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The Detroit Red Wings enter the 2023-24 NHL season with some intrigue but a lot of question marks. Detroit didn't lose any of their key contributors from last season. The most notable may have been Dominik Kubalik, who was traded to the Ottawa Senators in July.
Training camps across the league are set to begin soon. Detroit plays their first preseason game on September 26 at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins. On October 12, the Red Wings begin the regular season by hitting the road to take on the New Jersey Devils.
Before NHL action returns to Hockeytown, let's take a look at Detroit heading into the season. Here is a complete Red Wings season preview to help fans get ready for the exciting slate of games to come.
Young guns fight for spots
The Red Wings enter the season with a lot of depth. This is thanks to their free-spending in NHL Free Agency, bringing in a ton of experienced veterans. However, those veterans are not the only ones with realistic shots at making the Detroit roster.
Some of the team's young stars are locks for the roster. Lucas Raymond will attempt to bounce back from a bit of a sophomore slump last year. And Moritz Seider is entrenched as the team's number-one option on the blueline.
Behind them, things get a bit interesting. Forwards Marco Kasper and Carter Mazur will look to crack the roster out of training camp. Kasper played in one game last season before being shut down due to injury.
Forward Jonatan Berggren looks to make the roster once again after an effective rookie campaign. The 23-year-old played 67 games for Detroit last year, scoring 15 goals and 28 points. He also turned in an impressive performance at the World Championships, scoring seven points in eight games for his native Sweden.
These are just the players with a relatively realistic chance of making the NHL team. But the Red Wings are loaded with interesting prospects that could make an impact in Detroit down the line. And the team certainly hopes to see some promising development from those prospects in training camp this fall.
Defensive logjam
One area of focus for the Red Wings this season is their defense. The Red Wings have had issues keeping the puck out of their net in recent years. Last season saw an improvement in that area. However, there's more work to be done.
To Detroit's credit, they put in some work to address this issue in the offseason. The Red Wings signed defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Justin Holl in NHL Free Agency. And last month, the team acquired Michigan native Jeff Petry from the Montreal Canadiens.
Those three join a team consisting of Seider, Jake Walman, Olli Maatta, and Ben Chiarot. Add in Simon Edvinsson, William Wallinder, and Albert Johansson, and it's evident that the team has depth here. That said, there just aren't enough spots to go around.
Wallinder and Johansson are long shots to make the NHL roster. However, Edvinsson isn't. He could miss the beginning of the season as he recovers from shoulder surgery. When he's healthy, though, the Red Wings will have a decision to make.
All in all, Detroit's defense is in a much better position now than it was this time last year. It's just a matter of how the team's blueline lines up when the puck drops on the season next month.
How much better?
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The biggest question for the Red Wings, now and probably until January at least, is rather simple. Detroit is better this season, at least on paper. But just how much better are the Red Wings after their offseason activity?
In addition to the aforementioned defensemen, Detroit added forwards J.T. Compher, Daniel Sprong, Klim Kostin, and Christian Fischer through NHL Free Agency. Their biggest move came when they acquired Alex DeBrincat from the Senators. Detroit also signed goaltenders James Reimer and Alex Lyon.
These moves represent upgrades for the Red Wings. But the team doesn't have Tyler Bertuzzi anymore, as he was traded at the deadline and signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer. Filip Hronek was also a mainstay in the team's lineup before his trade to the Vancouver Canucks in March.
So, how much better are the Red Wings? How much of an upgrade is Gostisbehere over Hronek? Is Compher a better option for Detroit than Bertuzzi? These are questions the team will face until well into the season.
Potential odd men out
The Red Wings have a few players that could be the odd men out this fall. Defensemen Olli Maatta and Ben Chiarot both could see themselves on the outside looking in. Maatta performed better last season. However, his contract is easier to move. There's also a possibility that the team keeps both on their roster.
For the forwards, there are also two names to keep their eyes on. Robby Fabbri has not had the greatest performances for the Red Wings and has dealt with injuries. Furthermore, Joe Veleno could also find himself on the outside looking in. Detroit has depth on the wing and down the middle that might force these two out of the lineup out of necessity.
Final roster projection
Forwards: Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher, David Perron, Michael Rasmussen, Andrew Copp, Daniel Sprong, Jonatan Berggren, Klim Kostin, Christian Fischer, Joe Veleno
Defenseman: Moritz Seider, Jake Walman, Justin Holl, Shayne Gostisbehere, Olli Maatta, Jeff Petry
Goalies: Ville Husso, Alex Lyon
