiss;; defender Jon Merrill, Marc Staal and Troy engraver;; and forward Bobby Ryan and Vladislav Namestnikov.

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At the same time, they subtracted goalkeeper Jimmy Howard; Defense attorneys Trevor Daley and Jonathan Ericsson; and onwards Justin Abdelkader and Brendan Perlini.

They are patient and methodical in their reconstruction. General manager Steve Yzerman declines to provide a schedule for returning to the Stanley Cup playoffs that the Red Wings have missed out on for the past four seasons.

You have to wait for top prospects to develop, like striker Lucas Raymond, number 4 in the 2020 NHL draft, and defender Moritz Seider, number 6 in the 2019 NHL draft.

That doesn’t mean they were satisfied with it after last season when they went 17-49-5, finished last in the league and the worst point percentage (.275) since the NHL salary cap was introduced in 2005 -06 had.

“We’ll just keep doing what we do,” said Yzerman. “We’re going to look for ways to improve the team. The plan is not just to sit down and not try to get better and better from year to year. We will try to get better from year to year.

“The reality is that you are limited to what you can do and that you are limited to the time it takes to develop each prospect. [Becoming a contender is] Just not as easy as just going out there and doing some trades and getting really good players and signing up some free agents. “

The idea is to improve in the short term, but remain flexible in the medium and long term and gain time for the next wave of players.

None of the newcomers had long-term commitments. Greiss, Stetcher and Namestnikov are each committed for two seasons. Merrill, Staal, and Ryan are each signed for one.

Greiss improves the gate and joins it Jonathan Bernier To make Detroit strong in the position. Staal, Stecher and Merrill bring experience and depth to the defender. Ryan makes a hit on the wing, especially in power play, and Namestnikov is a smart, experienced player who can play in the middle or on the wing in any situation.

“It’s going to be great,” said striker Anthony Mantha. “We know that Bobby can shoot the puck. Obviously he’s been there a long time and we know what he’s capable of. And Namestnikov keeps the puck in summer training and he likes to control it. And I think in Detroit we don’t have enough players who hold the puck like him. Hopefully they can have a huge impact on us in the near future. “

Yzerman left open the possibility that the Red Wings could do more ahead of the season slated to start Jan. 1.

“We have a lot of bodies right now,” said Yzerman. “I think there might be room to add something and I would consider it as we move on or as we get closer to knowing when to start.”

The Red Wings need more growth from some of the younger players who are already in the roster and starring: Mantha, 26; forward Tyler Bertuzzi, 25 and Dylan Larkin24; and defense attorney Filip Hronek23

Many of their best prospects are in Europe, but at least one pair could play in Detroit this season. Striker Filip Zadina, number 6 in the 2018 NHL draft, was loaned to Trinec from the Czech Extraliga, but can come to North America after the start of the NHL and AHL seasons. Seider was loaned to Rogle of the Swedish Hockey League, but can return to North America from Rogle after the end of the season.

“We’ll be competitors at some point,” said Mantha, who signed a four-year deal on November 3rd. “Rebuilding takes a couple of years to get there and then the team will be fine and then that is.” Opportunity will come. When it’s year two, three or four I’ll be there and hopefully I can help this team. “