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Offseason Checklist: Detroit Red Wings

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The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that weren’t playoff-bound plus some that were eliminated early in the playoffs.  It’s time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months.  Next up is a look at Detroit.

It has been a rough few seasons for the Red Wings.  After their streak of 25 straight playoff appearances came to an end in 2017, they haven’t seen the playoffs since then.  They have brought in several promising youngsters in recent years and the expectation is that they’ll soon get back to battling for a playoff spot at a minimum.  With that in mind, their summer checklist is more geared towards win-now moves compared to recent years.

Hire A Head Coach

First things first.  After parting ways with Jeff Blashill, who had been one of the longer-tenured coaches in the league, Detroit now needs a new bench boss for the first time since 2015 when Mike Babcock left for Toronto.  Blashill’s tenure wasn’t overly successful in terms of his record (204-261-72) but with the team going through a reset, it wasn’t as much of a concern.  But now with an expectation of more on-ice success, GM Steve Yzerman decided now is the right time for a change.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see what direction they go.  Are they looking for someone that is going to help them get back to the playoffs first and foremost or are they hoping for a longer-term fit?  The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive but the first category opens up the ability to hire a veteran coach who can get quick results but who typically has a short shelf life, giving them some extra options to consider.  On the other hand, if Yzerman is looking for a long-term fit, then the potential for a first-time hire stands out a bit more.

Either way, getting a coach in place well before the summer transactions get underway will be important as whoever takes the job will likely want to provide some input on what else the Red Wings do this summer.

Extension Talks

Two of Detroit’s top players will be eligible for contract extensions once free agency opens up in July in Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi.  Larkin, their captain, has been on a bargain contract for the past four seasons with a $6.1MM AAV, a price tag that’s below market value for a number one center.  That will certainly change on his next contract as recent comparables will likely push his price tag over the $8MM mark per season.  There’s no doubt that Yzerman will want to extend the Michigan native and keep him in the fold, especially since they don’t have an up-and-coming number one center behind him.  In Tampa Bay, Yzerman’s talks with captain Steven Stamkos went right down to the wire.  In an ideal world, that doesn’t happen so they’re likely to try to hammer something out this summer.

As for Bertuzzi, while he was in the headlines for not being able to play in Canada due to his vaccination status, that overshadowed a career year that saw him set career highs in goals (30) and assists (32) in 68 games while averaging nearly 20 minutes a night.  That’s top-line production at a $4.75MM price tag which is also well below market value.  Bertuzzi is a couple of years older than Larkin but at 27, he’s still young enough to be part of the core.  This summer, Yzerman needs to find out what Bertuzzi’s asking price is to see if it fits within their future salary structure.  If not, his name could be in trade speculation soon after.

Reshape The Back End

Detroit’s back end got a big lift this season with the arrival of Moritz Seider who is a very strong contender to win the Calder Trophy as the top rookie next month.  However, their defense corps has been a weak spot for the past several seasons and will need to be addressed this offseason.

Long-time rearguard Danny DeKeyser is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and is unlikely to return unless it’s at a very steep discount.  Marc Staal is also a pending UFA and while he’s not the higher-end shutdown player he was in his prime, he still filled a stable stay-at-home role for the Red Wings over the last couple of years.  He could be back but would need to be replaced if he doesn’t return.

At the moment, there are only three other regular defensemen signed for next season beyond Seider – Filip Hronek, Gustav Lindstrom, and Jordan Oesterle.  Hronek had a tough year in his own end but has some trade value if they decide to shake things up while Lindstrom and Oesterle are better as depth pieces.  So, too, are recent signing Steven Kampfer and pending RFAs Olli Juolevi and Jake Walman.  Beyond Hronek, none of those players should be in impact roles next season.

Detroit will have another top youngster coming to North America in 2022-23 in Simon Edvinsson and while he has shown plenty of promise, it’s hard to expect he’ll come in and suddenly solve all of their defensive issues.  Adding an impact veteran (if not two) will be needed to help shore up a group that allowed the third-most goals in the league this season and help take some pressure off the goaltenders.  Fortunately, they have over $35MM in cap space at their disposal so they can afford to shop at the higher end of the market this summer.

