The Detroit Red Wings are a team that wants to eventually contend, took massive steps from a miserable 2021-22 season, but still isn’t where they want to be. There will likely be some off-season roster changes as GM Steve Yzerman tries to shape his team and Max Bultman of The Athletic took an in-depth look at the roster, naming players he believes are safe and others who might not be.
Noting that Dylan Larkin (fresh off his new long-term extension) and Moritz Seider are untouchable, Bultman also believes that Lucas Raymond, Jake Walman, Andrew Copp, David Perron, Ville Husso, Robby Fabbri, and Ben Chiarot aren’t going anywhere. He labeled Walman the “breakout story of the year” for the Red Wings and noted:
“…Walman has turned into a surprise top-pairing defender. He extended in Detroit for three seasons — at a $3.4 million cap hit the team has to be quite happy with — and is the prohibitive favorite to begin next season as Seider’s defense partner. And he might just have more offense in him, too.”
Who Could Be Traded or Leave?
As for players who could be on the move, Waltman keyed in on four names: Robert Hagg, Adam Erne, Magnus Hellberg, and Alex Nedeljkovic.
One player he believes is worth watching is Filip Zadina. He barely made the team last year and this team should be better, but there’s still hope he can turn into what the Red Wings had projected him to be. Bultman writes:
Zadina still has two years left on a highly-manageable contract at $1.825 annually, so logic would say he’s back once again. Especially after Yzerman mentioned him among the young players Detroit is counting on for internal offensive improvement next season. But, the thought that Zadina could use a fresh start has been out there enough to land him in this tier, rather than the one above.
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