After a end to the 2023-24 season that noticed the Detroit Crimson Wings come simply wanting returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, there have been hopes that common supervisor (GM) Steve Yzerman would be capable to make strikes this offseason to place the group excessive. With the cap house Yzerman needed to work with, he has been in a position to exit and make loads of strikes by way of free company, re-signings, or commerce. With that being mentioned, what has every transfer appeared like and the way do they grade out as of now?
Free Company & Re-Signings
G Jack Campbell (Signed, One yr, $775,000)
A little bit of a head-scratching signing by Yzerman with having three goalies already on the roster (together with Cam Talbot, who will likely be talked about in a while), Jack Campbell could also be getting his final likelihood to make any influence on the NHL degree. After a tough begin with the Edmonton Oilers, the Port Huron, Michigan native spent the remainder of the 2023-24 season within the American Hockey League (AHL). He struggled to start his time within the minors however ended up having the ability to settle in and put up a modest 2.63 goals-against common (GAA) and a .918 save proportion (SV%).
He may have a large hill to climb to regain a spot in an NHL lineup with the Crimson Wings this upcoming season, and there’s a robust risk that he’ll find yourself spending extra time with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL than he will likely be within the NHL. The worst-case state of affairs is that he finally ends up being a mentor to Sebastian Cossa and can create a strong one-two punch in Grand Rapids. Nonetheless, the transfer is a bit baffling for Yzerman to make.
Grade: C
RW Christian Fischer (Re-Signed, One yr, $1.125 million)
After signing with the group final offseason, Christian Fischer turned a fan favourite amongst Crimson Wings followers, due to his power and play from the underside of the lineup. Between his robust play on the forecheck, throwing his physique round, and chipping in on the scoresheet, Fischer was an thrilling fourth-line participant for the Crimson Wings and a dependable penalty killer when referred to as upon.
Bringing again a participant like Fischer, who can contribute each on and off the ice, on the value they had been in a position to signal him, is a powerful signing for Yzerman and the Crimson Wings for this upcoming season.
Grade: A
D Erik Gustafsson (Signed, Two years, $4.0 million)
Heading into the offseason, Yzerman made it clear that enhancing on the defensive facet of the puck was going to be one in every of his high priorities. With Shayne Gostisbehere being an unrestricted free agent (UFA) and Jake Walman being shipped to the San Jose Sharks, he determined to exit and herald Erik Gustafsson. Whereas he might not be capable to replicate or fill the void left by both departing participant, he’ll nonetheless be a strong third-pair defenseman who can eat up some ice time if want be.
Associated: Crimson Wings’ Projected Depth Chart for 2024-25
Gustafsson has the skillset and functionality to play on an influence play unit if referred to as upon. Changing Gostsibehere, who signed with the Carolina Hurricanes with Gustafsson, might not find yourself being an “even swap, ” however he’s nonetheless a reliable defenseman.
Grade: B
RW Patrick Kane (Re-signed, One yr, $6.5 million)
After bringing the long run Corridor-of-Famer in final season, Patrick Kane might nonetheless reside as much as the “Showtime” nickname he has had all through his profession. Lastly, with a wholesome offseason, there’s hope that he can as soon as once more be one of many high offensive gamers on the Crimson Wings this season and assist to proceed to convey out one of the best in his linemates. On high of the on-ice influence he makes, having a veteran of Kane’s caliber within the locker room is one other factor that he continues to convey to a Crimson Wings roster with gamers like Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond on it, in addition to a number of the group’s prospects who will likely be attending coaching camp within the fall.
Grade: A
RW Tyler Motte (Signed, One yr, $800,000)
Yet one more participant with Michigan ties, being a Michigan-born participant and having performed for the College of Michigan from 2013-2016, Tyler Motte has by no means been a participant who will convey a ton to the offensive facet of the sport. His forte appears to be extra within the defensive play, as he has proven all through his profession to be a pest as a defender and on the forecheck. This has led to him changing into a powerful penalty killer. He’ll doubtless spend his time on the fourth line this upcoming season and fill in on the penalty kill all year long. Including him to the lineup as an power kind of participant with the aptitude to be a powerful penalty killer might find yourself serving to the group defensively in a powerful means.
Grade: B+
RW Vladimir Tarasenko (Signed, Two years, $9.5 million)
With the freed-up cap house due to the Robby Fabbri commerce to the Anaheim Geese, the Crimson Wings introduced in a two-time Stanley Cup winner in Vladimir Tarasenko. Whereas he might not be the identical participant he was for the St. Louis Blues, he nonetheless brings some explosive offense each in five-on-five play and on the person benefit.
