The Detroit Red Wings are on the cusp of missing their ninth straight playoff appearance. Their 79 points in 77 are good enough for 21st in the league. They have struggled to stay consistent on both ends of the ice, a huge factor to their downfall. Despite having some of the most promising young guys in the league, Detroit manages to fall short of their expectations year after year.
While the team deals with its on-ice struggles, many have also directed blame toward management—specifically the man at the helm. Since taking over in Hockeytown, GM Steven Yzerman has yet to lead the Red Wings to a single playoff appearance. Over his six-year tenure, the team has posted a 180-270 record, raising questions about how Yzerman has managed to retain his position. Whether it’s due to his legendary status in Detroit or the success he found in Tampa Bay, it’s becoming increasingly clear that things aren’t working out as hoped.
Yzerman’s Drafting Is Unpredictable and Chaotic
Yzerman is mainly known for his ability to identify talent early in the draft. He doesn’t waste time going after his desired prospects. This strategy has been hit or miss for the Red Wings. A good example of this is the selection of defenseman Moritz Seider in 2019. Many scouts had Seider going in the mid to late first round, but Yzerman selected him 6th overall. What was at the time an extremely questionable pick soon became a future Calder Trophy-winning defenseman.
While this may be a positive example of his scouting ability, he has shown many negatives. The first example that comes to mind is the selection of Antti Tuomisto in the Seider draft. He was predicted to go outside of the top 60 but was instead selected 35th overall by Yzerman. The 6’5″ defenseman was and is still seen as a stretch. He has barely developed into the offensive stud Yzerman expected. He is still fighting his way through European leagues to get ice time and an NHL call-up.
Sebastian Cossa was drafted 15th overall in 2021. The Ontario native was expected to be a franchise netminder for the Red Wings—this just hasn’t been the case, however. He’s rarely ever given a chance to shine in the NHL. His one career start with Detroit was in early December, and he hasn’t been given a start since. Cossa is instead being pushed around in the minors, alternating with the Grand Rapid Griffins in the AHL and the Toledo Walleye in the ECHL. He was never given a real chance to develop in Detroit.
Free Agent Signings Have Hurt the Team Several Times
Another thing Yzerman is known for is his willingness to risk big money on veterans. We can see this in his signings of J.T. Compher, Justin Holl, and Ville Husso. The addition of these three players has hurt the teams in many ways.
Firstly, J.T. Compher isn’t the player he was with the Colorado Avalanche. His 52 points in 82 games with the Avs is something that is not reproducible with Detroit. Sure, he came close with a 48-point, 77-game Detroit debut season, but he hasn’t gotten better since then. He is getting paid $5.1 million per year to occupy a bottom-six depth position. A player like Compher takes away a spot for younger players to take advantage of. He has years remaining on his contract, which will hurt player development in the future.
When Yzerman signed Justin Holl to a three-year contract, he expected him to play big, reliable minutes. Instead, Holl is a bottom-six defender who only plays 14 minutes a night. The Wings will have $22 million to spend this offseason, and having somebody like Holl in the lineup hurts the chances of signing somebody better for less. With the rumor that Holl may be getting bought out soon, he’ll contribute even more to the cap loss.
Ville Husso’s time in Detroit was nothing to be impressed with. He averaged a .885 SV% in his three years with the Red Wings. He was given a large contract in free agency but never performed up to his paycheck. As mentioned previously, goalies like Cossa struggled to get real minutes since veteran netminders were locked up long-term. Even though Husso now plays for the Anaheim Ducks, the impacts are still being felt.
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