Detroit Red Wings

The Daily: Where Red Wings Go From Here: Trades, UFAs Likely

Published

1 month ago

April 18, 2025

The Red wings need to find another scorer to Lucas Raymond (Photo by DHN)

When the Detroit Red Wings closed out their regular-season with 4-3 overtime loss to Toronto, the most pessimistic of the Detroit fans seem to want executives fired, players bought out and wholesale changes made.

The optimistic fan sees the team’s 26-18-4 under coach Todd McLellan. That’s 56 points. That success rate over 82 games would result in 95 points. That would have carried Detroit into the playoffs this season.

The realistic fan says nine consecutive seasons outside the playoffs is unacceptable. The Red Wings are on a good path with the development of first round picks Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, Simon Edvinsson and Marco Kasper. But this team needs to shake-up its core of veterans. This group of veterans cannot seem to turn the corner.

This team cannot figure out how to step up and deliver its best effort when needed most.

There’s every indication that GM Steve Yzerman’s job is safe, and the expectation is that he will be looking at unrestricted free agents and significant trades. High on Detroit’s want list: Re-signing Patrick Kane, plus finding another proven scorer to play Dylan Larkin and Lucas, sign or acquire a big-minutes D man to play with Moritz Seider, rebuild their botton two lines and add some team toughness.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

Detroit hopeful from the Czech League is training this offseason with Jaromir Jagr. By the way, Jagr still wants to play.

Dimitri Buchelnikov is doing what he can to ready himself to play for the Red Wings. He says he’s willing to start out in the AHL.

It seems likely that defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka, Detroit’s top prospect, will be in the lineup tonight for the Grand Rapids Griffins when they play at Rockford tonight.

Red Wings Extra

With a 6-2-2 record in their last 10 games, the Red Wings managed to finish with the 12th worst-record. That’s important because only the bottom 11 get a chance to win the No. 1 pick in the lottery. According to tankathon.com, Detroit does a 5.1% chance to winning the No. 2 pick in the lottery. The most likely scenario is the Red Wings will stay at No. 12.