Don’t count out taking a run at Dylan Samberg with an offer sheet. Teams are going to look at who they can take advantage of (after what the Blues did without any retribution) and Winnipeg has Ehlers and Vilardi to pay. Samberg is quietly turning into an poor man’s Josh Morrissey at 26, and would be the best possible addition they could hope for.
Unfortunately he’s no secret to scouts and managers anymore. He’s legit.. He’s getting paid way more than fans think this summer, and the Jets would be insane to let him go.
Another couple of players who might find themselves with an offer sheet? Romanov from the Islanders and 2 who I think are getting traded before any offer sheets are made… that being Cam York and Nik Hague. Both could see an offer sheet but more likely they’re traded prior to filing for arbitration, and handed new deals.
We should really determine how (we think as fans) the Wings are going to move forward starting this summer. I think they’ll make the type of moves I’m going to name here, no matter what direction they go this summer. If they trade for, or offer sheet higher end Dmen than this, they won’t be taking “one step backwards, to take 3 steps forward.” Which is the speculation about Detroit in certain circles.
There are some rumblings out there, Detroit is going to go very young “up front” next year, and maybe on the blue line as well. What excuse they give the fans, who knows, but they’ll likely tell the fans, it was time to see what a number of their recent picks can do in the NHL? When in reality… that would only be part of it. The real reason to take a step backwards, while getting valuable experience for young players, is to have a chance at a franchise changing player in the 2026 draft. Maybe even the 2027 draft.
Gavin McKenna is the real, real deal folks. He’s that good, where 3-4 teams aren’t going to care a whole lot about next year, and Detroit is in the perfect position to tank, without looking like they’re tanking.
That decision wouldn’t be anything new in the NHL. Remember what Toronto did to land Matthews, and Colorado to land Mackinnon.
As for the D-Core??
Assume Chiarot, Holl and Gustavsson are all gone come July 1st. Especially if Yzerman takes Jimmy D’s spot and Draper takes over as manager.
In their minds, they have 4 Dmen going into next year, and want to add 2 quality Dmen, who are “interchangeable.”
That’s a key word. They want one really solid #3 who has some offense, and then they want someone who’s going to shelter ASP next season IF he’s not ready to play 20 minutes a game with Edvinsson. They don’t see him playing in GR next year. Not at all. Maybe this playoff, but we’ll see.
With the way we’ve seen 77’s offensive game starting to evolve, he looks like he’s going to end up a 40-50 point Dman consistently. So if they think between 77 and 53 continuing to get better offensively, and the amount of offense ASP is going to bring, they may end up not caring as much for that #3 they’ve been after, bringing as much offense. That opens the door a ton to someone like Nik Hague being one of the two they’ll target, instead of a Cam York.
On top of that, they WILL be all over trying to sign Ryan Lindgren, to play with ASP next year. He’s also extremely “interchangeable.” He can play with Seider on the top pair, as a support Dman, or he can play with a Hague on the 3rd pairing 15-18 minutes a night IF ASP is ready to play those harder minutes (as a rookie) with Edvinsson.
We already know Johansson is “interchangeable.” He could end up Seider’s partner next year, Edvinsson’s, or on the bottom pairing with someone like Hague or Lindgren.
If they’re truly ready to compete, they will come out of the summer adding at least two Dmen like Ryan Lindgren, and another Top 4 Dman, who can handle minutes playing as a sidekick to Edvinsson or Seider. Left or right doesn’t matter.
If they start training camp with the following, they’re molding their blue line to really compete consistently every night. Right now, they’re just not, and Yzerman’s lack of going through this season and NOT finding quality partners for his two young, Star Dmen, leads me to believe, they’re either waiting for more kids not named Sandin-Pellikka, or they’re going to take that step backwards.
If they start the season with the following, they’d have had a nice off-season regarding the blue line….
Hague with Seider
Johansson with Edvinsson
Lindgren with ASP
Those are all “interchangeable” Dmen for the next few years, and by the end of the season it should look like..
Lindgren/Hague with Seider
Edvinsson with ASP
Hague/Lindgren with Johansson.
They will have added quality partners for their two big boys, and added two Dmen who can also kill penalties as well as anyone. It also adds the most important thing they just don’t get right now. A 3rd pairing who can give them a legit 15-18 minutes a game AND kill penalties.
