John Lethemon Likely To Sign In Finland
- Red Wings pending UFA John Lethemon is expected to sign with Lukko in Finland, per a report from Satakunnan Kansa’s Kimmo Makelainen. The 27-year-old netminder has spent the last two years on an NHL deal with Detroit but has primarily played at the ECHL level in that span. This season, Lethemon had a 2.90 GAA and a .892 SV% in 37 games with Toledo although he improved those to 2.46 and .899 respectively in nine playoff contests. An NHL two-way deal likely wasn’t going to be on the table for Lethemon this summer so going overseas, assuming the contract gets finalized, makes some sense.
Offseason Checklist: Detroit Red Wings
The offseason has arrived for all but a handful of teams who are still taking part in the playoffs. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Detroit.
Amid a seven-year postseason drought, the Red Wings performed admirably during the 2023-24 NHL season, playing meaningful hockey until the last game of the regular season. Detroit is on the cusp of returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs as early as next year but will have to make some changes to realize that goal after taking a major step forward in their rebuild. General Manager Steve Yzerman is now at a point to put the finishing touches on a playoff-caliber roster this summer after completing much of the heavy lifting already.
Re-Sign The Youngsters
One of the major themes of the 2023-24 season for Detroit was the emergence of winger Lucas Raymond as a legitimate top-line player and confirmation that defenseman Moritz Seider can lead a defensive core. The Red Wings will have the opportunity to keep both in the Motor City until the 2031-32 NHL season with both players seeing their entry-level contracts expire on July 1st.
Even though the team carried big names up front such as Dylan Larkin, Patrick Kane, and Alex DeBrincat, Raymond still led the way offensively for Detroit, scoring 31 goals and 72 points over a full 82-game season. Raymond was irreplaceable down the stretch, scoring 14 goals and 21 points in his last 18 games, keeping the Red Wings afloat in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.
On defense, claiming that Seider has shouldered a heavy load through his first three seasons is an understatement. Seider has not missed a game and has averaged 22:51 of ice time over his entry-level deal since his debut in the 2021-22 season. Even though Seider passes the eye test; his advanced numbers have been more than subpar throughout his career. According to Natural Stat Trick, Seider carried a CorsiFor% of 45.64% which is not a sustainable metric for a top defenseman. However, to push back on Seider’s dismal possession numbers, at even strength, 61% of Seider’s shift starts came in the defensive zone which has made shot creation much more difficult on his part.
Seider’s numbers are reflective of the fact that he is one of the only members of Detroit’s defensive core that can be trusted in the defensive zone against other teams’ top lines and his numbers have suffered from it. If the Red Wings can procure another defenseman to take the pressure off of Seider, his game should flourish in the aftermath.
If the Red Wings are going to sign either player to a long-term deal this summer it is most likely going to be Seider as right-handed defensemen of his caliber do not necessarily grow on trees. For Raymond, a bridge deal seems advantageous for both sides as Raymond would set himself up for a bigger payday in the future and Detroit can confirm that Raymond is the player shown throughout the 2023-24 regular season before doling out serious cash.
Assuming the Red Wings follow that method, Seider’s next contract should check in just south of Owen Power‘s seven-year, $58.45MM contract signed with the Buffalo Sabres last year, while Raymond’s should check in at $6MM-$6.5MM on a two- or three-year deal.
Find Another Star
For each team that narrowly missed the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs the season will be full of several “what ifs?”. For the Red Wings in particular, that question revolves solely around Larkin and how the team performs when he is and isn’t in the lineup.
In the 68 games that Larkin suited up for Detroit this season, the team held a 37-22-9 record while carrying a strong 3.54 GF/G with a 3.24 GA/G. In his absence, however, the team produced a 4-10-0 record and only a dismal 2.64 GF/G and an even worse 3.87 GA/G. This season made clear that given how the team plays without Larkin, the Red Wings must procure a player who can drive the team to wins even when Larkin cannot be in the lineup.
On the unrestricted free agent market this summer, an ideal candidate for this role would be the current captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning Steven Stamkos. For the past 16 years, Stamkos has been a foundational part of the Lightning organization as he’s won two Stanley Cup Championships in four total appearances. From 2010-2018, Yzerman formerly served as General Manager of the Lightning and signed Stamkos to two separate contracts worth a combined total of $105.5MM over the last 13 seasons. Yzerman may look to poach his former player from the Lightning to fill this void for Detroit given their previous history over much of Stamkos’ career in the NHL.
