Some NHL front offices are under the microscope for obvious reasons, and this latest look at the league’s worst-run teams puts a handful of familiar names in the spotlight. The Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Seattle Kraken and Edmonton Oilers all drew attention for moves that have left people wondering whether the plan is actually moving the team forward.
At No. 5, the Seattle Kraken are still trying to find their footing after five seasons in the league. The comparison to the Vegas Golden Knights is part of the problem: Vegas has already reached multiple Stanley Cups, while Seattle is still searching for that level of success.
Last year’s 79-point finish underscored the gap, and the roster still doesn’t feature the kind of star that gives a team a true centerpiece. The group has useful players, but Matty Beniers needs to give them more, and the overall talent just isn’t enough to make them a real contender.
The Vancouver Canucks come in at No. 4, and the issue there is a team in the middle of a major rebuild that still hasn’t found enough offense to look comfortable with its direction. They’ve made a series of trades that have reshaped the core, but the returns haven’t matched what fans were hoping for.
Last season, Vancouver scored 210 goals, which worked out to just 2.56 per game, and Elias Petterson led the club with 51 points. That production simply hasn’t been enough, and the current approach needs to improve if the Canucks want to get back into the mix.
Detroit lands at No. 3, where the Steve Yzerman plan has run into real trouble. The idea has been to bring in talent and keep turning the roster over, but the results haven’t followed.
Dylan Larkin’s future with the organization is uncertain, and while there have been few offers for him, the Red Wings are still exploring options. Patrick Kane has already moved on, and John Gibson is in place as a solid goaltender, but the bigger picture still looks shaky.
The 2022 free agency period stands out for all the wrong reasons, especially the four-year, $28 million deal for Andrew Copp and the four-year, $19 million commitment to Ben Chiarot. Yzerman’s pattern of bringing in players past their prime, including Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko, has only added to the concern.
The Kings check in at No. 2, and a big part of that frustration comes from repeatedly running into the Edmonton Oilers in the playoffs. Coaching stability has been an issue, and now Los Angeles has turned to former New York Rangers coach Peter Laviolette.
That move also brings him back together with Artemi Panarin, who posted solid numbers when they were together. But the decision to sign Cody Ceci and Brian Dumolin to long-term deals is being viewed as a bad bet.
Edmonton tops the list at No. 1, and the criticism starts with how little the Oilers have done to support Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. With two of the best players in the world in the lineup, the expectation is clear: more help, more depth and more balance.
Instead, the team still can’t seem to settle the goalie position or build enough depth in the bottom six. The need is for four solid lines that can contribute on both sides of the puck, but that hasn’t happened.
Edmonton did make a solid trade by moving off Darnell Nurse, then followed it by signing Trent Fredric to a big deal for a player who won’t be a major point producer. The biggest issue remains in net, where the question is whether they can get a solid season from Fredrick Anderson.
In Other News...
Moritz Seider Just Raised Expectations For Detroits Next Step
Moritz Seider is already one of the main reasons the Red Wings can look at the blue line and see a real foundation, but he is not ready to treat last season as some finished product. After another strong year, the young defenseman said he still sees plenty of room to grow, and that is the kind of mindset Detroit has been looking for as it tries to take the next step from promising to genuinely dangerous.
The expectations around him are only going to climb from here, too. Seider finished in the mix for the Norris Trophy last season, which only sharpened the conversation about where he belongs among the leagues best defensemen, and the Red Wings will be watching closely to see how far that trajectory can go. If he keeps pushing the way he says he intends to, Detroits next step may end up being tied as much to his ceiling as to the roster around him. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings GM Search Just Got More Serious For This Roster
The search for Steve Yzermans successor is moving beyond the usual safe guesses, with the Red Wings now interviewing candidates from inside the NHL front office ranks and even outside the sport. Florida Panthers assistant general manager Brett Peterson, San Jose Sharks assistant general manager Jeff Kealty and Carolina Hurricanes assistants Darren Yorke and Tyler Dellow are among the names being discussed as Detroit looks for the person who will guide a roster that still needs clear direction.
Jeff Greenberg, the general manager of the Tigers, has also emerged as a reported candidate, which adds an unexpected wrinkle to a process that was already drawing attention around the league. His background is rooted mostly in baseball, though he does have some hockey executive experience, and that makes Detroits decision feel broader than a standard GM search as it continues to sort through a list that includes both familiar league operators and a surprise contender. [Read more 🡒]
Which Red Wings Prospects Could Force Their Way Into Detroit Soon
The Red Wings prospect pipeline remains one of the more interesting parts of the rebuild, and the latest look at the organizations top 10 young players helps sort out who might be close and who still needs more runway. The group spans different stages of development, with some prospects trending toward bigger roles in the minors or college before they are ready for Detroit, while others are already making a case that their path to NHL duty could come sooner than expected.
Carter Mazur stands out because his situation could force the club to make a decision rather than simply stash him in Grand Rapids, which adds another layer of urgency to his progression. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is another name to watch after a strong evaluation of his long-term upside, and the broader picture is clear enough for Red Wings fans: the next wave is getting closer, even if the exact order of arrival is still up in the air. [Read more 🡒]