Red Wings fans need to trust the Yzerplan

Last week, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings Steve Yzerman traded four players for future draft selections. Courtesy | TSN

After trading away four players for future draft picks last week, it is safe to say that the Detroit Red Wings are not focused on making the playoffs this season. However, despite thTe inevitable continuation of the Wings playoff drought, Detroit hockey fans need to continue to put their trust in Steve Yzerman’s “Yzerplan.”

The Red Wings will have a grand total of 28 draft picks throughout the next three entry drafts. Ten of these picks will be first and second round selections. 

“It gives you options,” Yzerman said. “Today, do I have many options for trades with those first-round picks? No, but we’ll see what comes up.”

Forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Oskar Sundqvist, who were both traded last week, are set to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. After extending current captain Dylan Larkin to an eight year, $70 million contract, Detroit acquired future draft capital for players they no longer have to spend money on. 

The stockpile of draft picks, however, is not what gives me confidence in the Yzerplan – it’s Steve Yzerman’s eye for talent. Before returning to Detroit in 2019, Yzerman spent nine years as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. During that time, he drafted and developed a team that has reached three of the last 10 stanley cups, and includes NHL All-Stars such as forwards Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point, and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. Yzerman took a franchise that was previously known for weak draft classes, and turned them into a consistent Stanley Cup contender. 

Since his return to Detroit, Yzerman has already begun to establish the next generation of Wings hockey. His first draft pick, defenseman Moritz Seider, started his career by winning the Calder Memorial Trophy, which goes to the NHL’s best rookie each season. According to elite prospects, Seider is projected to finish with 41 points this season after last year’s 50 point season. 

In addition to Seider, Yzerman drafted Swedish defenseman Elmer Söderblom in the sixth round, who scored in his NHL debut on opening night this season. After his debut, Söderblom has spent most of this season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings AHL affiliate team, and has eight points in 19 games this year.

The very next year, Yzerman drafted Swedish forward Lucas Raymond, who finished his rookie season last year with 23 goals and 34 assists. Yzerman would continue the trend of drafting European talent by picking Swedish defenseman Simon Edvinsson with the sixth overall pick. Edvinsson is projected to finish with 36 total points as a member of the Griffins.

In addition to Yzerman’s eye for talent, the coming draft classes are full of future stars. Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard, and University of Michigan center Adam Fantilli are the top of a loaded 2023 draft class. The Red Wings will have two picks in the first round of this upcoming draft alone. 

Along with the influx of draft picks, the four trades made last week opened up enough cap space for the Red Wings to extend their current players, including defensemen Jake Walman and Olli Määtä. Walman, who the Wings acquired last year from the St. Louis Blues has 11 total points in 44 games, with a +/- of 16, a number which tries to measure a player’s impact on the team’s point differential. Määtä, who the Wings signed last offseason, has had 19 points in 59 games. 

It felt good when the Wings had a wild card spot for two days a couple weeks ago. But seeing what “Stevie Y” was able to create in Tampa during his time there gives me the utmost confidence in his ability to bring the Stanley Cup back to Detroit very soon.

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