NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Detroit Red Wings.
1. Are the Red Wings better now than a season ago?
Detroit gets a full season of coach Todd McLellan and that alone should help provide a bit more stability and competition from the outset. The club is in a different position than it was five years ago in that there's a good young nucleus of players already in the lineup and those looking to make their mark, and also some savvy veterans capable of leading by example. After adding several new pieces this offseason, general manager Steve Yzerman said he might not be completely done, either, but Detroit does look primed for more consistency in 2025-26.
The biggest acquisition was goalie John Gibson in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks, and his presence alone should boost confidence and solidify a position that has seen 13 different starters since the 2019-20 season.
2. Will Gibson remain healthy?
The Red Wings did upgrade the goalie position, but it's worth noting that Gibson is 32 years old, and his backup, Cam Talbot, is 38. The third goalie in the pipeline is probably prospect Sebastian Cossa, who turns 23 on Nov. 21.
Gibson played 12 seasons with Anaheim after the goalie was its second-round pick (No. 39) at the 2011 NHL Draft. He went 11-11-2 in 29 games during an injury-plagued 2024-25 with a 2.77 goals-against average and .912 save percentage.
Gibson has two seasons remaining on the eight-year contract he signed with Anaheim on Aug. 4, 2018. He missed the first 12 games of the 2024-25 season after an appendectomy, three more games in February due to an upper-body injury and then seven games due to a lower-body injury before returning March 20, when he made 33 saves in a 4-1 win at the Nashville Predators.
"John has been, throughout the course of his career, a proven starter and a good starter in the NHL," Yzerman said. "And as Anaheim has gone through their rebuilding process, that probably affected his play a little bit. John is looking for more opportunity to play and we're counting on him, obviously, to give us quality starts and upgrade our team net."
