Three Keys to the Red Wings Making the Postseason

I can’t stress enough that what we were witnessing during the latter half of the 2024-25 season was something special from Marco Kasper. As a checking, defensively minded center, Marco Kasper played at a 55-point pace as a rookie. For reference, Dylan Larkin’s rookie season only saw him record 45 points, and Lucas Raymond only recorded 2 more points at 57.

Last season, Marco Kasper was supposed to take a step toward being an elite second-line center and potentially flirting with a first-line center spot by the end of the season. Unfortunately, that didn’t come to pass, and Kasper’s sophomore slump was so brutal it’s undone the incredible rookie season he had.

If Detroit wants to make the playoffs, they’re going to need someone who can at least tread water at first-line center. I’ll say it now, that won’t be Andrew Copp. Marco Kasper is the only player on this current roster who’s even shown flashes of being able to hang on the top line.

It’s going to take another season of good defense and a strong checking game, but it’s also going to take around 60 points. I have faith in the first part of that statement, and while I’m hopeful the second one may happen, I can’t call it likely.

At Least One True Breakout

Emmitt Finnie being a 30-point rookie was cool, but that’s not going to be enough for Detroit to make a real impact. Looking around the league, it was huge breakouts that got a lot of Detroit’s contemporaries into the playoffs while Detroit missed out. Beckett Sennecke in Anaheim, Ivan Demidov in Montreal, and even Josh Doan as a non-rookie in Buffalo were all huge reasons each team got in.

Detroit hasn’t had that. While sure Emmitt Finnie, Albert Johansson, and Marco Kasper were adequate role players, Detroit needs some top-end talent to start making an impact if they want to start seeing the postseason.

Three rookies who were all lottery picks making the roster full-time this season is certainly the best avenue to get there. Nate Danielson, the smooth-skating center who plays a strong two-way game. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, the sharpshooting power-forward, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka, who has the highest offensive ceiling of the bunch as a defenseman.

Detroit is stocked with middle-of-the-lineup players, and as useful as those are, that’s not who gets teams into the postseason. Detroit needs some of their young players to really pop to the tune of 50-60 points. Is that a fair ask given the pedigree of this group? Maybe not. But with how many kicks at the can Detroit has had with potential top-end rookies for the past five seasons, they might be due for one.

Deal With the Dylan Larkin Trade Saga

I made the case on Kicking Tires this week that the Red Wings forward core with Dylan Larkin is above average. You get a pretty solid top-nine and a fourth-line that has the talent on paper to hold their own. Though, there’s a non-zero chance Dylan Larkin stays in the press box for Detroit for a long time.

Simply put, that cannot happen. Detroit needs the return of Dylan Larkin on this roster. Be it a legitimate top-six winger to put on the second line. Hell, maybe it’s a top-six center who can bump down Andrew Copp.

Regardless of what it is, Dylan Larkin or the return for Dylan Larkin needs to be on this roster for any chance to compete. Detroit needs all the help they can get upfront, and unless the Red Wings manage to solve their Dylan Larkin-shaped puzzle, it’s unlikely they will.

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