Outside of the free agent market this summer, Yzerman may even feel confident procuring this player via trade with the Red Wings stockpiling so much young talent over his tenure in the front office. As with any team coming out of a rebuild, there will still be some untouchables in the prospect pool for Detroit. Still, Yzerman may be willing to part with Jonatan Berggren, Marco Kasper, William Wallinder, or the 15th overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft if the price is right.
Stabilize The Defensive Core
Surprisingly, even at 23 years old, Seider represents the longest-tenured member of the Red Wings on defense already. Over the last two offseasons, Detroit has brought in Ben Chiarot, Justin Holl, Olli Maatta, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Jeff Petry, with Jake Walman coming a little over two years ago via trade.
With the emergence of Simon Edvinsson, and the eventual call-up of Axel Sandin-Pellikka, the Red Wings are once again in a position to thin out their defensive unit. Not only do they need to thin out the saturation but they also need to procure a solid top-four defenseman to lighten the burden on Seider.
As good as he was during the regular season, it is likely in Detroit’s best interest to let Gostisbehere walk this summer as well as scan the trade market for both Holl and Petry. By doing that the Red Wings would be able to keep the top unit of Walman and Seider together, shift Chiarot and Maatta into the bottom pairing, and sign a top-four right-handed defenseman this summer to put next to Edvinsson. 
Outside of the players mentioned, young defenseman Albert Johansson is also expected to compete for a roster spot in training camp after back-to-back solid seasons for Detroit’s AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. As a left-handed shooting defenseman, Johansson’s play at the beginning of next year could conceivably allow the Red Wings to move Chiarot to the press box on most nights.
One player not necessarily on the trade block but who could become available for Detroit this offseason at the right price is St. Louis Blues defenseman Scott Perunovich. Perunovich is a solid puck-moving defenseman who has accrued 23 assists in 73 career games for the Blues. The Red Wings could give Perunovich much more responsibility in a future role as he appears blocked from ever receiving top-four minutes in St. Louis.
Complete The Tandem In Net
Lastly, Detroit is once again in a position to iron out their goaltending tandem before top prospect Sebastian Cossa can make his debut at the NHL level. Not only does Detroit have Cossa waiting in the wings but netminder Trey Augustine of Michigan State University has become a legitimate goaltending prospect in his own right.
Over the last three offseasons, Detroit has taken flyers on the likes of Alex Nedeljkovic and Ville Husso; neither of which have turned out too positively for the franchise. However, the team did see solid play from Alex Lyon this year which has given the organization some hope that he can be a regular part of the goaltending tandem once again.
Because of their goaltending prospects, Detroit is not in a position to go out and acquire a goalie such as Juuse Saros or Jacob Markstrom this summer but they do need to improve upon their tandem. As far as the options available on the free agent market, Detroit could look to give Laurent Brossoit a larger role than what he has been used to or take a flyer on Ilya Samsonov, hoping for a bounce-back season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Perron Hopes To Re-Sign With Detroit, Plans To Play At Least Two More Years
Red Wings winger David Perron is slated to reach unrestricted free agency this summer after two seasons with Detroit. However, as he told Sebastien Lajoie of La Tribune, his preference would be to avoid hitting the open market and simply stick around with the Red Wings. The soon-to-be 36-year-old was a productive secondary scorer this season, notching 17 goals and 30 assists in 76 games, finishing just a point shy of cracking the top five in team scoring. Perron added that he plans to play for at least two more years which means he’ll likely be looking for a multi-year deal this summer. His set-to-expire deal carried an AAV of $4.75MM and it’s possible he could land a bit more this time around.
Patrick Kane May Test Free Agency
Chris Johnston reported on his show today that former NHLer Marc Savard could be headed to the Toronto Maple Leafs to join their coaching staff just a few days after mutually agreeing to part ways with the Calgary Flames. Savard returned to the NHL this past year as an assistant coach with Calgary but previously worked with Toronto’s new head coach Craig Berube in St. Louis during the 2019-20 season. After his run with the Blues, Savard spent two seasons as the head coach of the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League guiding the team to an 88-35-8-4 record during that time (.695 winning percentage).
The 46-year-old ran the Flames power play this past season, which was seventh worst in the NHL. However, when Savard ran the Blues power play under Berube, St. Louis had the third-best power play in the NHL at 24.3%.