Find A New Second Goalie

Speaking of their goalies, Detroit needs to find a second goaltender to partner with Alex Nedeljkovic.  Thomas Greiss had a particularly tough season and is unlikely to be retained while Calvin Pickard, their third-string option, is also a pending UFA and isn’t really in the mix for an NHL spot either.  Magnus Hellberg signed late in the year but he’s more of a viable third-string option than a strong contender for the backup spot.

As usual, there are several Greiss-like goalies available, veterans that can be signed for a year or two to continue the platoon and maintain the status quo.  Alternatively, a handful of netminders could be moved this summer that could be plausible platoon options as well.

That said, are the Red Wings better off looking for a longer-term option?  Darcy Kuemper still has a few years as a starter left in him while Ville Husso and Jack Campbell have both shown flashes and are young enough to be around for a while.  While Detroit has Sebastian Cossa, a prospect they have high hopes for, it typically takes a few years for a goaltender to be NHL-ready.  Instead of continuing to churn through goalies for short-term fixes, perhaps a longer-term solution that serves as a bridge to Cossa is a better way for them to go this summer.  Either way, they will need a new netminder in the next couple of months.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Salary figures courtesy of CapFriendly.

Brian Lashoff Signs AHL Contract

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The Grand Rapids Griffins will retain their captain, as Brian Lashoff has signed a one-year AHL contract with the club. The team has also signed Tyler Spezia to a two-year AHL deal.

Lashoff, 31, has spent his entire professional career with the same organization, originally signing with the Griffins as an undrafted free agent more than a decade ago. During the time he’s been there, the veteran defenseman has signed several NHL contracts with the Detroit Red Wings, including one that covered 2021-22. That two-way deal carried a cap hit of $750K in the NHL while also rewarding him handsomely with a $325K minor league salary.

Given he hasn’t appeared with the Red Wings since the 2019-20 season, an AHL deal seems appropriate at this point. Once a regular call-up and injury replacement, Lashoff has been passed on the organizational depth chart by several younger defensemen. Over the years, he racked up 136 regular season appearances, and 15 points.

Still, his value to the Griffins can’t be overstated, as he has become something of an institution with the AHL club. Captain since 2020, he’s played nearly 600 regular season games in the minor leagues and is a two-time Calder Cup champion.

Should the Red Wings need him at any point in 2022-23, they would have to first sign him to a new NHL contract.

Detroit Red Wings Interested In Barry Trotz

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Barry Trotz is the hottest name on the coaching market right now. The Winnipeg Jets have already interviewed him, and we previously covered that the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers have interest in Trotz as well. Along with those teams, you can add two more organizations into the mix. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Trotz’s list of suitors is “expected to include” the Vegas Golden Knights and Detroit Red Wings.

Both Vegas and Detroit recently fired their coaches, though that’s about where the similarities end between the two franchises. The Golden Knights are an organization with sky-high aspirations and a roster equipped for long playoff runs. The Red Wings, on the other hand, are just beginning to emerge from a rebuild and have a roster with some young stars such as Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond but also enough flaws to keep them from being widely seen as a true contender. With these two teams now in the chase for Trotz, it seems that he will have the pick of the litter when it comes to where he will work next. As one of the most widely respected individuals in hockey, Trotz’s choice will likely say a lot about the direction of the franchise he chooses and be a reason for optimism for that team’s fanbase.

Red Wings Sign Steven Kampfer

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The Detroit Red Wings have gotten a head start on the offseason, making a free agent signing while other teams are still in the midst of playoff action. The Red Wings announced today that they have signed free agent defenseman Steven Kampfer to a one-year contract.

Kampfer, 33, is a veteran of 231 NHL games and last played in the NHL in 2020-21, getting into 20 games for the Boston Bruins. He played this season for Kazan Ak-Bars of the KHL, potting 11 goals and 30 points, which ranked third on the team. Kampfer also represented the United States at the Beijing Olympics, scoring four points in four games. That level of offense hasn’t shown up at the top level in North America, though, as Kampfer only has 39 points in those 231 career NHL games.

But, even with that said, Kampfer is fresh off of his most productive season as a professional player. His play in the KHL and at the Olympics was legitimately impressive, so the Red Wings are making this signing as a bet that the Ann Arbor, Michigan native has made the necessary changes to his game to allow him to be a more productive defenseman in North America than he was in his past AHL/NHL seasons.

