The Detroit Red Wings are on the cusp of making the playoffs after narrowly missing the past two seasons. General manager Steve Yzerman is expected to dabble in free agency once it hits on July 1, but his mindset is still a mystery. Will he be able to acquire a main piece, or just settle for depth this time around?
The best thing for Yzerman to do is wait for the free agency class next season when there will be more options and more players that fit the mold of the team.
Red Wings, Yzerman hold all the cards
Yzerman is determined to help this team get back to relevancy. How he plans to do it is still a question, but he has a surplus of talent that could step in and make his team instantly better this offseason and next.
This year's free agent class includes Mitch Marner, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, John Tavares, Ivan Provorov, and Vladislav Gavrikov. Yzerman could still grab a piece or two, but his best option is next offseason when the talent will be mroe wide spread and more options will be available.
What does the 2026 free agent class look like?
Next summer, the list of names who could make an impact on any team is quite long and the Red Wings have a solid chance to land some of the league's most talented players. The list includes the likes of Sergei Bobrovsky, Artemi Panarin, Jack Eichel, Jacob Trouba, Kyle Connor, Martin Necas, Mattias Ekholm, Jamie Oleksiak, and Jacon Markstrom.
This is just a sample of what will be out there. While many of these players have playoff experience, Kyle Connor is one to keep an eye on as he is from Shelby Township, Michigan and also played college hockey for the University of Michigan. He would instantly be an upgrade to the forward group as he has plenty of playoff experience and is a sniper.
Next offseason would be a big year for the free agents of the Red Wings, as this season they will be playing for contracts. Unrestricted free agents next season for Detroit include Ben Chiarot and Cam Talbot. They will join restricted free agents Nate Danielson, Marco Kasper, Simon Edvinsson, and Sebastian Cossa as players who are eligible for a new deal.
If Yzerman fails to grab any of the top talent in the next two free agency periods or the Red Wings miss the playoffs, his job may be in trouble. He has had plenty of opportunities to improve this roster and make them contenders but has failed to do so. Yes, they have come close to making the playoffs but Yzerman did nothing to get them over the hump.
This is an important time for the Red Wings organization as they try to find a way to get into the playoffs. Something has to change because the teams in the Atlantic Division are not getting any worse so it is on Red Wings management to make this roster better without giving up the farm.