In other Atlantic Division notes:
- Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch is reporting that the Ottawa Senators are likely to pursue Boston Bruins netminder Linus Ullmark prior to the NHL entry draft next month. The Bruins have received some of the best goaltending in the league over the last two seasons and are in a predicament as they want to sign Jeremy Swayman to a long-term deal but will have Ullmark’s $5MM on their salary cap for one more season. The Senators were reportedly among the teams that tried to acquire Ullmark prior to the NHL trade deadline but were unable to complete a deal. Ottawa received some of the worst goaltending in the NHL last season despite inking free agent Joonas Korpisalo to a five-year $20MM deal last summer. The goaltender position has been a revolving door for the Senators since veteran Craig Anderson left town as a free agent back in 2020.
- Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic is reporting that it seems likelier than not that Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane will go to free agency on July 1st, but he believes that Kane’s agent Pat Brisson will talk to the Red Wings in the next couple of weeks. Kane took a one-year deal for $2.75MM this past season and will be looking for more term on his next contract after posting solid numbers coming off hip resurfacing surgery. Kane dressed in 50 games for Detroit this season, tallying 20 goals and 27 assists while averaging a career-low in ice time at just 18:23 per game.
Red Wings Re-Assign Nate Danielson To AHL
Nate Danielson’s junior season has come to an end but he could still see some game action yet. Detroit’s AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids announced that the Red Wings have re-assigned the center to AHL Grand Rapids.
The 19-year-old was the ninth overall selection last June following a strong campaign with WHL Brandon. This season, he put up similar numbers, notching 24 goals and 43 assists in just 54 contests between Brandon and Portland, who acquired him midseason after suiting up for Canada at the World Juniors. Danielson was quite productive in the postseason as well, collecting 24 points in 18 games, good for a tie for fourth in WHL playoff scoring.
If he gets into a game, he’ll be the fourth Detroit first-round pick and sixth draft choice overall to make his Griffins debut a year after being drafted. Grand Rapids won the opener of the Central Division Finals back on Wednesday so they will have some time to work Danielson into their lineup if they want to give him a taste of AHL action ahead of what should be his first full professional campaign next season.
Cy LeClerc Invited To Development Camp
- The Red Wings have invited forward Cy LeClerc to their upcoming development camp, relays Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal (Twitter link). The 21-year-old had a productive sophomore season with the University of New Hampshire, notching 10 goals and 18 assists in 36 games to finish second on the team in scoring.
Team USA’s Alex Lyon Leaves World Championship Injured
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon has stepped away from the World Championship in Prague, after being injured in Team USA’s Saturday matchup against Team Germany, per Jon Morosi of NHL Network (Twitter link). Lyon left the game just 24 minutes in, suffering an undisclosed injury seemingly during a scrum in the crease. He was replaced by 19-year-old backup Trey Augustine, who saved 11 of the 12 shots he faced to become the fifth U20 goalie to record a win at Worlds since 2000. Augustine and Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic are now the only two netminders on Team USA’s roster, though the team could add another goalie at any time.
This news brings a sudden close to what was an exciting opportunity for Lyon, who earned the Team USA starting role after fighting into the same role with the Red Wings this season. Lyon was red-hot in the first half of the year, setting a 18-9-2 record and .912 save percentage through his first 29 games. His second half stalled out a bit, as the Red Wings went on a dismal losing streak, but Lyon still concluded the year with 21 wins and a .904 save percentage through 44 games, earning a confident role over James Reimer and Ville Husso. This year’s World Championship tournament was Lyon’s first chance to represent America internationally, with his only previous IIHF tournament coming in 2015, when he served as USA’s third-string goalie at Worlds. Lyon will now conclude this year’s tournament having allowed three goals on 50 shots, setting a .940 save percentage through two games.
All attention now turns towards who Team USA could bring to Czechia for the rest of the World Championship. Casey DeSmith led the squad at last year’s Worlds, posting five wins and a .918 save percentage through seven appearances. He’s currently busy backing up Arturs Silovs in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but USA could turn towards last year’s backups – Calvin Petersen and Drew Commesso – who are each enjoying their off-season. There are also plenty of high-upside choices now available, including Vezina Trophy finalist Connor Hellebuyck, who has an open schedule following the Winnipeg Jets’ first-round loss.
The Americans are facing a pivotal decision, with their goaltending room now trimmed to a collegiate teenager and fringe NHL starter. There are a lot of different ways they could turn, as they chase their first World Championship Gold Medal since 1960.