Including a participant of Tarasenko’s degree ought to add much more firepower to the lineup for the group and can make the highest two strains forward-wise potent, relying on how head coach Derek Lalonde decides to compile it.
Grade: A
G Cam Talbot (Signed, Two years, $5.0 million)
After the Crimson Wings noticed three goalies on the roster for almost all of the 2023-24 season, there’s a robust likelihood that they are going to be doing the identical after the signing of Cam Talbot (barring a transfer of one in every of Alex Lyon or Ville Husso). Talbot ought to be an improve on the backup place over James Reimer, who’s coming off a powerful season that noticed him carry a lot of the workload for the Los Angeles Kings. He began 52 video games for the Kings and recorded a 27-20-6 report whereas having a 2.50 GAA and a .913 SV%. With the strikes Yzerman has made on the goaltender place, it might find yourself being an fascinating season as soon as once more for Crimson Wing followers.
Grade: B
Trades
Sending D Andrew Gibson to the Nashville Predators for RW Jesse Kiiskenen and a 2024 second-round decide (by way of Tampa Bay)
In a swap of 2023 draft picks, the Crimson Wings despatched Andrew Gibson to the Predators after he had a breakout season for the Soo Greyhounds within the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He turned a prospect within the Crimson Wings’ system, which many followers began to be enthusiastic about and preserve tabs on. Sending him to Nashville was a shock, and he had a strong developmental camp for the Predators this offseason.
In return, the Crimson Wings bought Finnish-born Jesse Kiiskenen and the Lightning’s second-round decide. Kiiskenen is an fascinating prospect because of his 2023-24 season spent within the high Finnish league, Liiga, as an 18-year-old. He confirmed that he might play within the league and is anticipated again within the upcoming season. He ought to turn into a prospect that Crimson Wing followers can hear extra about because the season begins. The second-round decide might have ended up changing into a strong asset for the group, to both take one more prospect with the decide or bundle it to maneuver up or for a participant by way of commerce. As a substitute, it ended up being a part of the Jake Walman commerce (which personally was a disappointing commerce and will likely be talked about within the subsequent part).
Grade: B (Based mostly primarily on the second-round decide being flipped within the Walman commerce, in any other case this transfer could be a strong B+)
Sending D Jake Walman and the 2024 second-round decide acquired from Nashville to the San Jose Sharks for future concerns
Essentially the most baffling commerce Yzerman made this offseason has been delivery Walman and a second-rounder to the Sharks for mainly nothing (at this level). Whereas Walman did miss the end of the 2023-24 season, he was on a comparatively cap-friendly contract ($3.4 million cap hit). He was additionally a strong accomplice on the primary pairing with Seider for essentially the most half and was a participant who, in his time in Detroit, turned a large fan favourite. On high of that’s the second-round decide that needed to be hooked up to Walman within the transfer. It looks as if it was a steep value for the Crimson Wings to pay the Sharks for, fairly truthfully, nothing in return.
Shifting on from Walman’s contract did open up extra cap house for the group, and time will solely inform if there was extra reasoning behind the transfer, however as of now, it is likely one of the largest head-scratchers of the offseason.
Grade: D
Sending Robby Fabbri and a conditional 2025 fourth-round decide to the Anaheim Geese for G Gage Alexander
Fabbri was a strong contributor to the Crimson Wings throughout his time with the group however fought the harm bug fairly a bit. He additionally noticed his position with the group diminish a bit this season, and having a participant whose cap hit was at $4 million for the upcoming season who would doubtless be enjoying bottom-six minutes was all the time more likely to be moved if given the chance. Having the ability to offload his contract seemingly opened up the cap house for Yzerman to exit and signal Tarasenko the identical day. The transfer appears to be a strong trade-off for the Crimson Wings.
In return, they obtained Alexander, who will most definitely be headed to the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL and can add much more depth to the system on the goaltender place.
Grade: A-
Loads of Work Left to Do
Yzerman and the Crimson Wings have made loads of offseason strikes up to now, however there’s nonetheless clearly extra work to do. This contains nonetheless shoring up the protection and signing each Seider and Raymond to extensions, seeing that they’re nonetheless restricted free brokers (RFA). If he has taught followers something, Yzerman has confirmed that there are strikes that you could be not see coming till they occur, and with there nonetheless being loads of time earlier than the puck drops on the 2024-25 season, there’s a good likelihood he finally ends up making extra strikes for the roster.
