Progress

04/18/2024 at 8:33am EDT

from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

When the Wings opened the visitor's locker room at Centre Bell to reporters after Tuesday's events, players looked and sounded devastated. They had done what they could, rallying from a third-period deficit for the 14th time and winning in a shootout, only to find it was moot because the Washington Capitals won their game, ending the Wings' playoff chase.
That it's over is a letdown — but consider where the team was five years ago when Steve Yzerman was named general manager on April 19, 2019: Fourth from the bottom. The next year, the Wings finished at the bottom of the standings, 23 points below the 30th-place team.
To be in contention for a playoff spot all the way to Game 82 just four years later is tremendous progress. These past two weeks, when the Wings took 11 of 16 possible points while facing one opponent after another with something of their own to play for — is something that stands to pay dividends next season.
It was a remarkable finish, especially after what transpired over the past seven weeks. On Feb. 27, the Wings were 13 games above .500 and in the first wild card spot, only two points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Wings lost their next three games, but two of those were to the Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche, both elite opponents. The team looked deep enough, and had promising prospects in the minor, that Yzerman stood pat at the trade deadline.

more ($)

It's impossible to talk about progress without talking about cap numbers and how that limits what they can do next season. Detroit has about 24M to spend this off-season. If they can keep Seider and Raymond to 15M (by some miracle) that leaves 9M. Veleno makes it about 8M. If the Wings go the cheap route and promote Berggren (925k), Kasper (918.3k), Mazur (905.8) that leaves about 5.25M. Fischer guess is 1.5M so that takes it to 3.75M. Kane is going to want that and more so have to trade Maatta (+3.0M in cap space and subtract Edvinsson's (894k) leaving 7.356M. They'll also promote Johansson (820k) and that may mean Chiarot might switch to RHD. Which means about 6.5M for Kane minus the underestimates I am making... I see some trades coming besides Maatta. Yzerman's got his work cut out for himself.
I think it's important to note exactly what the Wings have in the pipeline coming:
by my ranking:
Simon Edvinsson age 21 Feb birth date (his ceiling is still being established, but I think we can assume at least 2nd pair LHD and that he's going to be having a roster spot next season).
Jonatan Berggren age 23 July birth date (he'll take over Sprong's role and probably play defense only slightly better. Very well could be traded. But might stick simply because of cap space cost. Arrival time next year).
Axel Sandin Pellikka age 19 March birth date (2nd pair RHD arrival time 2026-27)
Marco Kasper age 20 April 8th birth date (3rd line centre that will play #1 PK unit and #2 PP unit. arrival time 2025-26)
Sebastian Cossa age 21 Nov birth date (1a or 1b starter depending on how he develops arrival time early in 2026)
Nate Danielson age 19 Sept birth date (3 line centre that could sneak onto the 2nd line. arrival time late 2027)
Carter Mazur age 22 March birth date (4th line checker #2 PK unit. arrival time 2024-25)
William Wallinder age 21 July birth date (2nd/3rd pair depending on how Edvinsson develops)
Elmer Soderblom age 22 July birth date (3rd/4th line winger arrival time 2025-26 but should be the call-up for winger)
Shai Buium age 21 March birth date (3rd pair LHD arrival time late 2026)

Honorable mentions:

Albert Johansson age 23 Jan birth date (3rd pair LHD arrival time next season out of waivers. might be part of a package deal.

Trey Augustine (age 18 projects as 1b goalie/Lyon type role arrival time 2028-29)

Dimitri Buchelnikov (age 20 Sept birth date ceiling unknown arrival time unknown)

Progress

Create an Account

About Abel to Yzerman

Most Recent Posts

Abel to Yzerman

Most Recent Comments