After a busy offseason ahead of the 2022-23 NHL season, there was a marketable increase in the Detroit Red Wings’ playoff hopes compared to years past. Unfortunately, even after the free agent acquisitions of Andrew Copp, David Perron, and Dominik Kubalik, and the trade to acquire goaltender Ville Husso, the Red Wings were only able to improve by three wins this year. Speaking with Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now (Tweet Link), Detroit’s GM Steve Yzerman pinpoints the team’s need to improve their goaltending situation.
This season, all of Detroit’s three goalies, Husso as well as Alex Nedeljkovic and Magnus Hellberg, all held a Quality Start Percentage less than 50% and produced a Goals Saved Above Average of -13.5, -4.4, and -8.2, respectively. In more topical statistics, none of their goaltenders produced a GAA of 3.00 or less, and none were able to sport a SV% of .900 or more.
Much like Allen notes in his piece about the Red Wings’ goaltending situation, there are very sound arguments to be made that goaltending statistics can typically be a different expression of team statistics. However, there were a handful of goaltenders this season, on teams that held worse positions in the standings than Detroit, that actually produced much better numbers than the Red Wings’ goalies.
Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, and Alex Stalock of the Chicago Blackhawks, both produced fairly good numbers on poor-performing teams this season. In Philadelphia, Hart was able to produce a GSAA of 4.4, as well as a GAA of 2.94, with a SV% of .907. For the Blackhawks, Stalock held a GSAA of 3.0, also putting together a SV% of .908.
In the long-term goaltending vision of the Red Wings, all eyes should be on the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, Sebastian Cossa. Unable to crack the roster of Detroit’s AHL affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins at the beginning of the season, Cossa played very well for the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL. In 46 starts for the Walleye this season, Cossa went 26-16-1, carrying a GAA of 2.56 and a SV% of .913.
In the short term, although there is a lack of elite goaltenders in the upcoming free agency season, there are still a handful of veteran goaltenders that would notably improve the Red Wings’ performance between the pipes. Antti Raanta of the Carolina Hurricanes, Joonas Korpisalo of the Los Angeles Kings, Semyon Varlamov of the New York Islanders, and Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights all come to mind as a fit for Detroit next season.
As Detroit fans have become accustomed to since Yzerman’s takeover in 2019, the team’s general manager has always remained prudent in his attempt at cultivating the next great Red Wings team. This offseason, expect much of the same, as this franchise has its eyes locked on the future.
Jarry of the Penguins likely to be a FA as well. But he’s a major question mark
I agree, but I will say, and this is not meant to be a knock on Jarry because I do think this is at least halfway part of how the team played in front of him during this stretch, but the 5-6-2 record coupled with the .891 SV% in the last 15 games of the season (crunch time for the Penguins this year) may be enough to make Yzerman look for other options.
Good quality goal tenders are hard to come by. Better to draft a few guys and wait.
Vejmelka is available for picks and a defensemen
Sign a veteran to backup Husso and put Cossa in the AHL there done
I could see maybe Yzerman trading Vancouver’s 2nd 43rd overall for Arvid Soderblom, or Jan Bednar and 2024 4th round draft pick for Arvid Soderblom. Arvid Soderblom would be an ideal long-term backup goaltender for the future.
Stevie Y biggest achilles heel at the moment not getting a capable goalie.
Take a chance on Blackwood? He’ll be about as cheap as they come for a potential starter.
Demko maybe?
That will come cheap….
If the jets decide to do a big teardown after another disappointing end to the season, maybe the red wings could get the local kid Hellebuyck in a trade
Wait 1 year and he probably can sign him. Save the assets
FTR, Yzerman was praised as a genius when he got Ned and again praised as a genius when he got Husso.
Regarding Jarry, the Pens are in a terrible situation with him. He’s a bad bet based on his inconsistency and injury history, BUT there is no obvious better bet available.
Yep. The overall picture is simply this: there are very, very few goalies anyone can count on to be perennial quality, each and every year. Not a single goalie mentioned in this post has failed to turn in at least one mediocre season. The Rasks and Vasilevskiys — goalies who’ve never in their careers been even AVERAGE — are vanishingly rare.
What is wrong with everyone?! How is this still a Narrative?! Nedeljkovic and Husso are studs. Much better than shy FA available. There’s not a single goalie in the NHL that would put up acceptable goalie stats on such a bad defensive team! Stop looking for replacements, we already have our guys. You need to be looking at fixing our play before we throw our goalies away for less talented replacements