3 questions facing Detroit Red Wings

NHL.com is providing in-depth analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Detroit Red Wings.

1. Who succeeds Steve Yzerman?

The question is bigger than who will be the next general manager.

When the Red Wings announced July 15 that Yzerman would transition from his role as executive vice president and GM to senior adviser to owner Chris Ilitch, they said they would begin a search to find their “next leader of hockey operations.”

Will they hire a president of hockey operations as well as a general manager? Will the new leadership have autonomy, or will Yzerman still have influence?

What will be the approach? 

Detroit has building blocks but lacks difference-makers. The Red Wings have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 10 straight seasons, the longest drought in their 100-year history and the longest active drought in the NHL.

Will the new leadership feel the Red Wings need to restart their rebuild -- or at least take a step back in the medium term -- or will they keep trying to push for the playoffs in the short term?

2. What happens with Dylan Larkin?

So much hinges on the Larkin situation.

Yzerman confirmed June 27 that the Red Wings captain requested a trade shortly after the season and gave the Red Wings a short list of teams for which the captain and No. 1 center would waive his no-trade clause.

Will the new leadership want to keep Larkin, and if so, will he want to stay? How would Larkin’s teammates and the fans react? If the new leadership trades him, what will the Red Wings receive in return?

Larkin has five seasons remaining on an eight-year, $69.9 million contract ($8.7 million average annual value) he signed with Detroit on March 1, 2023. Yzerman indicated the Red Wings would not trade him without receiving what they felt was an appropriate return.

3. Who can take another step?

Yzerman made it clear after the season the Red Wings needed to improve the roster but felt they needed more from key players. 

Detroit badly needs some young players to develop to their full potential. Some examples:

Center Marco Kasper, 22, had 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 81 games last season, down from 37 points (19 goals, 18 assists) in 77 games the season before.

Forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, 20, made the Red Wings roster out of training camp but was sent to Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League soon afterward. He ended up with only one assist in 14 NHL games last season.

Defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka, 21, also made the Red Wings roster out of training camp but was eventually sent down to the AHL as well. He ended up with 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in 68 NHL games.

Center Nate Danielson, 21, had seven points (two goals, five assists) last season in his first 28 NHL games.

Even forward Lucas Raymond, 24, can be on this list. He had 25 goals in 80 games last season, after scoring 27 in 82 games the season before and 31 in 82 games the season before that.