Detroit Red Wings
The Daily: Can Yzerman Make Issue Disappear?; Burns to Avs
Does Detroit GM Yzerman have a pair of aces tucked up his sleeve? Will he soon pull a rabbit out of his hat? Can he rub a tarnished old lamp and have a 40-goal scorer appear on his roster?
Fans are waiting for a magic show that hasn’t happened.
After the first two days of free agency, Yzerman hasn’t shown a magic wand to fix Detroit’s offense or significantly strengthen the team’s defensive corps. This UFA class was small, and became smaller when teams re-signed a few stars and Mitch Marner decided the Vegas Golden Knights were his only choice. And let’s face reality, the Red Wings are not an attractive destination today.
Yzerman did upgrade his goaltending by acquiring John Gibson, and whether fans want to believe it or not, James van Riemsdyk for $1 million is a plus-signing. He scored 16 goals last season, and it’s not unthinkable that he could score 16-18 this season. The man knows what to do in front of the net. But while Mason Appleton is a coach-pleasing, dependable player, he has not historically been a dangerous scorer.
Appleton heads to the Detroit Red Wings to likely play on their third line. Deal is solid value for both sides. #NHL #NHLFreeAgency #LGRW @MaxTermPod @CapWages pic.twitter.com/241gtDePZO
— AFP Analytics (@AFPAnalytics) July 2, 2025
The preliminary assessment is that the Red Wings, who now have a full roster of players, will again struggle to score enough goals this season and their defense still will put too much pressure on their goaltending.
That’s a fair review based on what we’ve seen thus far. Perhaps younger players, particularly Marco Kasper and Simon Edvinsson, could provide more offense this season. That will help. Maybe Axel Sandin Pellikka makes the roster, or Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. But none of that feels like it will be enough help.
The only true hope for the Red Wings is that Yzerman can conjure up help in the trade market. He still has $12 million in cap space and there are players available who can score goals. Yzerman really needs to pull off the show-stopping trick of making Detroit’s problems disappear.
Red Wings In Case You Missed It
Curious decision by the Red Wings to sign Mason Appleton to a two-year deal for $2.9 million per season.
James van Riemsdyk understands how he needs to play to be successful. That’s why he still continues to get NHL contracts.
Big forward Elmer Soderblom receives two-year contract for $1.25 million per season.
Red Wings Extra
Detroit prospect Cross Hanas was not given a qualifying offer, meaning he is a free agent. In other news, two 2025 draft picks, Slovak goalie Michal Pradel and forward Michal Svrcek, were selected in the CHL Import Draft. Pradel was selected fourth overall by the Regina Pats, while Svrcek went 53rd to the Windsor Spitfires. It makes it easy for the Red Wings to view Svrcek next season. The slick winger put up 30 points in 30 games playing in the Swedish Junior League.
Michal Pradel should immediately become one of the best netminders in the WHL with Regina. He's probably still going to see a ton of rubber, but he should give them quality starts. A possible trade piece for them at some point to continue their retool?@mckeenshockey pic.twitter.com/vzumrudLkk
— Brock Otten (@BrockOtten) July 3, 2025
Hockey Now Network
Boston: Andrew Fantucchio tries to make sense of the messy Bruins’ depth chart. Boston Bruins.Â
Chicago: No need to worry about the contract status of Chicago’s key younger players, including Connor Bedard. Deals will get done, writes Greg Boysen. Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado: The Avalanche pulled off a surprise signing, bringing in veteran Brent Burns on a one-year incentive-laden contract. Colorado Avalanche.
Pittsburgh: Penguins sign Washington Capitals defenseman. Pittsburgh PenguinsÂ
San Jose: Top notch beat reporter Sheng Peng weighs in on the state of the Sharks and the job GM Mike Grier is doing. This is a paywall story. If you subscribe to DHN+, then you also can read subscription stories on the other Hockey Now sites. To subscribe, click here: San Jose Sharks.Â
Vegas: Golden Knights are taking some risk by giving defenseman Kaedan Korczak a four-year deal at $3.25 million per season. Vegas Golden Knights.
Appleton is fine. They need to be harder to play against. Good signings. Mazur can still make the roster. Yzerman not done yet.
What has happened to DHN? A cauldron of poison. None of us fans like every single move of Yzerman. However, this is the result of parity. The salary cap has gone up and many teams kept their FA’s and RFA’s.
Thus, the road is drafting. The good news is this off-season, Mrazek was moved and upgraded to Gibson. Tarasenko was moved without giving up anything. JVR was acquired and rather cheaply along with Kane… both 1 year. Berggren, Albert Johansson, and Soderblom re-signed for reasonable deals. Yzerman may not be done yet. Sure, he signed Appleton, but my, you need someone in the bottom six who are harder to play against. Ras needs to be better this season, but if not he can be moved. Copp or Compher can always be moved at some point. If Fabbri and Tarasenko could be moved, so can they. In the meantime, Holl or Erik G can be waived if needed.
