Is Red WIngs' Yzerman out of time as general manager?

Steve Yzerman was appointed the new general manager of the Detroit Red Wings on April 19, 2019. Fans were excited at the return of the Red Wings legend and had high expectations after it became official. Yzerman was leaving the same job with the Tampa Bay Lightning to come home to Detroit. After the excitement, the team has only come close to the playoffs was last season. After a struggling start to the 2024-25 season, is his job on the line?

Red Wings' Yzerman to blame for failures?

Detroit hockey has not seen the playoffs in nine seasons. With then-general manager Ken Holland, many bad decisions were made that sunk the team year after year. So far, Yzerman is doing the same thing. Every season since he took over, he has repeatedly signed players to one or two-year deals who were either past their prime or had nothing left to add to any organization. After suggesting the youth would carry this team and they would get a chance, his signings of veterans were confusing.

Yzerman has let many talented players in free agency walk to another team and, when he does make a move, it is a veteran depth piece. After those contracts are up, he does the same thing with the next free-agent class, leaving little chance for chemistry. He does not give the young players a chance to make a difference and be successful, leaving head coach Derek Lalonde with scraps to be a successful coach. This roster is not close to competing for a playoff spot and rumors are circulating about Lalonde's job. This is unfair to the coach because he is only coaching what Yzerman gives him. If he is given washed-up veterans instead of the rookies who were supposed to be up how does Lalonde make this group a playoff team?

Red Wings faithful or not, Yzerman has to take most of the blame for this. He has not given Lalonde the assets to win consistently. He has not lived up to expectations and has let the fans of the Red Wings down by not giving them anything to cheer for. This roster is not capable of winning, let alone making the playoffs. He has fired a coach before and may be on his way to doing it again, but this is not the fault of the coach. Lalonde should not be held accountable for the mishaps Yzerman has had since day one.

Under Yzerman's tenure as general manager in Detroit, Detroit's best winning percentage is .555 and that happened last season. That was their best. In a division where teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning are elite and could win it all in any season, the Red Wings are left at the bottom due to bad roster decisions.

The ones not responsible for this are the players and Lalonde. Yzerman is pulling the strings and adding players of no significance left and right. Players like defensemen Justin Holl and Jeff Petry, along with forward Austin Watson give this team no better chance of winning than some rookies in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Grand Rapids Griffins. These are a few examples of players brought into the lineup when there were more capable pieces in the minors. Watson is in the AHL, Holl has been okay, and Petry has been rumored to be traded for over a year because of his declining play. Instead of signing these types of players, why not add some youth and players who are hungry who will give this team a jolt like Marco Kasper has? He has been arguably the team's best player since his recall.

Last season, Yzerman signed Watson, Erik Gustafsson, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Tyler Motte during free agency. They have virtually done nothing this season. Goaltender Cam Talbot, another free agent signing, has been good this season and is one reason why Detroit is not in last place.

The Red Wings sit in seventh place in the Atlantic Division with a 7-9-1 record for 15 points. In a tight division like the Atlantic, this is not acceptable. Detroit simply does not have the talent to compete in this division. Again, this is not the fault of Lalonde or the players, but Yzerman, the one who constructed this roster over the summer.

Head coaches are fired for poor results. Players are traded for poor results. A legend like General Manager Yzerman should be fired for poor results. He needs to be held accountable for the poor decisions he has made since day one. He has not acquired the assets to make this team competitive and he has time to fix that issue. The fact that he has done the opposite is alarming.