The Detroit Red Wings are largely done with NHL Free Agency this offseason. Detroit still has business to conduct before the 2024-25 NHL season begins. The Red Wings have to sign Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond sometime soon. Both cornerstones remain restricted free agents as training camp approaches.
Overall, though, Detroit's roster is set in stone for the most part. And this will be one of the more interesting teams to watch as the 2024-25 campaign unfolds. The Red Wings certainly made interesting moves this summer. How those moves affect the team's on-ice performance is something that could define future iterations of this squad.
Detroit finished on 91 points in 2023-24, barely missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs. How will they perform in the season ahead? Here are two Red Wings bold predictions as their 2024-25 NHL season continues to draw near.
Red Wings have a top-3 offense
Statistically, Detroit had one of the best offensive attacks in the league last season. Led by the likes of Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin, they had no issues scoring goals last season. In 2024-25, the trend will continue for this squad.
It's important to note that Detroit did lose some important depth this summer. David Perron signed with the Ottawa Senators while Daniel Sprong went to the Vancouver Canucks. Additionally, offensive defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere returned to the Carolina Hurricanes after one season in Hockeytown.
In saying this, they also brought in pieces that could improve the team in a big way. Vladimir Tarasenko joins the Red Wings after winning his second career Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers. Furthermore, defenseman Erik Gustafsson signed a two-year contract after spending 2023-24 with the New York Rangers.
These moves could help Detroit maintain its offensive firepower, if not improve it. Tarasenko especially could have an incredible season with Detroit. If he can find his stride on the power play, don't be surprised to see the veteran goal scorer turn the clock back a bit in the year ahead.
Beyond that, younger players could also help the effort. Raymond will look to build on his team-leading 72-point campaign in 2023-24. Additionally, players such as Moritz Seider, Nate Danielson, and Marco Kasper could provide much-needed offensive support.
Having a top-three offense is certainly a tall task for any team. But it's not outside the realm of possibility for Detroit. If they want to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, they may need to have a relentless offensive attack.
Detroit finally finds some goaltending stability
The Red Wings have struggled to keep pucks out of the net over the last few seasons. General manager Steve Yzerman has made trades to address this issue. However, moves for Ville Husso and Alex Nedeljkovic failed to work out as envisioned.
Detroit currently has two of the best goalie prospects in the league — Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine. They still need time to develop before they are NHL-ready, though. To further buy time, Detroit signed veteran Cam Talbot in NHL Free Agency this summer.
Goaltending is a volatile position, to say the least. In fact, it may be the most volatile position in the game. Talbot had an incredible season with the Los Angeles Kings a year ago. But there is no guarantee he can even match this performance in Hockeytown.
In saying this, Talbot likely won't need to. Paired with fellow veteran Alex Lyon, the Red Wings should find some stability during the 2024-25 NHL season. This is not to say they will an elite goaltending tandem. But it is to say that Detroit should not have to over-rely on Lyon as they did last year.
The Red Wings could get by with small offensive regression in the year ahead. However, they cannot make a playoff push without solid goaltending. They will have that solid goaltending this upcoming campaign. And that should make things very interesting as the 2024-25 NHL season unfolds.
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