Red Wings Holiday Wish List: Consistency in Net, a Kasper Comeback, and Blue Line Help
With the calendar turning to December and the NHL season approaching the one-third mark, the Detroit Red Wings find themselves in a familiar spot: hovering around the Eastern Conference playoff picture, flashing potential, but struggling to string together the kind of consistency that turns good teams into great ones.
They’ve had their moments-stretches where they’ve looked like a legitimate threat-but just as quickly, they’ve stumbled. For a team with playoff aspirations and a front office that’s clearly trying to turn the corner, the Red Wings’ midseason wish list isn’t about dreaming big. It’s about shoring up the cracks that have kept them from taking that next step.
Here are the three things Detroit would love to unwrap as the season rolls on.
1. Stability Between the Pipes: John Gibson Needs to Find His Game
When Detroit traded for veteran goaltender John Gibson this past offseason, the idea was simple: bring in a proven No. 1 to stabilize the crease and give the team a dependable last line of defense. Gibson, who spent nearly a decade as the starter in Anaheim, was supposed to bring calm, confidence, and consistency to a position that’s been in flux since the days of Jimmy Howard.
So far, that script hasn’t played out.
Through 13 starts, Gibson’s performance has been rocky at best. His quality start percentage (QS%) sits at just .308-meaning he’s delivering league-average or better goaltending in less than a third of his appearances. For a team trying to build momentum and bank points in a tight playoff race, that kind of inconsistency in net makes life a lot harder.
The good news? Cam Talbot has been holding up his end of the bargain.
The 36-year-old veteran has matched Gibson in starts and posted a QS% of .615-more than respectable for a goalie many considered a backup option. But if Detroit wants to avoid burning Talbot out or leaning too heavily on him down the stretch, they need Gibson to find his footing.
This isn’t about hoping he turns into a Vezina candidate overnight. It’s about getting steady, reliable goaltending from a player who’s done it before. If Gibson can return to form-even just a solid version of it-it changes the entire equation for Detroit’s playoff push.
2. A Sophomore Rebound from Marco Kasper
Marco Kasper came into this season riding high. After a promising rookie year that saw him rise up the lineup and lock down the second-line center spot behind Dylan Larkin, expectations were high for the 21-year-old. Skating between Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, Kasper was set up for success.
But through 26 games, the production just hasn’t been there.
Kasper has tallied only three points-all goals-and has struggled to make an impact on either side of the puck. At his best, he’s a two-way presence who plays with energy and purpose. Lately, he’s looked tentative and out of rhythm, a player searching for confidence in real time.
The Red Wings were counting on Kasper to be a key piece of their offensive puzzle this season. His ability to drive the second line was supposed to give Detroit a balanced attack, one that could roll two legitimate scoring lines and keep opponents on their heels. Without that, the offense feels incomplete-too reliant on Larkin and the top unit to carry the load.
There are signs of life, though. Kasper has begun to earn back some of his ice time and looks more engaged in recent games. If he can build on that and rediscover the assertiveness that made him such a promising prospect, it would be a massive boost-not just for the second line, but for the team’s overall identity.
3. A Defensive Difference-Maker
If there’s one area where Detroit could use a true game-changer, it’s on the blue line.
Yes, Moritz Seider continues to be a rock on the back end, and Ben Chiarot has shown improvement this season. But beyond that, the Red Wings’ defense corps has been a mixed bag.
Rookie Axel Sandin Pellikka has shown flashes, but like most 20-year-olds playing big minutes, he’s had his share of growing pains. Simon Edvinsson, another key piece of the team’s long-term plans, has struggled with inconsistency and leads the team in penalty minutes with 40.
The third pairing has rarely been a source of strength, and overall, the defensive group has lacked the kind of presence that can tilt the ice or take over games.
That’s why the buzz around Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughes has caught fire in Detroit. Hughes, a Michigan native and the player many fans still wish the Red Wings had drafted back in 2018, is reportedly a potential trade candidate as the Canucks look ahead to the future. Whether or not that scenario becomes reality, the fact that Detroit is being mentioned in those conversations speaks volumes about where they are-and what they need.
This is a team with a young, talented blue line that could develop into something special. But right now, they need help. A top-tier defenseman who can eat minutes, move the puck, and stabilize the back end would do wonders for a team that’s trying to find its identity.
The Bottom Line
The Red Wings aren’t far off. They’ve got the pieces to compete, and when things click, they look like a team that belongs in the playoff conversation. But the margin for error is thin, and the Eastern Conference isn’t getting any easier.
If Detroit can get even two of these three wish list items-a bounce-back from Gibson, a Kasper resurgence, or a defensive upgrade-they’ll be in a strong position heading into the second half of the season.
If they get all three? Then we might be talking about playoff hockey returning to Little Caesars Arena-and that’s a gift every Red Wings fan would love to unwrap this spring.