2023-2024 Wings bold predictions

[Bench]

We make it to game 6 of the second round.

This is where I my head is at. I could make up all kinds of player point predictions then get a giggle that I thought Fabbri would finally be a 50-60 point winger, but ultimately I think the big, bold prediction is that this team is good enough to sneak into the playoffs.

And yeah, I think they might finally be good enough to do that.

Last year I felt like everything needed to break their way to get in. That went off the rails quickly with Bert and Vrana missing in action. It would have been a struggle even if both were playing well.

But this year, I don't think they need *everything* to break their way. They'll need a bit of good luck, but not an unusual amount. That's my bold prediction:

This team makes the playoffs.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Debrincat will have 50 assists and 20 goals

 

[Detroit Knights]

I think what it comes down to is Compher being (marginally) better defensively than Copp, being a righty center and a better skater. Also, I think that Detroit's second and third lines this year will mostly be interchangeable.

Also,

Honestly, I think we have two 2.5 lines (they aren't really a 2nd line but they are both better than the 3rd line, so go halvsies.)

 

[Detroit Knights]

This is where I my head is at. I could make up all kinds of player point predictions then get a giggle that I thought Fabbri would finally be a 50-60 point winger, but ultimately I think the big, bold prediction is that this team is good enough to sneak into the playoffs.

And yeah, I think they might finally be good enough to do that.

Last year I felt like everything needed to break their way to get in. That went off the rails quickly with Bert and Vrana missing in action. It would have been a struggle even if both were playing well.

But this year, I don't think they need *everything* to break their way. They'll need a bit of good luck, but not an unusual amount. That's my bold prediction:

This team makes the playoffs.

This.

I think the league and other fanbases are 100% sleeping on our team, at least the fanbases are. We are going to have an extremely hard to play against team and if we play the Lalonde system correctly for our 2nd year, we will win close games. I actually like games where we win 3-1 or 3-2 but the score is no where near indicative on the actual gameplay. It shows 3-2, but the win feels like a 5-1 win. IYKYK

Also, I agree from what you said about last year having everything break correctly. It just didn't and we didn't have the depth I personally thought we did. Now, instead of inserting luff or czarnick (i actually really liked our 4th line with these guys because they played there part and didn't expect to move up in the lineup, at least I don't think they did) we insert Kostin and Fischer, or any other combination of players that made the team out of camp. Injuries? Okay, well depending on the injured player, we have kasper, soderblom, ed, aljo, mazur that can fill in when needed and make the injury not as impactful as it was last year.

I haven't been this excited for a red wings season in a very long time. I'm talking like since 2012. I don't have a lot of money, but I am ready to start buying jerseys or other memorabilia again.

Seider is a Norris finalist...

Get nutty with it...Walman finishes higher in the norris nominations than Seider.

 

[LeighDx59]

-Reimer ends up in Grand Rapids, Lyon ends up backing up Husso.

-We make the Playoffs (over Ottawa).

-Larkin hits 90 points.

-DeBrincat gets over 40 goals.

-Raymond rebounds and ends up getting 70 points.

-Seider is a Norris finalist.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

They have been said by most.

ADC scores 40 goals
Seider is a Norris finalist
We make a strong push down the stretch coinciding with Edvinsson taking off in a top 4 role to the playoffs. Kasper is on the playoff roster.

I really believe Buffalo breaks through too though so it worries me on the playoffs. But I actually believe we can make a run at this.

I think we are going to be tough to play against in a way we haven’t been for a while. Copp and Compher can upset people but they have a track record in this league on checking talent and playing well for the full 200 feet. I think having a right draw for the first time in the top 9 since around when we started missing the playoffs will help. Luke is the last one I can think of, when he was out there we weren’t always thrilled, but that will be big at the end of tight games.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Honestly, I think we have two 2.5 lines (they aren't really a 2nd line but they are both better than the 3rd line, so go halvsies.)

And that’s totally fine. One of those lines will end up with the hard defensive assignment one night then the other line will get the hard defensive assignment the next. Detroit’s depth at forward is looking similar to NYI’s or Seattle’s but I think Larkin and DeBrincat are better high end pieces than any two forwards on either team.

My two big concerns next year is 2nd pair defensive depth (can Maatta be as good as he was with Hronek? And can Ghost effectively replace Hronek?) and goaltending.

If Edvinsson comes in and has a solid rookie campaign and one of Lyon or Reimer surprises by providing at least a 0.500 quality start percentage and at least 0.906 goaltending then I think Detroit makes the postseason.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Ray gets 75 points
Ras hits 60
Berggren hits 60
Seider finished top 5 in Norris voting
DBC pots 40 goals
Copp/Perron/And compher have all lack luster seasons.

 

[norrisnick]

Ray gets 75 points
Ras hits 60
Berggren hits 60
Seider finished top 5 in Norris voting
DBC pots 40 goals
Copp/Perron/And compher have all lack luster seasons.

How do Ray, Ras, and Bergie all pop if Copp and Compher are meh? They can't all play with Larkin with DeBrincat around.

I can see those three having big years, but they're going to need a quality center to do it. Veleno ain't it. And if Copp and Compher aren't it either... that leaves a gap there.

Or is the hidden bold prediction that Kasper comes storming in during camp and grabs the 2C spot by the haunches and humps it into submission?

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

How do Ray, Ras, and Bergie all pop if Copp and Compher are meh? They can't all play with Larkin with DeBrincat around.

I can see those three having big years, but they're going to need a quality center to do it. Veleno ain't it. And if Copp and Compher aren't it either... that leaves a gap there.

Or is the hidden bold prediction that Kasper comes storming in during camp and grabs the 2C spot by the haunches and humps it into submission?

