THIS COULD TAKE A WHILE
A lack of youth and prospect reinforcements means the Wings’ turnaround won’t be quick
AFTER YEARS OF unbridled prosperity, the Red Wings are finally getting a glimpse of how the other half lives. And lest anyone thinks there’s a quick fix on the horizon, this is going to take a while. And there will be pain. After years of roster maneuvers that kept the team a veteran-laden group, the Wings missed the playoffs for a second straight season. They have a bloated payroll with a number of questionable contracts and, this year’s draft notwithstanding, there are no blue-chip prospects ready to step in and save the day. IMMEDIATE NEEDS: Someone, anyone in his prime. The Red Wings have some promising young players and an overabundance of high-priced vets, particularly on defense, but they have virtually no one of significant impact in the 25to-29 age range. With Henrik Zetterberg declining, there is a desperate need for offense. LONG-TERM NEEDS: Even if Zetterberg decides to play out the rest of his contract, the Wings have gaping holes down the middle of the ice, both at center and in goal. Michael Rasmussen might be ready to make the jump next season and would add size to the forward corps, but he’s a few years away from making an impact. CAP SITUATION: After years of being jammed against the cap, the Wings will once again be spending high. They have $58.4 million committed to 16 players, but that doesn’t include new deals that have to be struck with Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou and Tyler Bertuzzi. IN THE SYSTEM 2018-19: The Red Wings haven’t had a player jump from major junior to the NHL since Keith Primeau, but Rasmussen might do so out of necessity. At 6-foot-6 and 221 pounds, he has the size to step directly into the NHL, but there will be a very steep learning curve if he does. DID YOU KNOW: If the Wings don’t make a trade, they could have at least 10 picks in each of the 2017, ’18 and ’19 drafts. They had 12 last summer, 11 for this draft and 10 for 2019 (one is conditional on Petr Mrazek re-signing in Philadelphia). If scouts can’t mine NHL talent, it won’t be because of a lack of picks.