Big Hype Prospects: Augustine, Solberg, Kapanen, Emery
The World Championship has kicked off, bringing back the energy and excitement of international hockey at the top level. This year’s tournament has offered a special platform to the underappreciated hockey countries – with Austria, Poland, Switzerland, and Latvia offering some of the best hockey of the kickoff weekend. There has also been a rare influx of young players earning big chances, with the tournament currently led in scoring by 18-year-old Connor Bedard and in save percentage by 23-year-old Lukas Dostal. The boost of younger talent has offered scouts an extra look at some of the top prospects in the world. We’ll follow suit, once again borrowing the Big Hype Prospects series from MLB Trade Rumors and breaking down some of the top performers from Worlds.
Four Big Hype Prospects
Trey Augustine, G, Michigan State (NCAA Big Ten, Detroit Red Wings)
35 GP – 23 Wins – 0.915 SV% – 2.96 GAA
Trey Augustine made history on Saturday, stepping in for Team USA starter Alex Lyon following an undisclosed injury. Augustine stepped in just 24 minutes into the game and held strong, saving 11 of the 12 shots he faced en route to USA’s 6-1 win over Team Germany. The performance earned Augustine the win, making him just the fifth U20 goaltender to record a win at Worlds since 2000. He joins a list of incredibly talented goaltenders, including Juuse Saros, Andrei Vasilevskiy, John Gibson, and Jacob Markstrom. But what’s more – Augustine is the first U20 goalie since 2000 to step into a World Championship role without playing in a pro league first, though Gibson only had one AHL under his belt. Instead, Augustine is backstopping one of the World Championship’s top teams directly out of college, just months after rivaling the Big Ten ‘Goalie of the Year’ Award. Augustine was nicknamed ‘The Closer’ during his years at the U.S. National Team Development Program and is living up to the high acclaim now, showing a fantastic amount of poise and skill even at the top level. While there’s still a long road ahead for Augustine – who is currently expected to return to Michigan State next season – the Red Wings have to be happy with the value they’ve gotten out of the 2023 second round.
Stian Solberg, LHD, Vålerenga (Norway, 2024 NHL Draft Eligible)
42 GP – 5 G – 10 A – 15 TP – 47 PIM – +2 +/-
Stian Solberg is quickly winning the hearts of hockey fans. He’s been asked to do it all this season – serving in a top role during club play with Vålerenga, as the #1-defenseman on Norway’s World Juniors team, and now as a top-four defender at the World Championship. Solberg has handled all of the challenge in stride, showing a fantastic ability to stay adaptable. Whether it’s a long reach while defending the rush, a big hit to spark energy, or nifty passing to create a chance in the offensive-end, Solberg seems capable of doing it all. The support of Norway’s men’s team has let Solberg embrace much more of his offensive skillset at Worlds and he’s taking full opportunity of the chance, showing an improved ability to carry the puck through the neutral zone and create chances from the blue-line. Solberg is continuing to look mature beyond his years, substantially boosting a case to go in the 2024 first-round that’s been steadily growing all season long.
Oliver Kapanen, C, KalPa (Liiga, Montreal Canadiens)
51 GP – 14 G – 20 A – 34 TP – 32 PIM – 0 +/-
Oliver Kapanen kicked off Worlds with a bang, recording a hat trick in Finland’s game against Team Great Britain. It’s perhaps lighter pickings than some of the other clubs Finland will face, but it was how Kapanen recorded his trick that made it so impressive. After years of trying to survive as a high-slot shooter, Kapanen potted all three goals on Saturday from the low-slot, using his strong frame and quick reactions to consistently win the battles for loose rebounds. The performance felt like the culmination of a development curve that Kapanen has been on all season long, learning how to become more confident in the gritty areas of the ice and make plays with little-to-no space. They’re next-level traits which will support Kapanen substantially as he continues to take on more-and-more of a role at the top level. Fans will need to wait out the rest of his World Championship performance before getting too excited, but he’s kicked off the tournament in exciting fashion, offering a shimmer of hope to Canadiens fans excited for their next Finnish centerman.
Eric ‘EJ’ Emery, LHD, U.S. U18 (NTDP, 2024 NHL Draft Eligible)
61 GP – 0 G – 16 A – 16 TP – 30 PIM – +5 +/-
Eric ‘EJ’ Emery isn’t currently representing his country at the World Championship, but he is still finding ways to make himself popular on social media, posting a video jumping over Scott Norton, the President of his agency (Twitter link). The video shows off just how athletic the 6’3″, 185-lbs frame of Emery is – as well as the impressive vertical he’s been working towards since last summer. Emery had a bit of an underwhelming year on the scoresheet but there are few scouts who aren’t excited about the stout defensive potential he offers. Emery is a smooth, lanky defender who uses a long reach and strong physical presence to close off opponents with ease. He’s also fantastic on the puck, corralling open pucks and finding teammates quickly, without losing any momentum in plays. Emery showed off just how well he can go from shutting down play on defense to inspiring offense at the World U18 Championship, where he recorded six assists in seven games as Team USA chased a Silver Medal finish. Emery is considered to be on the fringe of this year’s first round, though continued feats of athleticism, and what seems to be a high potential for added offense in the future, makes him one of the most exciting risers through the year’s second half.
