Off-Season Game Plan: Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings missed the playoffs again this season but are on the right path of potentially getting there next season. Mike Yeo has an excellent young team with a few good established superstars that aren't even 30 yet, only player close is Krejci who is 30 and had a strong season. 

The most glaring issue facing the Wings is shoring up that defense that was lead by Vatanen and Krug but those 2 could use a lot more help and with about $40M in cap space that is just what the Wings will do this off-season. As long as they can find those perfect vets to step in and help with their top 4 and also help bring along young guys like Hagg, Honka, Pokka, Fleury and Hicketts.

Their offense won't need much help as they were one of the top offensive teams in the league ranking 7th in the league in scoring. They will go into the off-season looking for some bottom 6 forwards to help round out their great offense. 

Hockey Ops/Coach

Francisco Valle/Mike Yeo

Returning Forwards

Vladimir Tarasenko

Nikita Kucherov

David Krejci

Vince Trocheck

Jonathan Drouin

Leon Draisaitl

Ryan Carter

Ryan Reaves

Free Agent Forwards 

Tomas Tatar

Mike Hoffman

Riey Sheahan

Reid Boucher

Brian Flynn

Melker Karlsson

Dave Bolland

The Wings have a very good offense as five forwards put up 60 points or more this past season. Lead by their three star wingers Vladimir Tarasenko, Nikita Kucherov and Mike Hoffman all three were able to hit the 30 goal mark.

Surprise rookie center Vince Trocheck who wasn't expected to start the season off with the Wings lead the team in assists by almost reaching the 50 mark and dishing out 47 times. Trocheck gives the Wings 3 very good centers to go along with Krejci and Draisaitl.

The star status of Drouin continues to go up and will help out a lot when it comes to icing 3 dangerous lines that coach Yeo can interchange. 

Returning Defencemen 

Sami Vatanen

Eric Gelinas

Patrick Wiercioch

Alexey Marchenko

Free Agent Defencemen

Torey Krug

Jyrki Jokipakka

Greg Zanon

Kent Huskins

Sami Vatanen and Torey Krug continue to put up points from the back end and helping out the Wings PP in the process which finished ranked #4 this season after posting a 21.5% ratio. Krug came close to the 50 point mark while both were able to put up double digit numbers for goals. 

Wiercioch put up 24 points chipping in from time to time and if he can do that playing #5-6 D-Man mins if they bring in much needed help for their top 4 that will help push Wings into the post season. 

The Wings will have to push hard in free agency to try to bring in at least two top 4 defencemen to help round out this 6 man unit. 

Returning Goaltending 

Petr Mrazek

Connor Hellebuyck

Garret Sparks

Free Agent Goaltending 

Nicklas Backstrom

Mrazek was a monster towards the end of the season keeping the Wings in games throughout the whole season. Towards the end of the season he won games on his own. No doubt the Wings will go as far as Mrazek can carry his team. 

Also in their system are two good young rookie goaltenders in Connor Hellebuyck who gained some great experience playing for team USA and will either back up Mrazek this next season to give him some nights off or continue to carry the Griffins in the post season. 

Sparks was a bit of a surprise playing so well and has his eyes set on being the #1 goalie for the Griffins if Hellebuyck gets promoted to the big club. 

Top Prospects

                                 GP     G      A     Pts   

Christian Dvorak      59       52    69    121

Robert Hagg            66      5       6      11

Julius Honka            73      11     33    44

Ville Pokka               76      10    35     45

Haydn Fleury           56      12    29     41

Joe Hicketts            59       8     53      61

Blake Speers          68       26   48      74

Maxium Letunov     36       16   24      40

Yakov Trenin          57       26    35      61

Draft

3rd- Jesse Puljujarvi, Matthew Tkachuk, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Olli Juolevi, Jacob Chychrun, Alexander Nylander

Free Agency

The Red Wings have about $40M in cap space

Needs

No 1 Defenceman, a top 4 Defenceman, two bottom 6 forwards.

Trade Market

David Krejci, Mike Hoffman, Melker Karlsson, Eric Gelinas, Patrick Wiercioch

Projected 16/17 Depth Chart

Left Wing                              Center                                Right Wing

Mike Hoffman                        David Krejci                        Vladimir Tarasenko

Tomas Tatar                          Leon Draisaitl                      Nikita Kucherov

Jonathan Drouin                   Vince Trocheck                   Jesse Puljujarvi

Riley Sheahan                      Darren Helm                            Brian Flynn

Ryan Carter                          William Karlsson                 Melker Karlsson

Left Defense                        Right Defense                  Goaltender

Zdeno Chara                            Torey Krug                         Petr Mrazek

Sami Vatanen                        Mike Green                               Connor Hellebuyck

Eric Gelinas                           Jyrki Jokipakka                 Garret Sparks

Patrick Wiercioch                  Alexey Marchenko