I don’t like being the harbinger of bad news, and sorry if that sounds redundant. But it needs to be said: The Red Wings rebuild is in trouble. Why is this? Just look at the team from last season and compare them to what they gave us this year.
Yeah, the Wings faltered when the stakes rose in 2023-24, but they still finished one spot outside the playoffs, with only a tiebreaker keeping them out. Following last season, we went into the offseason thinking the Wings were going to add another asset or two who would get them to the next level.And they did, bringing in experience like Vladimir Tarasenko, Erik Gustafsson, and Cam Talbot. With the core another year older and more experienced, we all but knew this was the year, right? Not when Derek Lalonde is your head coach. So, general manager Steve Yzerman did the rational thing and fired Lalonde, putting Todd McLellan in his place.
Red Wings rebuild looked ready for the next step under Todd McLellan
McLellan put the Wings through a pair of seven-game winning streaks, and it was a done deal. The Wings were going to the playoffs after a long layoff and their 2024-25 season was a far cry from the building team we saw last year. They took the next step…until they didn’t. No, correction: they took at least one step back. And that’s where things stand. The Wings took a step (or two) back, and it’s only right to call into question whether this rebuild’s working in their favor anymore. Josh Beneteau of Sportsnet said, “As players, coaches and GM Steve Yzerman reflect on this disappointing season, doom is settling in with a fan base that is grappling with the reality that these Red Wings, as constructed, may have already peaked as a group.”
Hey, Yzerman’s had half a decade to build this group up the right way, and despite the talent he unearthed, you’d have thought they’d have at least made a postseason appearance. Beneteau also hit a home run when he said, “Detroit lacks true, elite, superstar power
