Detroit Red Wings Preseason Questions

The Detroit Red Wings enter the 2025-26 preseason with a nine-season playoff drought. The Yzerplan continues to chug along. There are reasons why it is taking so long, as Max Bultman notes in his recent article at The Athletic. Still, as the Lions, Tigers, and Pistons ended their droughts in recent years, with the earlier ending of playoff win droughts, excuses have begun to lose their effectiveness.

The Red Wings entered their Training Camp today with a load of questions to answer before they start their season on October 9 against the Montreal Canadiens. They have a little under a month of preseason games to figure out what their opening night lineup will look like. So what questions need to be answered by then?

Photo by Klim Musalimov on Unsplash

Detroit Red Wings Preseason Questions

What Does the Blue Line Look Like?

The most-maligned element of the Red Wings over the last few seasons has been their defensemen. Mortiz Seider and Simon Edvinsson have established themselves as the team's most consistent blueliners. Albert Johansson established himself as reliable enough for consistent ice time during his rookie year as well. Ben Chiarot will play a top-pair role, even though he fits better on the second or third.

Those four will likely take the top four spots. Say what you want about them, but the third pair makes them look Olympian in comparison. Which pair of Erik Gustafsson, Justin Holl, Jacob Bernard-Docker, and Travis Hamonic will play the most third-pair minutes? Ideally, Bernard-Docker emerges as a breakout player, and Gustafsson bounces back. However, it is more likely that Holl will still be there most of the time. The Red Wings had a historically bad penalty kill last season. That will have to change for any chance at a postseason bid.

Who Plays On the Top Line?

For a while now, the Red Wings have had a rotating spot on the left wing of the top line. Jacob van Riemsdyk (JVR) is the newcomer with scoring touch, and Elmer Söderblom is the returnee with size and upside. Neither option is ideal. Both seem better suited to answer the following question, but Steve Yzerman hasn't given Todd McLellan any other options. Andrew Copp may jump to that line, but the Red Wings would lose the possibility of a "Grit Line" with J.T. Compher and Mason Appleton. Alternatively, Detroit would need someone like Nate Danielson to make the team and emerge like Marco Kasper did last season.

Can The Red Wings Find Depth Scoring?

Dylan Larkin (70 points), Lucas Raymond (80 points), Alex DeBrincat (70 points), and Patrick Kane (59 points, including 45 in his last 43 games) provide plenty of offense at the top of the lineup. Kasper can be thrown into that mix if he keeps up with his second-half pace (30 points in last 42 games).

Either Söderblom or JVR will have some responsibility here. Can Compher have a bounce-back year? Can Jonatan Berggren provide that punch? Can a healthy Carter Mazur make a difference? Michael Rasmussen? Detroit is unlikely to repeat the torrid success of its Power Play from a year ago (4th best and responsible for too high a percentage of their goals). They'll need to find some answers, hopefully in the preseason, to stay in the playoff hunt this season.

Do Any Prospects Make the Team?

Of course, everyone always loves to see a prospect make the team. The thinking goes, "Can they be any worse?" Yes. If they aren't ready, their struggles on the ice are the least of the organization's worries. Putting a player in a position to fail can hurt their long-term development. The Red Wings have been wise in this aspect to date, and it is unlikely to change now. However, if someone bursts through, possibly a Danielson or Mazur, they'll find a spot for them. Axel Sandin-Pelleka and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård will draw headlines as possibilities, but barring a meteoric rise, it's simply clickbait.

The Red Wings will also have to see improvement in goaltending. That question won't be answered in the preseason. The John Gibson and Cam Talbot combo should be an improvement on last season, but only time will tell if the pair will keep the Red Wings competitive.

(All stats provided by Hockey Reference)

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