Red Wings
A preview of the 2025-26 NHL season for the Detroit Red Wings, including predictions from VSiN NHL Expert Jonathan Davis. For all other NHL team previews, check out our NHL page.
Key Additions: John Gibson, James Van Riemsdyk, Mason Appleton, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Travis Hamonic
Key Departures: Petr Mrazek, Alex Lyon, Jeff Petry, Vladimir Tarasenko
Overview
Nine consecutive seasons for the Red Wings without sniffing the playoffs and fans and media are continuing to question the “Yzerplan”. Not only did Detroit finish with five fewer points than the season prior, but they were leapfrogged by division rivals Ottawa and Montreal, who both punched playoff tickets last season. Todd McLellan was hired midseason and is the third head coach under Yzerman. Detroit’s big offseason move was trading for goalie John Gibson.
Offense
The Red Wings were in the bottom third of the league in offense (22nd), but only twice last season were the Red Wings shutout, trailing only Dallas and Winnipeg who led the league, each being held goal-less once.
The Wings had the league’s fourth-best power play, but it was at 5-on-5 where they struggled, finishing 28th in goals scored. After back-to-back 27-goal seasons, Alex DeBrincat potted 39 goals (ninth in the NHL), Dylan Larkin had his fourth consecutive 30-goal season and Lucas Raymond led the team with 80 points. At 36 years young, Patrick Kane continues to produce coming off back-to-back 20 goal seasons. Don’t sleep on Jonatan Berggren. The 25-year-old from Sweden has had 12 and 15-goal seasons with Detroit and is ready to bust out.
Defense
Many baseball fans are familiar with the saying, “Spahn and Sain and pray for rain”. In Detroit, it’s “Seider and Edvinsson and I hope they can play for 30 minutes each night”. Though Seider has yet to best his numbers from his rookie season (seven goals, 50 points), he did come close last season with eight goals and 46 points. Edvinsson was the lone Detroit blueliner to finish on the positive side in the plus-minus statistic with a +12.
The Wings signed free agent and former first-round draft pick Jacob Bernard-Docker to add some youth beyond Seider and Edvinsson. Detroit’s biggest improvement defensively was their 5-on-5 play, giving up 27 fewer goals. It’s their penalty kill that needs a complete overhaul, finishing dead last despite being shorthanded the fewest times.
Goaltending
Detroit used five different goalies last season and 12 different netminders have shared the net over the past five seasons. Cam Talbot will return for the 2025-26 season, but Detroit is hoping that Gibson, acquired in a trade from Anaheim in the summer, can perform like the No. 1 goalie that this team has been in search of since the days of Jimmy Howard (2009-19). Gibson is coming off his first sub-3.00 GAA in four seasons. His .912 SV% was his best since 2018-19.
Player to Watch
At +500 on most nights to score a goal last season, Marco Kasper was a money-making machine. Despite scoring in just 16 of 77 games, you would have been up roughly 19 units betting him to score every game. This season, the Red Wings hope he can fill the role of No. 2 center and continue to build on his offensive numbers from last season.
Outlook
Under McLellan, the Red Wings went 26-18-4 and if you were to expand that record over 82 games, Detroit finishes with 96 points and makes the playoffs. The Wings are +260 to make the playoffs and their projected point total of Over 84.5 is surprisingly less than the 86 they finished with last season.
I would wait for Detroit to get through their first six games of the season and look for a better number before playing the Over and/or “Yes” to make the playoffs. Detroit opens the season with games against Montreal, Toronto (2), Florida, Tampa and Edmonton.
Team Futures
Regular Season Points: 84.5
To Make the Playoffs: +260
To Miss the Playoffs: -350
To Win the Atlantic Division: +4000
To Win the Eastern Conference: +4000
To Win the Stanley Cup: +9000
2024-25 Recap
Record: 39-35-8, 86 points (6th Atlantic)
Over/Under: 40-39-3
Home Favorite: 9-5 // Home Dog: 12-13
Road Favorite: 1-5 // Road Dog: 13-22
Win Score 4 or more: 24 of 39 // Lose Give Up 4 or more: 33 of 43
Puck Line Wins: 23 of 39 // Puck Line Losses: 27 of 43
Front End Back-to-Back: 3-8 // Back End Back-to-Back: 3-8
Points Leader: Lucas Raymond – 80
Goal Leader: Alex DeBrincat – 39
Assist Leader: Lucas Raymond – 53
Shots on Goal Leader: Alex DeBrincat – 244
Blocked Shots Leader: Moritz Seider – 181
Depth Chart
Forwards
Marco Kasper / Dylan Larkin / Lucas Raymond
Alex DeBrincat / Andrew Copp / Patrick Kane
James Van Riemsdyk / J.T. Compher / Mason Appleton
Jonatan Berggren / Michael Rasmussen / Elmer Soderblom
Defense
Ben Chiarot / Moritz Seider
Simon Edvidsson / Albert Johansson
Erik Gustafsson / Jacob Bernard-Docker
Goalies
John Gibson / Cam Talbot
Power Play Unit 1
Lucas Raymond, Dylan Larkin, Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat, Moritz Seider
