The Detroit Red Wings are building for the future. Under the leadership of Steve Yzerman, the Red Wings are turning the corner and could get back to being a playoff team sooner rather than later.
This season the Red Wings started off hot. They were in a playoff spot around American Thanksgiving which is usually telling of a playoff team. They are the fifth-best team in the Atlantic Division as of Monday morning and by the season end, they will have been competing for a wild card spot all year long.
This Red Wings team being competitive is a dream come true. After making the playoffs every year from 1991 through 2016 it seemed like the Red Wings were going to be in it every year. But following up that 25-year streak of making the playoffs the team has missed the past six seasons.
I am sure a lot of Red Wings fans would like to see their team back in the playoffs this year, but let’s not rush anything. The Red Wings are building something great and there is no need to rush things just for a round of playoff experience.
Today let’s go over what the future Detroit Red Wings core group looks like.
Dylan Larkin
Dylan Larkin was drafted 15th overall in 2014. Since joining the team the Red Wings haven’t been the best team in the league, but they are starting to turn the corner and he is going to be a big part of the success in the years to come.
Larkin is the captain of the team and is signed through the 2022-23 season at 6.1 million. At that point, the team will have to sign the 25 to a bit of a pay raise long term to keep the captain in Detroit for a long time.
Lucas Raymond
It is hard to imagine Lucas Raymond is a rookie this season. The young 19-year-old has cemented himself in the Red Wings lineup and is only going to get better with time. He was drafted fourth overall in 2020 and has put up 32 points in 39 games this season.
Raymond is playing top-six minutes and has made himself a vital part of the organization already.
Moritz Seider
Moritz Seider was drafted sixth overall in 2019. A lot of people at the time of the draft were questioning the decision to pick him that high, not anymore as he has become one of the most fun to watch players on this team. Seider is on his entry-level deal and will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2023-24 season. At that point, he will be taking on a big role with the team.
Filip Hronek
Filip Hronek is on a good contract at 4.4 million for the next three seasons and is playing a vital role on the blue line playing over 22 minutes a night. He and Moritz Seider are going to have a lot of time to play alongside each other for the next few years and that is going to be a fun thing to watch for Red Wings fans.
Pius Suter
Pius Suter was brought over this offseason and while he only has 18 points in 39 games he is a great second or third-line center for this team. Winning starts with having good depth down the middle and Suter provides that for the Red Wings.
At 3.25 million through the end of next season, Suter is making a fair wage and hopefully will re-sign with the team when his current deal is done. I am sure the Red Wings could get a solid return in a trade for Suter but for the future, the Red Wings should build around him with the group.
Robby Fabbri
Robby Fabbri has the longest contract on the Red Wings. He is signed through the 2024-25 season on an extension he signed this offseason. The deal keeps him with the Red Wings for just 4 million a year.
In 37 games this year he has put up 16 points and provides a physical role in the top six dishing out 67 hits, second to only Adam Erne on the team.
Michael Rasmussen
The last name on the list is 22-year-old, Michael Rasmussen. Rasmussen has been having a pretty strong year overall. He has put up 13 points, is strong in the faceoff dot, and has been using his size dishing out 46 hits on the year. The depth down the middle for the Red Wings is great with Larkin, Suter, and Rasmussen and this group is going to be together for a long time as Rasmussen is signed through the 2023-24 season at just 1.46 million a year.
While there are a lot of other impressive players on the Red Wings, these six players in my mind make up the core group of the team. This is a group that could be competing for Stanley Cups in two or three years.