Will Detroit Red Wings New Acquisitions Lead to Playoff Berth?

The Detroit Red Wings are a franchise that is based on winning, Stanley Cups, and loyalty.

For years, they were a perennial Stanley Cup contender, making the playoffs year after year. Detroit has also been blessed with some talented rosters, most of them containing a Hall of Famer or two.

For the past six seasons, the Red Wings have had a misfortune of luck and missed the playoffs. General manager Steve Yzerman is determined to bring back a winning attitude and success.

He knew changes had to be made after a dismal 2021/22 season where the team lacked effort and motivation. With cap space and an open mind, Yzerman wanted to make an impact or two heading into the 2022/23 season.

Will the Detroit Red Wings’ improvements lead to a playoff berth?

With free agency and the 2022 NHL Draft within a week of each other, Yzerman knew the time was now to make changes and once free agency hit, he wasted no time.

With money to spend and loads of talent ready to be had, Yzerman got going and got going early. The Red Wings needed scoring, and they got it. The Red Wings needed depth, and they got it. The Red Wings needed left-handed defensemen, and they got it, and they needed insurance in goal, and they got that too.

Amazingly, Yzerman accomplished all of this within 3 hours of the free agency period opening.

Brought on board were forwards Andrew Copp, David Perron, Dominik Kubalik, Austin Czarnik, and Matt Luff. Defensemen signed to contracts were Ben Chiarot, Olli Maatta, and Mark Pysyk, while goaltender Ville Husso was brought in via trade with the St. Louis Blues.

With the amazing amount of talent Yzerman has brought in during a short period of time, the Red Wings now have a full, energetic roster ready to compete for a playoff spot. Although a Stanley Cup is well still out of reach, a playoff spot is well within their grasp.

We look at the current Red Wings depth chart by position, with the center being first.

The center position was one of the biggest problem spots for Detroit entering the off-season. Captain Dylan Larkin was the heart and soul of the offense and carried Detroit all season.

However, he needed help offensively and at the center position. Larkin wears his heart on his sleeve and is determined to up his game and carry Detroit into the playoffs.

Yzerman acquired Andrew Copp to be the second-line center as well as a power play center who can help create offense, as well as be a 200-foot player. Copp fills a big need in Detroit.

Pius Suter enters his second season with the Red Wings after being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks. A solid center with offensive upside, he will play a bottom-six role with Copp aboard.

Rotating in the last two center spots are Michael Rasmussen and Joe Veleno. Rasmussen struggled early in his career but has turned things around and looks to be a force down low and defensively.

Veleno is still trying to find his game but has been solid in call-ups and has a future top-two center role.

Detroit looks to have solidified the center position for now. All four have the ability to be good two-way centers and contribute at both ends of the ice.  They need to improve their game a bit if the Red Wings have any chance of making the playoffs this season.

Larkin and Copp will be counted on to keep things positive and looking in the right direction for the near future.

The right-wingers have some talent and are ready for productive seasons. Last season’s Rookie of the Year candidate Lucas Raymond will be entering his second season in the NHL and is ready to be even more offensively productive this season.

With him playing on the top line again, he could exceed last season’s scoring numbers. Newcomer David Perron will likely fit into the second line and bring offense and consistency.

Perron will also likely be placed on the second power-play unit, where he is off wing. Perron adds grit as well to add to his array of talents.

Filip Zadina will play in the middle six on the left side. He has struggled so far in his career but with additions at the forward spot, he could have a breakout season offensively.

If Zadina can get going at any point, he can be a dangerous scorer and possibly score 30 goals. His shot is there but his confidence needs some work.

Oskar Sundqvist, entering his second season in Detroit, and newcomer Austin Czarnik will rotate at the 4th line right wing position as well as penalty kill assignments. They do not supply much offense, but they will be counted on to play a solid defensive game.

The fourth-line winger spots have had issues in the past contributing offensively but this forward group has been upgraded so this should help all forwards get going. If the third and fourth lines contribute a little offense, Detroit could be in line for a playoff spot.

Maybe the most talented position on the Red Wings is the left-wing position. Tyler Bertuzzi comes with an all-around game as he produces offensively, scores big goals, plays a solid defensive game and is willing to play that physical game.

Jakub Vrana had some injury issues last season and is hoping to stay healthy this season. The most gifted goal scorer on the Red Wings, Vrana is lethal when in the offensive zone and has a bullet for a shot.

A full season of Vrana completely changes the offensive output and looks to this forward group. Vrana could lead this team in goals at the end of the season.

Dominik Kubalik, another left winger with a bullet of a shot, is ready to start his first season in Detroit, signing as a free agent this summer. Kubalik will certainly see some time on the power play and has, like Zadina, the potential to score 30 goals.

If he can be the trigger man on the right half wall of the power play, it creates chances that Detroit lacked last season. The Red Wings now have two solid power play units, which should be greatly improved.

Adam Erne is an energy guy who has a little offense but supplies a defensive game with some physical play. He is the glue guy that will fight, block shots, and get into the dirty areas that other players are not willing to go into. He is also used as a penalty killer, which he excels at.

On the left side, we have three complete defensemen. Newcomer Ben Chiarot, at 6-foot-3 and 226 pounds, is the biggest, most physical player on the left defense. He will not contribute a lot of offense but he is not supposed to.

He earns his money by playing a physical game and clearing the crease. Chiarot is a big man and he will use his body to help out his goaltender in any way possible.

Olli Maatta, also a newcomer, brings experience and a Stanley Cup to Detroit. He is also more of a defensive player but can chip in offensively when needed.

He will most likely be a middle-pairing defender on a regular shift and also play some penalty kill. Maatta is a well-rounded defenseman who should make a difference.

The last defenseman on the left side is Jordan Oesterle. He came to Detroit as a free agent without a lot of expectations, more of a depth piece. However, he played quite well in his first season as a Red Wing, excelling in all three zones.

Oesterle did not put up a lot of points, but the goals he did score either tied the game, won the game, or sent the game to overtime. He is a good, quality defenseman who could be the dark horse of the group.

The left side of the defense has the potential to be the side of the defense that completely shuts down the opposition. They have size, defensive awareness, are able to close the gaps, play a physical when needed, and are able to play a steady, reliable game.

Keep an eye on this group, as it has potential.

For the goaltenders, we have Alex Nedeljkovic and the newly acquired Ville Husso. Last season, Nedeljkovic was in his first season with Detroit after being acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes, where he played excellent hockey.

Coming to the Red Wings was a shock to his system, as he was peppered with shots, almost nightly. Because of this, he was tested frequently, and he withstood the challenge, looking good for the most part, all things considered.

Yzerman acquired Husso from the St. Louis Blues to compete for the starting job and also have a quality backup that can be counted on. Husso has been good for the Blues, flipping between starter and backup, although he had starter numbers.

Husso will be much improved over the goaltending they had last season and should push Nedeljkovic to be better. Husso is a solid goaltender who can play as much as Detroit needs him to and give them quality starts.

This tandem is much better than last season and it gives the Red Wings two goaltenders who can be starters on any other team.

The competition between the two should make the Red Wings more competitive.  Either goaltender has the capability to be a starter in Detroit and the duo solidifies any worries the Red Wings have about another goaltending collapse.

With Husso being the veteran of the two, he could also be a mentor to Nedeljkovic during tough times he could face. Regardless, the duo of Husso and Nedeljkovic improves the team overall and gives the team a chance to win every night.