No doubt, Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings had a busy offseason.
In addition to the Alex DeBrincat and Klim Kostin acquisitions, the organization also signed six free agents to play NHL roles. That’s a lot of new faces in Hockeytown.
Related: What Is the “Yzerplan” Exactly & How Is It Progressing?
So is that it for Yzerman and the Red Wings? Or could they add even more players to the organization?
Red Wings’ 2023-24 Roster
Looking ahead to next season, the Red Wings figure to be a much deeper and well-rounded team. Below is an early projection for their opening night lineup.
| LW | C | RW |
| Michael Rasmussen | Dylan Larkin | Alex DeBrincat |
| Lucas Raymond | Andrew Copp | David Perron |
| Klim Kostin | J.T. Compher | Robby Fabbri |
| Jonatan Berggren | Joe Veleno | Daniel Sprong |
| Christian Fischer |
| LD | RD | G |
| Jake Walman | Moritz Seider | Ville Husso |
| Olli Maatta | Shayne Gostisbehere | James Reimer |
| Ben Chiarot | Justin Holl | |
| Gustav Lindstrom |
You may have noticed there are 22 players on the roster – one short of the 23-man limit. Who could fill that last spot?
Starting with internal options, the Red Wings could have Matt Luff or Austin Czarnik on the roster as the 14th forward – someone to sit out most nights and otherwise compete for time on the fourth line. Marco Kasper and Carter Mazur are options, too, but would need to play most nights in a top-nine role for proper development.
If Derek Lalonde prefers to carry eight defensemen, Simon Edvinsson should be the top choice. He certainly deserves NHL ice time. But like Kasper and Mazur, he needs to play to warrant an NHL roster spot.
The Red Wings could also carry three goalies, like they did for a stretch at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. Ville Husso would start most nights, with James Reimer and Alex Lyon making spot starts here and there.
Regardless, there’s flexibility. Having several options like this is a good thing. There is one more option, though.
Red Wings Could Sign Another Free Agent
Yes, that’s correct. The Red Wings could sign a free agent to fill the final roster spot. Ideally, they would be adding a depth player that could play in the bottom half of the lineup, sit out some nights, but otherwise have potential to exceed expectations.
How about a reunion with one of Pius Suter or Alex Chiasson? The Red Wings reportedly expressed interest in bringing the two back earlier in the offseason.
Suter has the ability to play up and down the lineup and serve as an effective penalty killer. His defensive game is strong and he’s a consistent scorer, too, potting 14 goals in limited minutes last year.
Chiasson is the definition of a role player. He’s best suited on the fourth line and not higher in the lineup. That said, he’s a force in front of the net on the power play. His five power play goals ranked fifth on the Red Wings last year, despite playing in just 20 games.
Alternatively, the Red Wings could pursue an external free agent. Oskar Sundqvist is similar to Chiasson and is still available. Danton Heinen, Jesper Boqvist, Noah Gregor, and Denis Malgin have upside as well.
Final Word
The Red Wings are already a deep team. Still, they could stand to add another player to the organization.
Injuries can and will occur. And while the Grand Rapids Griffins are a much stronger and deeper team as well, we don’t want to see their roster depleted from call-ups and their own injuries for the second year in a row. Adding an external free agent would help prevent this and create even more competition among the players fighting for NHL jobs.
Stats courtesy of NHL.com.