To the surprise of some, Red Wings GM Kevin Smith was fairly active in the free agent market - to the extent that prize free agent stud defenceman Dion Phaneuf was reported to have Detroit among the three or four teams whose offers he was most compelled by, while he also signed an audacious, though ultimately quite futile, offer sheet with the Kings' Serron Noel.

The result is a fairly bloated roster full of depth and prospects, both promising and otherwise, but not much in the way of high-end talent. Indeed, there are persistent rumours that the signings are going to cost a couple players their jobs as Smith looks to make room in the lineup for one or two of his top prospects.

Up front there are some 18 forwards competing for the 13 or 14 spots, depending on whether utility man Brian Lashoff is counted as a forward or a defenceman. The list includes UFA signings Adrian Kempe and Ryan Strome, who both look to have the edge on top-6 spots, along with trade acquisition Kevin Stenlund (Vancouver, via Tampa Bay). Leading scorers Kasperi Kapanen and David Pastrnak return, while prospect Isac Lundestr??m, who spent last season in Grand Rapids, looks to make the step up.

Filling out the bottom-6 are several players acquired from Winnipeg, including Connor Bunnaman (who spent 20-21 in the Nashville organization), Quinton Howden, Dustin Jeffrey (who was actually claimed off waivers by Winnipeg from Detroit just prior to the playoffs), as well as Matthew Freytag and Dalton Smith, who just came over from Arizona and Florida respectively.

Second overall pick William Eklund, as well as 2020 third overall pick Tim St??tzle, will be hoping to make the opening day lineup as well, though team sources suggest some uncertainty amid concerns they are not ready.

On the backend, Oliver Kylington will be back as the clear #1, supported by returning veterans Derek Forbort and John Moore. The towering figure that is Tyler Myers signed as a free agent, having left San Jose in the off-season, and is presumed to have a top-4 spot as well.

Prospects Ty Smith and Kevin Bahl, who spent the bulk of the previous season in Grand Rapids, are hoping to secure NHL jobs, while Troy Donnay and Guillaume Brisebois return but look to be at risk. Roland McKeown is another addition from Winnipeg, but he is expected to be on LTIR for the first couple months of the season, dealing with the head injury he suffered in mid-January.

2018-19 Vezina trophy winner Jack Campbell, who was absurdly robbed of his second Vezina last season, is the assumed starter once again, but there is uncertainty behind him as two similarly young and reliable goalies compete for the backup spot while an even younger prospect looks likely to be sent to Grand Rapids to develop.

Tyler Parsons, who will turn 24 in mid-September, was signed as a UFA and hopes to usurp 24-year-old Samuel Montembault, who backed up Campbell for most of the previous season, while Nico Daws, another of the many aquisitions from Winnipeg, will play his first pro games.


While none of the forwards competing for a job, with the possible exception of the recent draft picks, appear to be AHL-level players, there is also a clear lack of talent. When the top returning offensive player (Kapanen) had just 22 goals and 44 points and only one addition did better (Kempe, with 28 goals and 56 points), the attack is a concern.

And it's not as if there is a strong defensive focus either, though the acquisitions, particularly Kempe, do appear to be an improvement in that area.

Much like up front, there is a clear dearth of talent at the moment. And though the addition of Myers will certainly help keep the puck out of the net, that wasn't exactly the issue with the team last year - they were right in the middle, 14th, in goals against but a horrendous 30th in goals for. The team will need a big step forward from Ty Smith, who had 28pts in 36 games for Grand Rapids, while Oliver Kylington (32pts in 82 games) and John Moore (28pts in 77 games) will need to produce more.

The playoffs, even were they able to sign Phaneuf, seem a stretch, but this is not a team without hope. If a couple of their star prospects arrive early, the Wings could surprise.