With the Detroit Red Wings officially now in the offseason, fans will be pining to see what moves GM Steve Yzerman will be making as he continues the rebuilding process of the team that he’s been at the helm for since 2019.
Of course, his biggest move as GM so far took place over the weekend when it was announced that head coach Jeff Blashill wouldn’t be brought back for an 8th season behind the bench.
With veteran goaltender Thomas Greiss most likely not returning for a third year in Detroit’s crease, Yzerman may be looking for additional depth in the crease to pair with Alex Nedeljkovic. Of course, the Red Wings have 19 year-old Sebastian Cossa waiting in the Wings, though he’s still likely a few years away from making his NHL debut. Meanwhile, Magnus Hellberg, who started Detroit’s regular season finale after being inked to a deal late in the season, could potentially return.
In the meantime, there will be several names the team could consider for duty between the pipes for next season. Take a look at five potential candidates below:
Joonas Korpisalo
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The Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender will likely be looking for a change of scenery this summer. He’s spent his entire career in Columbus thus far, appearing in 182 games with a 76-67-21 record.
Scott Wedgewood
The journeyman goaltender has suited up for three teams this season, with the bulk of his work coming with the lowly Arizona Coyotes. Still, he’s put up respectable numbers largely playing on rebuilding squads.
Casey DeSmith
http://gty.im/1393837918
Currently on the shelf after undergoing surgery, The 30 year-old DeSmith has won 43 career regular season games playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins with a career 2.67 goals against average.
Braden Holtby
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The veteran net minder has proven to still be serviceable this season with the Dallas Stars, and could be a viable option for Detroit as a stopgap. Of course, he’s best known for leading the Washington Capitals to the 2018 Stanley Cup championship.
Alex Georgiev
The talented backup for the New York Rangers won’t be back next season, as he requested a trade during the season. He enjoyed his best season in 2019-20, winning 32 games.