Now, can they go big with adding a Byrum or Ristolainen? They could. It’ll cost them but the example I’m giving is more logical AND gets the job done. The future isn’t the role players added. It’s 53/77 and ASP, and putting them in positions to succeed, with solid partners.
Right now, they’re literally playing 53 and 77 into the ground. Which isn’t a bad thing long-term, but in the short-term there will be lots of ups and downs. Exactly what we’ve seen all year long. They’re tired..
They not only play crazy minutes, they play extremely hard minutes because they do so much by themselves. Albert Johansson cannot be your #3 if you wanna be taken seriously every night. He can absolutely grow into one of those supporting roles but they’re going to be much better having more solid partners for 53/77 and having a 3rd pair who can give them solid minutes.
People may argue with Lindgren but make no mistake. Not only will Detroit be after him, but LA, Montreal, Buffalo and others with young Dmen needing a partner.
He’s protected Adam Fox for the last few years now, almost perfectly. Having him come to be ASP’s partner, would be a home run. Do not be surprised if they send the Avs a pick to negotiate with him around the draft. Assuming of course, Colorado won’t be keeping him.
Also, fans shouldn’t read too much into putting the 3 pairings in a depth chart type of thing. If ASP and Lindgren are your 3rd pairing, there will be nights they might play more than one of the other two pairings. Basically this is what they have..
Seider - Open
Open - Edvinsson
ASP - Open
Johansson in there somewhere…
That’s how they need to look at it from the building of their D-Core perspective. That’s why I use the word “interchangeable” additions. You add a Byrum, he’s playing with Seider, period. You add Cam York, he’s playing with Seider period. K’Andre Miller? He’s playing with Edvinsson period.
Just by adding Lindgren, that could change things with those 3 players I just mentioned. He can play with any of those, or he can play with 53/77/ASP.
Just adding one very quality, interchangeable player like Lindgren opens up other things. Adding 2 interchangeables? Like a Hague or Samberg, or even Ekblad at this stage of his career, allows them to fine tune their D-Core throughout the next two seasons. Taking enormous pressure off of 53 and 77.
So fans shouldn’t pigeon hole what they need to add. Both Dmen need to be able to play at least 2 different roles. Either as a sidekick to 53 or 77 OR as a stand alone Dman on that 3rd pairing. Either with ASP or with each other.
As for what I mentioned earlier about going young and letting next season play out?? If they do that, I think it’ll be more at forward. If they did it with the D-Core as well?? That would mean you’re looking at….
Buium, Wallinder, Tuomisto, and Johansson finding their spot with 53/77 and ASP.
There will be lots of rookie mistakes but it’ll pay off in 2-3 years. Not to mention, they’ll be in the running for a special pick in the 2026 Draft. You’d also see Kane, Tarasenko, Compher (likely) and others, being replaced next season with Danielson, Lombardi, Hanas and Finnie.
Don’t for 1 minute NOT think that’s a real possibility. They may add those Dmen like I mentioned to allow 53/77/ASP to continue to grow into stars, but they may also go very young up front.
Either way, don’t think for a second, they’re not considering taking that step backwards as a team, but at the same time, preparing their D-Core to be very, very good by the time the 2026-2027 season starts.
There’s several stages involved in becoming a consistent winner again. Sometimes fans and even the media seems to forget that. Too many video games these days, where you get to SIM through seasons in 2 minutes, not 200 days.
The big question I would have? Is whether Yzerman makes the moves this summer, then in September, takes Jimmy D’s place running the team, handing Draper the GM job. Where Yzerman would take the blame for how bad they’ll be next year, or if they use Draper taking over as GM early this summer, to announce a change in direction, buying Draper a couple of free years?
The Red Wings are going to have a real interesting off-season from what I’m hearing. Just don’t be surprised if they end up playing a whole lot of kids in the NHL next year, knowing they’re going to take a step backwards for a year, in an attempt to land a generational player. Knowing if they don’t get him, the kids they already have, will still gain a ton of experience next year. Either way, they’ll be much better by opening night 2026-2027 season.
After every season now, we’re going to see the Yzerman watch btw. Most around the game think there’s a good chance he’ll be taking Jimmy D’s old spot (running the team daily. Jimmy doesn’t really do that at 83 anymore) and hand over the GM reigns, sooner than most media/fans think. Which funny enough, probably buys the Wings more time on this rebuild. Especially if it’s another loved player like Draper… Which it will be.
