Detroit Red Wings fans have become used to disappointment over the last decade, however, seeing their team miss the playoffs for a ninth successive season still stings.
While the NHL’s better outfits engage in thrilling 2025 Stanley Cup playoff campaigns, the decision-makers in Detroit have been left behind to hatch plans for next term and if the Wings are to end their playoff hoodoo, an aggressive recruitment drive in offence is a must.
Detroit ranked fourth in the NHL for power play success last season with 27%, however, their output was underwhelming overall and the Wings finished with the fourth-lowest haul of even-strength goals in the league.
The offensive line fell short of expectations as a collective, despite the best efforts of Lucas Raymond (80 points, 53 assists) and 39-goal top scorer Alex DeBrincat, and a significant frontline facelift has got to be the target in the off-season.
Wings General Manager Steve Yzerman has already made his summer plans public and a concerted push for better offensive talent should kick into gear from July 1.
“We didn’t get enough offense from our bottom-six group, but we also didn’t get enough five-on-five scoring from our top six,” Yzerman said in a recent interview.
“So, how do we address that? Try to get better players. Try to make our players better. And demand that our players that are here, that are under contract, that we have high expectations for them be better.”
Improvements in offence: who could the Red Wings target?
If the Red Wings are to slash their money line odds in the bookmakers’ playoff markets ahead of next season, their pursuit of top-level attackers will need to be aggressive.
Luckily for Detroit and Yzerman, there are a number of interesting free agency forward options to consider and while competition for signatures is likely to be stiff, the right acquisitions could move the needle for the Wings.
Mitch Marner
Ontario-born Marner, who is coming off the back of a 100-point season for Toronto, is set to be one of the most sought-after free agency forwards this summer.
His capture would be a coup for the Wings, though at present at least, the odds on sports betting sites have positioned Detroit at the back of the queue for the in-demand 28-year-old.
Sam Bennett
Sam Bennett is set to become one of the NHL’s biggest free agents this summer, with some reports even suggesting that he could command more than $10 million on his next deal.
The Florida Panthers’ talisman, who is currently starring in the playoffs, has a lengthy line of suitors following another stellar season in the Sunshine State, so it would take some doing to convince him to move to Detroit. Indeed, the likeliest scenario at the moment feels like a renewal of vows between Bennett and the Panthers.
Brad Marchand
Veteran forward Brad Marchand is another key Panthers performer weighing up his options ahead of the summer. The 37-year-old former Bruins favourite is believed to be targeting a final megabucks payday and he has the kind of reliable quality that Wings currently lacks.
Toronto Maple Leafs and Minnesota Wild are both rumoured to be circling for Marchand, and though he would also tick a lot of boxes for the Wings, Detroit have yet to be credited with an interest in the experienced campaigner.
Brock Boeser
Boeser’s contract with the Vancouver Canucks is set to expire on July 1 and the 28-year-old seems certain to dip his toes into the free agent market this summer.
The 2018 NHL All-Star Game MVP virtually guarantees goals and Boeser has scored 20+ in six of his last eight full campaigns.
Boeser’s availability should kick off a serious scramble for his services in the off-season with his home-town club Minnesota Wild though to be among those in the running, but Detroit would also be an excellent fit for the forward.
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