Detroit Red Wings Extend Taro Hirose

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The Detroit Red Wings have reached an agreement with Taro Hirose on a two-year contract extension, keeping him in the organization and away from unrestricted free agency. The financial details of the deal have not yet been released.

Hirose, 25, would have qualified as a Group VI UFA this summer, after playing just 57 games to this point in his NHL career. Just 15 of those came this season but the young forward showed just how dangerous he could be at the minor league level.

In 59 games for the Grand Rapids Griffins, Hirose had 15 goals and 53 points. He’ll likely spend a good chunk of this new contract in the minor leagues as well, though he’ll have to clear waivers in order to do it.

A highly sought-after undrafted free agent in 2019 out of Michigan State University, Hirose has 20 points in his 57-game NHL career to this point, suggesting that there actually is some upside at that level if he ever gets a more prolonged opportunity. If not, he still represents a strong injury replacement for short-term stints, as he can step into a top-six or powerplay role if necessary.

There’s also always a chance that he catches the eye of the new coaching staff, with Jeff Blashill not returning. That battle will happen in training camp now that the contract negotiations are complete.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Pontus Andreasson

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The Red Wings have announced today that they have signed winger Pontus Andreasson to a one-year contract.

Andreasson, 23, is an undrafted player who has spent his entire career playing in his native Sweden. He has worked his way up the ranks of Swedish hockey over the past few years. In 2018-19, Andreasson had 38 points in 38 games for Hanhals IF of HockeyEttan, the third tier of Swedish hockey. From 2019-20 to 2020-21, Andreasson played for IF Bjorkloven in the second tier of Swedish Hockey, Allsvenskan, where he remained productive, posting a combined 52 points in 103 games. Andreasson then moved to the top-tier Swedish Hockey League level, where he was second in points among rookies with 38 in 52 games for Lulea HF. He starred in Lulea’s run to the SHL playoff finals, scoring eight goals and 13 points in 13 games. It’s off the back of this impressive playoff performance that Andreasson lands his first contract with an NHL club.

For Detroit, signing Andreasson means they add a developed but still-young player to their growing stable of impressive young talent from Andreasson’s country. Swedish import and top prospect Simon Edvinsson recently signed his entry-level deal, and Swedish rookie Lucas Raymond is already a star on the roster.

Regardless of if Andreasson is ultimately successful in North America or not, his signing in Detroit represents an impressive achievement for an undrafted player who has climbed the professional hockey ladder in his home country.

Albert Johansson To Play In North America Next Season, Alex Nedeljkovic Won't Play At Worlds

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  • After playing on loan in the SHL this season, Red Wings prospect Albert Johansson confirmed to Expressen in Sweden that he will play in North America next season. The 21-year-old defenseman had 25 points in 52 games this season with Farjestad while chipping in with eight points in 19 playoff contests as he won the SHL title.  Johansson also indicated that he won’t ask to be loaned back home if he doesn’t crack Detroit’s roster after training camp in the fall.

2022 Calder Trophy Finalists Announced

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The NHL has continued to release the finalists for their major regular season awards, this time giving us the top Calder Trophy candidates. This award is given to the top first-year player in the league and is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The finalists are Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings, Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks, and Michael Bunting of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Seider, 21, was an absolute workhorse for the Red Wings from the moment he hit the ice this season, playing as a true rookie by making his debut and playing in all 82 games. The sixth-overall pick from 2019 appears to be a future superstar, with the ability to create positive effects in basically every facet of the game. He’s big–6’4″ 203lbs–fast, skilled, and confident, immediately grabbing hold of the Detroit blue line as if it had belonged to him for years. With 50 points, he tied Cale Makar for the second-highest scoring rookie season from a defenseman since 1993 (Quinn Hughes is first with 53). Adding in 151 hits, 161 blocks, and nearly two minutes of short-handed time every night shows just how well-rounded the young defender is.

Zegras, 21, is arguably the most exciting and highlight-worthy young player in the game, routinely doing things that have rarely been seen before. While he did play in 24 games last season, he retained his rookie eligibility and showed what he could do over a full year, potting 23 goals and 61 points in 75 games. The Ducks forward is the centerpiece of the next wave in Anaheim and will likely only get better as he matures in the center ice position. There’s no doubt that Zegras can do it all offensively, and his appearance at the NHL All-Star festivities even without being selected to play in the game show just how high his star will rise.