San Jose Sharks Win 2024 NHL Draft Lottery
The 2024 NHL Draft Lottery has finally rolled around, giving solace to the 16 teams that missed out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks lead the odds race, with the Sharks boasting a hardy 18.5 percent chance of winning the first-overall pick. The list of runner-ups is rounded out by fringe playoff contenders in the St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings, who share 0.5 percent odds at the top slot.
The 2024 NHL Draft is certainly one to be excited for. It features strong talent throughout the first round, including hotly-debated talents like Finnish standout pro Konsta Helenius and Russian big man Anton Silayev. It’s a contentious draft that kicks off a string of strong classes, with James Hagens and Gavin McKenna headlining the next two drafts.
This year’s deciding order is as follows:
1. San Jose Sharks
2. Chicago Blackhawks
3. Anaheim Ducks
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Utah Hockey Club
7. Ottawa Senators
8. Seattle Kraken
9. Calgary Flames
10. New Jersey Devils
11. Buffalo Sabres
12. Philadelphia Flyers
13. Minnesota Wild
14. San Jose Sharks (via Pittsburgh Penguins)
15. Detroit Red Wings
16. St. Louis Blues
The Sharks have officially won the race for superstar prospect Macklin Celebrini – the consensus top prospect in the 2024 NHL Draft. Celebrini recently became the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker Award as college’s MVP, adding to a trophy case that’s incredibly full for his age. He’s a dynamic and incredibly intelligent centerman capable of finding and making plays in all three zones.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks, Ducks, and Blue Jackets will be left to sift through a rich list of top defense prospects, including Artyom Levshunov, Sam Dickinson, Zeev Buium, and Zayne Parekh. Forwards like Cole Eiserman or Cayden Lindstrom could fight their way into the top spots as well, giving teams plenty of options with their lottery winnings.
Red Wings Sign Axel Sandin Pellikka To Entry-Level Deal
The Red Wings signed 2023 first-round pick Axel Sandin Pellikka to his three-year, entry-level contract on Monday, per a team announcement.
Sandin Pellikka, 19, is still under contract with Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Hockey League for 2024-25. However, since Sandin Pellikka was a first-round pick, the NHL-SHL transfer agreement still permits Detroit to assign him to AHL Grand Rapids next season if he doesn’t make the NHL roster. Returning him to Skellefteå is still an option but not a requirement.
The 5’11” right-shot defenseman is coming off a banner season in his home country. His season ended ceremoniously last week, winning the SHL championship with Skellefteå. He was absent with injury for the first two games of the final series against Rögle BK but returned as Skellefteå won Games 3 through 5. He finished the postseason with two goals and seven points in 14 games.
That performance came after a strong regular season with Skellefteå. He set career highs across the board with 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points in 39 games, a -9 rating, and was awarded the Salming Trophy as the best Swedish-born defender in the SHL or SDHL as a result. The Gällivare native was also exceptional in international action at the 2024 World Juniors, finishing with two goals and six points in seven games as Sweden won the silver medal. He was named the tournament’s best defenseman by the IIHF directorate.
After falling a bit to Detroit at 17th overall in last year’s draft, Sandin Pellikka has only increased his stock as a prospect. The expert playmaker and puck handler seems well on his way to challenge for top-four minutes and power play time in Detroit, arguably overtaking 2021 sixth-overall pick Simon Edvinsson as the organization’s best young blue liner.
Detroit’s NHL roster for next season is already full on defense, thanks to veterans Ben Chiarot, Justin Holl, Olli Määttä and Jeff Petry still serving out or finishing up multi-year agreements. It’s hard to imagine general manager Steve Yzerman retaining all of them, though, and trading one of them – especially the two righties in Holl and Petry – could open up an opening-night roster spot for Sandin Pellikka.
The Swede won’t turn 20 until after Jan. 1, meaning his entry-level contract will slide to 2025-26 if he plays fewer than 10 NHL games next season. If so, the deal will expire in 2028 instead of 2027. He’ll be a restricted free agent upon expiry either way.