Kasper will get an adult film award for how hard he humps it

 

[Lampedampe]

Raymond breaks out and has a 90 point season.

 

[JohanFranzenstein]

Berggren finishes top 3 in team scoring.

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

Detroit squeaks in and beats Toronto in the 1st rd. Bertuzzi signs back with the Wings next summer.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

Wings are in playoff contention all season but ultimately fall short and draft 16th OA

Larkin breaks the 80pt mark for the first time

Debrincat puts up 33 goals and 37 assists for 70pts

Raymond finishes with 65 pts in a great rebound season.

Rasmussen and Copp both finish with over 50pts but Compher finishes well short of 40

Seider finishes with 65pts and is a Norris finalist

Edvinsson plays less than 25 games with Detroit, Kasper less then 15 and Wallinder and Mazer less then 8 each. However, all four have huge seasons in GR and help push the team to the AHL finals.

 

[Redwing66]

Mazur not only cracks the lineup he scores 20 goals this year. Wings make the playoffs

 

[SoupNazi]

Seider is a Norris finalist.
Holl isn't nearly as bad as people think, and people realize it's the Toronto spotlight that was his issue.
DBC and Larkin hit 90 points each.

 

[Henkka]

Wings get to the playoffs and players will score like this:

300 goals scored, 270 against, Goal differential +30.

 

[Ricelund]

Wings get to the playoffs and players will score like this:

View attachment 730551

View attachment 730552

300 goals scored, 270 against, Goal differential +30.

Henkka, two teams scored 300 or more goals last year. One of them won 65 games and the other had McDavid and Draisaitl.

I appreciate the boldness and optimism but this team isn’t scoring 300 goals.

 

[Gniwder]

Mazur not only cracks the lineup he scores 20 goals this year. Wings make the playoffs

That's bold for sure, the team has 13 forwards already, and I assume Kasper is the first injury callup.

 

[Duane Smith]

Kostin doubles his career goal total(16).

 

[RRhoads]

Larkin hits 35 goals and 90 points
Raymond 70 points
Debrincat gets 39 goals
Seider gets 68 points and is a finalist for the Norris
Ras gets 55 points

 

[Bench]

Henkka, two teams scored 300 or more goals last year. One of them won 65 games and the other had McDavid and Draisaitl.

I appreciate the boldness and optimism but team isn’t scoring 300 goals.

The blueline goal scoring is about right, though. I was surprised to see the Wings' blueline scored 41 goals last year.

Just for comparison, Edmonton and Boston both scored 39.

And then I'm curious like, OK, how does San Jose compare when they have 25 goals from 1 guy contributing? So, about that, only one other Shark defender had more than 1 goal. EK has 25, Ferraro 4, and then 7 different guys had 1 goal for a total of 36.

Hronek is a goal scoring loss, but Ghost seems to spot fill most, if not all, of his production. The Wings really are scoring by committee back there.

Without looking at all the totals, if I had to guess, Carolina probably lead the league in defender scoring with 59 goals. I don't know an easy way to sum every blueline for a team, so if anyone has a more automated way to do that, that would be cool. But Carolina is probably the top because they had two defenders with 18 goal seasons (Skjei and Burns). Imagine if they add EK? That's a 70 goal blueline, holy jumpin'.

 

[Redwing66]

That's bold for sure, the team has 13 forwards already, and I assume Kasper is the first injury callup.

I hope he has a good showing early in the year and gets involved after a few injuries take place. Once he gets going he will be hard to send back down - we have some underwhelming production from some of the 13 forwards.

 

[Kronwalled55]

I think most of our players stay the course and put up similar numbers as in 2022-23. I expect a boost from Larkin and Seider, but nothing bold there. Here are my takes -

If Soderblom plays routinely, he gets to 15 goals.
Raymond gets moved to the 2nd line... but hits 30 goals
Marco Kasper plays 55+ games and hits 35 points.

 

[Detroit Knights]

And that’s totally fine. One of those lines will end up with the hard defensive assignment one night then the other line will get the hard defensive assignment the next. Detroit’s depth at forward is looking similar to NYI’s or Seattle’s but I think Larkin and DeBrincat are better high end pieces than any two forwards on either team.

My two big concerns next year is 2nd pair defensive depth (can Maatta be as good as he was with Hronek? And can Ghost effectively replace Hronek?) and goaltending.

If Edvinsson comes in and has a solid rookie campaign and one of Lyon or Reimer surprises by providing at least a 0.500 quality start percentage and at least 0.906 goaltending then I think Detroit makes the postseason.

Not sure if I came off as complaining about the two 2.5 lines or not, but that was not my intention. I actually love the versatility that brings. I have always thought having an elite first line then two very good lines and rounding out with a grinding, can play with any line effectively/efficiently 4th line is my ideal lineup. Honestly, think we are basically there at this point, hence why I am so excited for this year.

Maatta has always been pretty good, even on terrible teams. He slowed down last year because of that pneumonia thing and I didn't know it could effect you that badly tbh. Maatta - Ghost pairing is going to be extremely great to watch because they are both essentially polar opposites and for defensive pairings, that usually works pretty well.

I don't see Ed starting this season with NHL unless we can trade someone that's in front of him and looking at the contracts vs who we just signed, I would think that is Chiarot. Of course that could be bias because I don't like his game for this team most nights, but there really isn't anyone else. I think Holl is going to be a solid 3rd pair, so don't see him leaving.

Honestly, if we do trade Chiarot or Ghost at some point early, I can see ALJO getting the call up since he has played on the right side before. Would be fun to see since I haven't seen much of his game to date. Just going off of what new reports have said.