Bunting, 26, is a much different story than the other two. There was no early stardom bestowed on the 2014 fourth-round pick, as he toiled away in the Arizona Coyotes minor league system. It was after a 21-game showing at the end of the 2020-21 season that he caught the eye of the Maple Leafs, who signed him as a Group VI unrestricted free agent and proceeded to put him on a line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Bunting’s agitating, in-your-face style fit perfectly with the two offensive juggernauts, and it resulted in 23 goals and 63 points for the Toronto rookie. Bunting led the rookie scoring race by two points over Zegras (in four more games) but also has more than five years on his first-year counterpart.

Montreal Canadiens Win 2022 NHL Draft Lottery

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Beginning this season, the full effect of the changes to the draft lottery rules announced last year are in place. Starting this year, teams can only move up a maximum of 10 spots if they’re selected, meaning teams originally set at picks 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 cannot move up all the way to the first overall pick. A win for one of these teams in the first draft lottery secures the pick for the team that finished last.

The team with the best odds coming in will win the draft lottery for the second straight year, though. The Montreal Canadiens will pick first overall in their own building, the first time such an occurrence has happened since 1985 when the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Wendel Clark at Maple Leaf Gardens. The New Jersey Devils moved up from fifth overall to second overall, bumping down the Arizona Coyotes, Seattle Kraken, and Philadelphia Flyers down one spot each.

The order for the top 16 picks of the 2022 NHL Draft is as follows:

  1. Montreal Canadiens
  2. New Jersey Devils
  3. Arizona Coyotes
  4. Seattle Kraken
  5. Philadelphia Flyers
  6. Columbus Blue Jackets (via Chicago Blackhawks)
  7. Ottawa Senators
  8. Detroit Red Wings
  9. Buffalo Sabres
  10. Anaheim Ducks
  11. San Jose Sharks
  12. Columbus Blue Jackets
  13. New York Islanders
  14. Winnipeg Jets
  15. Vancouver Canucks
  16. Buffalo Sabres (via Vegas Golden Knights)

While Shane Wright is still the consensus no. 1 overall selection across public draft boards (and NHL Central Scouting), there’s been recent noise about players like Juraj Slafkovsky and Logan Cooley potentially challenging him for first overall. That’s an upset unlikely to happen, though, as Wright had a terrific second half of the 2021-22 campaign, finishing with 32 goals, 62 assists, and 94 points in 63 games with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs. He also has 10 points in eight playoff games at the time of writing. While teams will draft him for his elite playmaking ability, he’s got an underrated shot when he chooses to use it as well. Standout Slovak defenseman Simon Nemec, Czech defenseman David Jiricek, Canadian forward Matthew Savoie, and Finnish forward Joakim Kemell are also names to watch for near the top of the draft board.

Frans Nielsen To Retire After World Championships

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Via a news release from his DEL team, Eisbaren Berlin, long-time NHL center Frans Nielsen will retire from professional hockey after representing his native Denmark at the upcoming 2022 IIHF World Championships. Nielsen played the 2021-22 campaign overseas in Germany after the Detroit Red Wings bought out the final year of his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Nielsen retires as the all-time leader among Danish NHLers in games played (925), goals (167), assists (306), and points (473). However, Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers is poised to break the goals mark next season, as he sits three back with 164. Nielsen’s, Lars Eller’s, Jannik Hansen’s, and Mikkel Boedker’s emergence in the late 2000s and early 2010s ushered in the most successful era in Danish hockey history, at least as it relates to the NHL. They paved the way for players such as Ehlers and Oliver Bjorkstrand to take the leap and become the next faces of Denmark hockey.

Earlier this year, Nielsen was a flag bearer and alternate captain for Denmark as the men’s hockey team made its first Olympic appearance in history. Nielsen registered two goals and an assist in five games.

Drafted 87th overall in 2002 by the New York Islanders out of a stellar season in the Swedish top junior league, he developed into a skilled two-way forward and playmaker at his peak with the Islanders. One of the most underrated all-around players in the game during his prime, Nielsen broke into the NHL full-time in 2008-09 as a 24-year-old. He would spend 10 seasons total and 606 games in an Islanders uniform before departing for the Red Wings in free agency during the 2016 offseason.

Nielsen wouldn’t repeat his 20-goal, 50-point per year success in Detroit, but still managed 124 points across 319 games in Detroit.

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