2023-24 mid-season Detroit Red Wings report card: Forwards edition

Take a look at our 2023-24 mid-season Detroit Red Wings report card for the team forwards.

Thanks to a strong month of January, the Detroit Red Wings were able to build themselves right back up and currently find themselves in a playoff spot, holding one of the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference. And with 32 games remaining in the 2023-24 regular season schedule, let’s take a look at our midseason report card for each player, starting with the forwards.

Forwards

Dylan Larkin: A

Detroit’s captain is having another impressive season, marking the first year of his eight-year contract signed in early March of the previous year. Despite missing a few games due to a concerning injury in early December, Larkin is maintaining a scoring pace of over a point per game. He continues to prove himself entirely deserving of the captaincy, a vision GM Steve Yzerman had when the announcement was made before the 2020-21 season. With 47 points (23 goals, 24 assists) in the 44 games he’s played, he’s currently on track to achieve 77 points in 72 games in 2023-24.

Lucas Raymond: A

Raymond has been able to rebound from what was the dreaded sophomore slump that so many NHL players experience in their careers. With 28 assists, he’s already equaled last season’s total and is currently on pace to register a career-high 67 points.

Patrick Kane: A

Since deciding to join Detroit in late November, Kane has notched an impressive 16 points (7 goals, 9 assists) in the 19 games he has played for the team, nearly a point-per-game pace. He hasn’t played since January 14 after suffering a non-hip-related lower-body injury, but the good news is that he’s looked much like the player who starred with the Chicago Blackhawks for so many years.

Alex DeBrincat: B

While Alex DeBrincat experienced an impressive and scorching start to his first year with Detroit, scoring at a remarkable 60-goal pace, it was widely understood that sustaining such a rate would be challenging. However, the recent dip in his performance, with just a single goal in his last 14 games, is a valid cause for concern.

It’s important to note that players like DeBrincat often undergo fluctuations in their production. There’s reasonable optimism that he can return to the 35-40 goal pace he demonstrated during his years with the Chicago Blackhawks, especially with the return of a healthy Patrick Kane to the lineup.

Robby Fabbri: B

Predictably, Fabbri has once again grappled with injury woes in the 2023-24 season, a recurring theme in his career. Nonetheless, when he’s healthy, he consistently delivers crucial offensive contributions. Should he sustain his present performance, he is poised to surpass the 20-goal milestone.

J.T. Compher: A

In his inaugural season with the Red Wings, Compher has demonstrated his worth as a valuable asset on both ends of the ice. Not only does he contribute timely offense, but he also showcases reliability in his defensive play. Detroit notably felt his absence in December when he was sidelined due to injury, highlighting his underestimated impact on the team since joining.

David Perron: C

Perron missed six games due to suspension after his retaliatory cross-check to the face of Ottawa Senators forward Artem Zub back on December 9. However, the Red Wings need more production out of the veteran forward, who has lit the lamp only 10 times in the 44 games that he’s played; right now, he’s on pace for only 16 goals, considerably lower than the 24 he scored last season.

Andrew Copp: C+

Copp began 2023-24 with Detroit impressively, netting five goals in the initial three weeks. However, a prolonged goal drought spanning over 20 games raised concerns, fueling speculation that the Ann Arbor native might become a buyout candidate at season’s end. Despite the uncertainty, Copp rebounded from his slump by scoring five goals in his last 10 games and surpassing his previous season’s total.

Daniel Sprong: B+

A product of Yzerman’s offseason signings, Daniel Sprong‘s performance has been noteworthy enough to secure a contract extension for the upcoming year. He’s demonstrated a scoring touch to go with his formidable right-handed shot.

If Sprong maintains his current pace, he is set to achieve a career-high 52 points (21 goals, 31 assists), surpassing his previous best output of 46 points achieved last year while playing with the Seattle Kraken.

Joe Veleno: B+

Currently on a one-year contract, Veleno has compellingly positioned himself as a pivotal figure in Detroit’s future, amassing 20 points (9 goals, 11 assists) in 48 games. Notably, he has matched his offensive output from the previous season and is set to achieve a career-high at his current pace.

Michael Rasmussen: B+

Another Red Wings forward who is on pace to register a new career-high in points in 2023-24, Rasmussen continues his coming out party as a key contributor to the Red Wings.

Klim Kostin: B

Brought in to bolster the team’s physical presence, Kostin is among several Red Wings players grappling with injury issues. Although he doesn’t contribute significantly to the offensive end, Detroit capitalizes on his robust and physical style of play.

Christian Fischer: B

A defensive-minded forward who was also added prior to 2023-24, Fischer has proven to be a positive presence on the penalty-killing unit and in Detroit’s bottom six.

TL;DR (too long didn’t read)

Bottom Line: What does the remainder of the season hold?

Red Wings fans will recall the team’s extended surge that secured a Wild Card playoff spot last season, only to witness a subsequent downturn leading to yet another round of trades at the NHL Trade Deadline.

In the current season, the team is resolute in achieving a more favorable outcome, aiming to break their prolonged playoff dry spell dating back to 2016.