Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is between the proverbial rock and a hard place.
On one hand, it’s obvious the Red Wings will have a much better team in ‘23-24, maybe by far, than any other during his tenure. Also, the Red Wings’ player development system is flush with bonafide prospects, quite a few closing in on the NHL at Grand Rapids.
On the other, it will mean little to many fans and media if the Red Wings don’t make the playoffs.
The Red Wings are on the opposite end of the spectrum from the Lions and Tigers, who could benefit greatly from playing in subpar divisions. Competition in the NHL’s Atlantic Division is particularly fierce, and it extends to the Eastern Conference as a whole in regard to landing a wild card spot.
Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and Boston are traditional powerhouse teams seemingly on the wane, but all possess multiple future Hall of Fame players. Who qualifies for that description among the Red Wings? The conference is so strong that last season Florida barely squeaked in as the final seed yet still advanced to the Stanley Cup finals.
Yes, Alex DeBrincat is a fabulous addition for the Red Wings. This could be the year that Mo Seider establishes himself as a top defensemen in the NHL. Dylan Larkin is in his prime, and this will likely be his most productive season. Yzerman added nine veterans to his roster. The Red Wings figure to be bigger, stronger, tougher, deeper and more balanced.
Thing is, the same can be said for the Sabres and Senators. Those are the teams the Red Wings are most compared to as up-and-comers in the Eastern Conference. In truth, those teams are more advanced in the rebuild phase.
The Red Wings had 80 points last season. They could be distinctly better and not make the playoffs. Grand Rapids is loaded with prospects, and Yzerman clearly is building the organization the right way. It does include trying to reach the playoffs now. Otherwise, he would not have added this much veteran talent in the offseason.
Yzerman inherited a disaster. He had to endure a difficult teardown before he could start rebuilding in earnest. The Red Wings essentially missed half a season because they were not in the NHL’s version of the NBA bubble during the pandemic. The Red Wings have a very strong prospect pipeline, and are being assembled to last once they emerge.
Even if these are legitimate reasons, not excuses, it won’t fly with many of the Red Wings’ faithful if they don’t reach the postseason.
It’s a tough spot. It isn’t at all fair. But it is what Yzerman and his Red Wings face entering this season.