Last night, the Detroit Red Wings lost 7-1 to the Nashville Predators. Before the game, Rocco Grimaldi had three games on the season. He left Bridgestone Arena with another four, more than doubling his season total. This type of loss is nothing new to Red Wings fans. Blowout losses have become all too common over the last three years. They can be detrimental to a team’s confidence and can rot a winning culture at a fundamental level. Without a swift upheaval this offseason, the rot will continue well into the Red Wings’ rebuild. With that being said, who stays for the foreseeable future? Who has had their last hurrah in Hockeytown? The Detroit Red Wings future is at stake here.
The 2021 Detroit Red Wings Future: Who Stays And Who Goes
A lot will need to change with the Red Wings before they achieve contender status. You can count on your hands the number of players that will likely remain on the 2020-21 roster when the Red Wings are finally contenders. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but it’s something that every fan should accept as the team evolves.
Many of the faces we’ve become accustomed to over the years will not be Red Wings in two, three, four years from now. Whether they age out of the system or are traded for assets, the best thing for both sides is a mutual parting of ways.
But who will remain with the roster? Who will seek greener pastures? Who has a chance to stay?
Detroit Red Wings Future: In it For The Long Haul
Dylan Larkin: A no-brainer. The captain is bound to remain with the team for the foreseeable future. He’s been the cornerstone of this roster since joining the team and will play a key role for years to come.
Filip Zadina: The 21-year-old has grown immensely since his emergence in the 2019-20 season. Get used to his name. You’ll be seeing it a lot on the scoresheet in the future.
Filip Hronek: The second of the two Filips, Filip Hronek is a mainstay in Detroit. While he won’t have as prominent of a role once Moritz Seider and other defencemen enter the roster, he’ll still show his strong suits on the Red Wings’ second pairing.
Likely to Stay
Robby Fabbri: Acquired in a trade with the St. Louis Blues, Robby Fabbri has found a resurgence with the Red Wings. He’s signed through the 2021-22 season and will likely remain with the Red Wings, barring any extreme changes to his role or production.
Troy Stecher: Stecher has been the Red Wings’ best defenceman by a pretty wide margin. Like Fabbri, his contract takes him through the 2021-22 season. Where he goes from there remains to be seen — but his increased role in Detroit might signal a long-term future for the former Vancouver Canuck.
Tyler Bertuzzi: Poor Tyler Bertuzzi has spent the majority of the season on injured reserve. A fan favorite, Bertuzzi may wind up signing a longer-term contract at the conclusion of the season if he doesn’t opt for a bridge deal. He’s beloved in Detroit and would be a welcome addition to the contending roster.
Short-Term Futures
Sam Gagner: If he isn’t traded, Gagner will be around for the next season or two to mentor the younger prospects. With surprising advanced stats and possession metrics, he isn’t a bad player by any means. In fact, he’s the perfect veteran presence for a rebuilding roster.
Jon Merrill: Another intriguing name, Merrill is currently signed through the 2020-21 season. He’s a reliable defenceman with roots in Detroit. If he can survive this year’s trade deadline, expect to see Merrill in the Winged Wheel for at least another two seasons.
Danny DeKeyser: While DeKeyser has had a less-than-stellar return-to-form this season, he’s still on the books for another $5M next season. The alternate captain will either take an underpayment for his next contract or find a new home through free agency following this season.
Frans Nielsen: The only reason Nielsen made this list is because of his contract. With a guaranteed $4.125M cap hit in the 2021-22 season, general manager Steve Yzerman may see it more prudent to keep Nielsen’s contract buried instead of spreading the money through a buyout.
Thomas Greiss: Greiss’s contract runs through 2021-22, where he’ll become an unrestricted free agent once again. The goaltender has only two wins in 18 starts with the Red Wings. If he doesn’t pick up the pace, this might be the last lucrative contract he receives for a while.
Anthony Mantha: What’s to be done with Anthony Mantha? The 27-year-old has three years left on his contract at $5.7M per year. He’s shown immense offensive potential with the Red Wings, but he’ll be approaching the end of his prime by the time the Red Wings start contending. Could a trade secure long-term assets for Detroit while providing Mantha with a change of scenery? It remains to be seen.
Uncertain Futures
Michael Rasmussen: It appears that the 2017 first round pick has secured his spot on Detroit’s roster. Rasmussen’s role on the roster will be a future debate topic as prospects like Joe Veleno begin to make their way to the Red Wings. Whether he secures a solid bottom-six role or heads off to better opportunities is uncertain. For now, he’s a welcome face with the Red Wings.
Evgeny Svechnikov: It seems like luck isn’t on Evgeny Svechnikov‘s side. Every time he appears to be ready to take on a larger role, injuries or inopportune benchings prevent him from achieving success. He needs a new change of scenery if he wants to carve out an NHL career for himself. Whether that’s under a new coach or a new team will be revealed in the future.
Adam Erne: Erne had a nice string of games earlier this season, potting nine points in 26 games on the year. He’s a serviceable player in his own right, but it’s hard to tell where he would fit long-term with the Red Wings. For now, the best thing Detroit can do is give him a shot to show his stuff.
Christian Djoos: A waiver acquisition, Djoos has been a fun offensive defenceman, but has shown quite a few shortcomings on the defensive end. He’s an excellent stopgap for a defenceman looking to make a leap on the roster. Djoos is an upgrade on Madison Bowey, but not enough to justify a full-time role within the rebuild.
Vladislav Namestnikov: If the Seattle Kraken hope to take any player from the Red Wings’ roster not named Evgeny Svechnikov, it’s Vlad Namestnikov. The journeyman forward has been everywhere in the NHL and would play an excellent role on the Kraken’s middle-six.
Detroit Red Wings Future: Likely Traded
Luke Glendening: The NHL’s leader in faceoff percentage, a favorite in Detroit, will likely be closing the book on his time in Hockeytown. As one of the top trade deadline candidates, Glendening is one of the hottest names with contending teams. Enjoy your time with Glendening while you can, Red Wings’ fans. It may all be coming to a heartbreaking end soon.
Bobby Ryan: The former Ottawa Senator has been touted as the Red Wings’ top choice for a trade deadline acquisition. He’s fifth on the roster in scoring and makes for an excellent depth threat on any roster. Expect him to be one of the first names traded on the roster.
Jonathan Bernier: If the Red Wings can thank anyone for the few wins they can muster, it’s almost always thanks to Jonathan Bernier. The steadfast goaltender has been a mainstay between the pipes in Detroit for two years and would easily serve as a 1B goaltender on any contending roster. If that isn’t enough, his contract ends this season, as well.
Marc Staal: Another potential deadline player, Staal is as good as gone after this season. A 34-year-old defenceman on an expiring contract doesn’t make sense with the Red Wings’ long-term plans.
Leaving in Free Agency
Patrik Nemeth: The solid, stay-at-home defenceman has done his job in Detroit. He’s not the flashiest or most creative player, but he’s a responsible bottom-two defenceman that can eat minutes in a pinch. It’s more than likely that he’ll be on the hunt for a new home following this season.
Darren Helm: One of the last remnants from the 2008 Stanley Cup run is on the last year of his contract. It’s highly unlikely that he remains with the Red Wings next season. With just three points in 25 games, the writing’s on the wall.
Valtteri Filppula: With five points in 20 games and a slew of prospects fighting for roster spots, Filppula’s time in Detroit is counting down. He’s been relegated to the taxi squad for several games this season. Barring a miracle for Filppula, this will be his last season in Detroit.
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