It was a turbulent end to the centennial season for the Detroit Red Wings, one that was supposed to be a celebration of the franchise’s history.
Instead, the team collapsed over the final stretch and missed the playoffs for a tenth straight season, leaving a fan base growing weary of the disappointment. Now, heading into the franchise’s 101st season, fans are left wondering how the roster losses from this past season will impact the club, and whether Detroit is already headed for another difficult year
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The most notable of those losses is, without question, veteran winger Patrick Kane. Detroitwas fortunate to have three seasons with the future Hall of Famer, who gave several of the team’s younger players valuable time alongside a living legend, offering advice and guidance to help them elevate their own games.
His departure will be felt as a player who came close to a 60-point season, though with Kane approaching 38 years old this November, letting him walk may ultimately prove to be the right call. Injuries have crept into his game in recent years, and Kane hasn’t played more than 80 games in a season since 2018-19
To help fill that void, Detroit brought in Viktor Arvidsson, who also came close to reaching 60 points this past season before injuries got in the way, much like Kane. Arvidsson is expected to slot directly into Kane’s old spot on the second line alongside Alex DeBrincat, where the hope is he can provide a similar offensive jolt
Further down the lineup, another significant name not returning is James van Riemsdyk. At 37, the longtime NHLer built his reputation on staying relevant, consistently producing 35 to 40 points a season while providing a net-front presence that’s difficult to quantify statistically.
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This past season, though, his production dipped to just 31 points in 72 games, his lowest output since 2022-23, when he missed 21 games and finished with 29 points. Van Riemsdyk’s value went beyond the scoresheet, offering veteran mentorship much like Kane, along with pointers on playing an effective net-front game, but that role will likely be filled by others on the rise.
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Mason Appleton and Michael Rasmussen serve similar functions, albeit without matching van Riemsdyk’s offensive output, while 24-year-old Carter Mazur could get a real opportunity to prove he belongs at this level.
Describing his own game as being in the mold of a Tkachuk brother, Mazur brings the kind of grit and heart expected of a lifelong Red Wings fan now wearing the Winged Wheel. If the Jackson, Michigan, native can finally stay healthy, there’s genuine curiosity around what he can bring after establishing himself as a point-per-game player in the AHL.
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If anyone on the roster has the 30-point upside to replicate van Riemsdyk’s old role, it’s Mazur. Detroit also has several other bottom-of-the-lineup forwards, including J.T. Compher and Marco Kasper, both coming off disappointing seasons and capable of taking steps forward to help fill the offensive gap
Not every offseason move represents a loss, however, as Detroit added a significant plus in Stanley Cup champion Keegan Kolesar, acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights. The 29-year-old isn’t the most offensively gifted player, projecting as a 15-to-30-point contributor, but he’s one of the better role players in the league
Kolesar spent his entire seven-season NHL career in Vegas, helping the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023 and reach the Final again last season. He racked up 270 hits a season ago, seventh-most in the NHL, and has piled up 1,416 hits since the start of 2020-21, fourth-most in the league over that span. His physical, hard-forechecking style gives Detroit exactly the kind of bottom-six impact it had been missing
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Between the pipes, John Gibson enters the season at 33 years old still looking to prove he’s worth a new contract. As an expiring free agent, and with Detroit‘s goaltending pipeline featuring AHL prospects Michal Postava and Trey Augustine both nearing NHL-readiness, Gibson appears to be playing this season with an eye toward earning his next deal elsewhere.
Backing him up will be a different look in net, with veteran Cam Talbot likely making his final NHL stops, while Detroit brought in former Florida Panthers backup Daniil Tarasov, a reliable option who figures to fill Talbot’s old role admirably while the organization’s young goaltenders continue to develop
It will be a very different-looking Red Wings roster this season, and while some of the losses appear significant on the surface, they may not be as damaging as some fans fear. With the right development and a bit of health luck, Detroit still looks capable of returning to the form that fueled its strong start a season ago, with hopes this time that the run lasts considerably longer
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