The good news: MBN and ASP are in GR and will gain valuable experience. Likewise, another year in GR for Danielson is good as well. Finally, Talbot, Holl, Chiarot, Erik G are off the books along with Justin Abdelkader’s buyout are all done after this season. Lots of Cap space and the Cap is going up. And the number of potential better players in 2026 is higher than this past year of 2025.
DHN is just keeping it real man ! The Wings are not on a positive track currently… but sadly, there probably wasn’t a whole lot that Yzerman could’ve done about it.
It would’ve been AWESOME to sign Brent Burns (but why the hell would he want to sign with Wings… when he probably had 20 teams after him ??)
The only one of those 3 guys that they re-signed with ANY redeeming qualities is Johansson.
And we all know what Ras will provide (zero passion, zero “sand-paper” and maybe a dozen goals)…
-Bigfoot
I was actually going respond with some other input, but you have already decreed them to a 78 point season. I stopped coming here for a variety of reasons and I am not to trying to be disrespectful, but you left me with a few more reasons. The best to you.
Amen RWH13. I say the same, regularly, and my comments get deleted, in the same fashion. Pretty aggressive DHN. What gives?
Keep dreaming. Yzerman is done. He has made his big moves. Each day it becomes more obvious that it was the surrounding staff in Tampa that was the reason for their success. I believe Little Caesar knows it now too. I don’t believe Yzerman lasts the season.
All Holland’s leftovers in the front office should have been cleaned out . They are a very poor support staff.. Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results? Draper and his. crew and all the pro scouting staff should be fired immediately new eyes and minds are needed.
With 14 million in cap space Yzerman need tto trade for a top 6 scorer!
I think the general manager needs new eyes and minds around him. Keeping The people left over from Holland in the front office was not the way to start. Man is not getting good advice. Pro scouting is a complete disaster and even amateur scouting looks incompetent. People will dispute that saying they’re great at the draft , well the players they drafted that have made the team are only first rounders that were on everybody’s draft board it’s not rocket science. After the first round Draper has found nothing in many many years .I believe he’s been a scout in one way or another for a dozen years. Repeating outside of the first round Draper has produced nothing. Once again new eyes and minds are needed I know this will be downvoted here but it’s a fact just look at the record . He had a first class support staff in Tampa. This front office with the Red Wings is a complete disaster. Look at the record.
Get Robertson from Dallas or save cap money forJan/Feb 2026 trades. Yzerman you’re wasting money on 18-20 goal scorers. Play the young guns like other teams. Nothing to lose
It’s time for Yzerman to retire. 7-8 years of the same results is enough. I’ve been a Red Wing fan for 74 years. The Detroit Lions and Tigers make watching games fun
Please Red Wings… hire Po Da Hit as GM. He seems like a hockey genius.
What teams did you win The Cup with again, Po? I assume you’ve won multiple.
Almost every DHN article you chime in with fire SY and c’mon Little Ceasar… are you drunk at noon dude? What is your major malfunction? What is the point? Seriously?
Utah and Montreal seem to have put us clearly in their mirrors now too. The Wings are not going backwards, but they are losing ground and it’s cause for concern. I’m not calling for Yzerman to get canned, but he needs to shake things up some in the pro scouting and scouting ranks. They’re not finding many players after the first round, while at the same time slowly moving down the draft order. That’s not a recipe for success.
SY has been GM going on 6 years. We got more youth up and playing well. AJO, Edvinsson, Kaspar, plus Mo and Razr still toddlers. More exciting prospects could earn a spot. Good veteran player leadership too. Gibson in goal and a proven HC. Yes I want a top 6 forward and a top 4 blue liner too but I don’t blame him for not overpaying plus give top prospects and first round draft picks. I’m not sure he doesn’t pull a trade yet too for a good blue liner. Teams asking too much for their top 6. We barely missed playoffs last two seasons with inconsistent goalies and defenders. I think we are a potential wildcard contender while youth continue to ascend.
For those criticizing SY’s first rounders…take a look at those before him. Zadina, Ras – often criticized, Cholowski, E. Svechnikov, Larkin, Mantha, Frk, Jurco and Sheahan… what a pile of crap. And that there is no depth players out of 1st round: Mazur, AJO, Lombardi, Finnie, 2nd AJO, Wallinder, Tuomisto, Buium…will probably see all these guys before long. Such snap criticism is really short sighted.
Buchelnikov, Gibson/kiiskinen, Augustine , pradel, Soderblom,
Oh, Augustine is a second rounder too.
That SY has done nothing is absurd and can’t express how hopeful I am that the baseless negativity stops and the team is successful. The bad karma train and crappy attitude band wagon can go away any time.
All the bad attitudes hope for a return to a first line of Frk, Sheahan and Emmerton with defensive stars Sproul, Kindl, Marchenko and Ouellet I guess? Sounds amazing. This team was left high and dry in the prospect category and that isn’t true today at all.
Berggren – 2nd rounder….
Po Da biggest Martin Frk fan alive just swept through clicking negatives. Way to go champ!