The Detroit Red Wings had a long week. During the past week, the Red Wings played five games and lost them all. Then, the trade deadline came and general manager Steve Yzerman traded away some key pieces.
Although the Red Wings are still mathematically alive in the playoff race, has the damage been done, and where do they go from here?
The Detroit Red Wings had some roster issues that needed attention. First, they traded two forwards who were at one time successful, yet this year were hurt and not producing.
Another move saw the best point-producing defensemen get traded to the Vancouver Canucks because the return was too good to pass up. The Red Wings have some questions moving forward, but is it too late to think about those questions?
Could the Detroit Red Wings season already be over?
Going forward, the Detroit Red Wings are still alive in the race for the wild card. Captain Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings have to try and refocus, keeping their eye on the rest of the season.
The team must rely on their play to determine if they still get into the playoffs or not, but it looks to be a little too late. They can scoreboard watch, but in the end, they are responsible for the end result in the games they play.
As far as the roster goes, there are some holes after the trades. Forwards Jonatan Berggren, Filip Zadina, Adam Erne, and Alex Chiasson will see increased roles and playing time. These four will be critical in the team’s success going forward this season.
However, three of the four could be playing for ice time next season. These four could be huge in determining if the Detroit Red Wings see the postseason this year.
The off-season will be crucial yet again for Yzerman and management. By the looks of it, they will have plenty to discuss in terms of roster construction and contracts. Management has to determine who is best suited for this club going forward.
Will Yzerman and management have a full off-season of free agent moves like last off-season? Will they rely on who they have currently? Do they look at their 2023 first-round pick as their building block?
The Detroit Red Wings need answers. Last off-season, they were busy in free agency, and for a while, those moves worked out extremely well. Do they keep these players or move on?
Most of the answers depend on how they finish the season. If the Detroit Red Wings keep going on a downward spiral, then expect a lot of changes. If they do in fact make the playoffs, then we may see some tweaks in the off-season.
This current roster is not as bad as some make it seem, yet they are far from hoisting a Stanley Cup.