NHL Free Agency is well and truly in the rearview window. As a result, the Detroit Red Wings are turning their full attention to the 2024-25 season. Detroit made some intriguing moves this summer. Patrick Kane returns to Hockeytown on a one-year contract. Additionally, Vladimir Tarasenko joined on a two-year contract after winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers.
The Red Wings also lost some important pieces through free agency and trade. For instance, Jake Walman is now with the San Jose Sharks after a trade before the NHL Draft. In NHL Free Agency, they lost forwards David Perron, Daniel Sprong, and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere.
Detroit wants to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024-25. And they have a lot of veteran talent that could help them take that next step. With this in mind, here are two Red Wings veterans who could make a massive impact in Hockeytown this upcoming season.
Olli Maatta could play a big role
The Red Wings initially signed Olli Maatta in NHL Free Agency in the summer of 2022. Detroit wanted to add some veteran defenders to give their top prospects time to develop in the minors. Halfway through the 2022-23 season, the Red Wings signed Maatta to a two-year extension.
In 2023-24, the veteran rearguard certainly proved his worth. He was incredible defensively for Detroit this past season. In fact, he had the third-highest Defensive Goals Above Replacement (8.2) in the entire league, according to Evolving Hockey. He also finished as the only Detroit defenseman with a WAR north of 1.
The impressive numbers don't stop there. Maatta had the lowest Goals Against Per 60 Minutes (1.92) among Red Wings defensemen last year. Furthermore, he had the highest On-Ice Save Percentage (.934) of any Detroit blueliner. These numbers are especially impressive considering the team's overall defensive woes.
It's worth noting that these numbers, to some extent, can be chalked up to his usage. Of the six Red Wings defensemen to play more than 1000 minutes, Maatta saw the fewest amount of total ice time. Additionally, the quality of competition he faced certainly didn't match the assignments faced by Moritz Seider.
However, Maatta certainly deserves credit for his performance. Especially since his numbers vastly outperform that of Jeff Petry, a Red Wings veteran who played a similar number of minutes. If Maatta can continue his impressive run, Detroit should find themselves in the playoff race next season.
Vladimir Tarasenko may be a fantastic signing
Vladimir Tarasenko could thrive with the Red Wings in 2024-25. The veteran winger has not played a game for the franchise just yet. But that should change on October 10 when Detroit welcomes the Pittsburgh Penguins to town.
Looking at his performance from a year ago could give us an inside look into how Tarasenko could play in Hockeytown. The two-time Stanley Cup champion scored 23 goals and 51 points with the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers. He also had a rather impressive Stanley Cup Final, scoring two goals and five points in seven games.
Tarasenko improved his analytical numbers, as well. He finished with 11.5 Offensive Goals Above Replacement in 2023-24, according to Evolving Hockey. This is an increase from the 5.1 OGAR he recorded in 2022-23. Additionally, his Goals For Percentage (60.33) and Goals For Per 60 (4.14) improved from their 2022-23 totals.
The Red Wings lost David Perron in NHL Free Agency, creating a hole on the second line. Though his offense wasn't otherworldly, replacing his presence in the lineup may be tough. If Tarasenko can continue improving, though, the Red Wings will be just fine.
Follow Us
Subscribe