2024-25
Record: 39-35-10, 6th in Atlantic Division
Playoffs: Missed Stanley Cup Playoffs
Key Losses
Petr Mrazek (G – Trade with ANA), Jeff Petry (D – Signed with FLA), and Alex Lyon (G – Signed with BUF)
Key Additions
John Gibson (G – Trade with ANA), James van Riemsdyk (F – Signed via FA), Mason Appleton (F – Signed via FA), and Jacob Bernard-Docker (D – Signed via FA)
2025-26 Preview
Yzerman on the Hot Seat?
In April 2019, Steve Yzerman became general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, and in that time their playoff drought extended to 9 seasons. In the six seasons overseeing the team, he has had mixed results. Garnering finishes between 5th and 7th place in the Atlantic Division (and the one year in the Central due to COVID-19). Yzerman is in desperate need of a playoff appearance, or after 7 years with the only team he ever played for, Yzerman could be out of the job.
Another factor to look at is how many coaches Yzerman has had behind the bench during his time as general manager. Yzerman inherited Jeff Blashill as head coach when he took over as general manager. Yzerman fired Blashill in April 2022 and hired Derek Lalonde two months later as his first head coaching hire in Detroit. Then in December of 2024, Lalonde was fired and replaced by Todd McLellan. Yzerman at this account has averaged having a new coach about every two years.
When it comes to consistency, changing the coach every two years does not help the locker room create the cohesion that it needs to generate long term success.
Could the 100th anniversary of the Detroit Red Wings be the final one for one of their greatest players as general manager?
Goaltending Solved?
At the NHL Draft, the Red Wings traded goaltender Petr Mrazek to the Anaheim Ducks for goalie John Gibson. With Gibson, the Red Wings are looking to him to be the number one goaltender that they’ve been needing the last few seasons.
“It’s a new chapter, a fresh start,” Gibson said in his introductory call with the media. “I’m excited to prove myself. It’s an exciting opportunity. You get a team that really wants to get back to playoff hockey. They’ve been so close for a couple of years, and for me coming in and being part of it…It’s a historic franchise, the new arena. It’s a really exciting time. I’m really privileged and honored to be coming in and be part of it all.”
“John has been, throughout the course of his career, a proven starter and a good starter in the NHL,” Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said. “And as Anaheim has gone through their rebuilding process, that probably affected his play a little bit… John is looking for more opportunity to play and we’re counting on him, obviously, to give us quality starts and upgrade our team net.”
“He [head coach Todd McLellan] holds his standard and principles, and you just kind of go,” said Gibson, who played for McLellan on Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. “Piggybacking off that, I had a lot of experience with [assistant coach] Trent Yawney as well. Kind of grew up with him –he was my first coach in Norfolk and had him for quite a few years in Anaheim, so having some familiar faces there with Trent and Todd definitely helps ease the transition.”
For Gibson, it’s the fresh start he’s been needing for a few years now, and with veteran goaltender Cam Talbot as his goaltending partner, this could be one of the bigger positives for the Red Wings this offseason.
Projected Lineup
Offense
Marco Kasper — Dylan Larkin — Lucas Raymond
Alex DeBrincat — Andrew Copp — Patrick Kane
James van Riemsdyk — J.T. Compher — Mason Appleton
Jonatan Berggren — Michael Rasmussen — Elmer Soderblom
Defense
Moritz Seider — Ben Chiarot
Simon Edvinsson — Albert Johansson
Justin Holl — Erik Gustafsson
Goalies
John Gibson
Cam Talbot
Resources
- Mills, Jonathan. Gibson ‘really privileged and honored’ to join Red Wings, July 1, 2025. https://www.nhl.com/redwings/news/gibson-really-privileged-and-honored-to-join-red-wings.
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