Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Anthony Di Marco
It’s funny how things come full circle, isn’t it?
Nearly three months ago, I called the “Yzerplan” into question. I was met with a fair share of backlash, with many of the critics pointing the finger at then-Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde. Following a coaching change to Todd McLellan that came with an uptick in the results, I circled back on the Red Wings, somewhat eating my words and calling on them to now be poised to make some noise at the Trade Deadline.
But when the 3:00 PM ET deadline came and went last Friday, the Red Wings walked away being one of the quietest teams.
I’ll be honest: I am at a complete loss for words as to what the “Yzerplan” truly is. This spring will mark six years since GM Steve Yzerman has been on the job in Detroit; what does he have to show for it? Sure, Moritz Seider has the potential to be one of the league’s best defenseman and forward Lucas Raymond has the makings of a very talented top-line winger – but is either star set to be a franchise cornerstone?
And yes, I know the Red Wings have a boat load of talented prospects in the pipeline. I’m no prospect guru (I’ll leave that responsibility to my colleague Steven Ellis), but I’ve had many from the Red Wings’ faithful point out the promising young players that have been drafted the last number of years. I do not doubt that Detroit has a lot of talent on the way and could boast an above-average roster sometime in the near future. But that doesn’t justify completely neglecting the present group at the NHL level. What kind of culture is being instilled in guys like Raymond, Seider, Simon Edvinsson and Marco Kasper? That’s to say nothing of veteran and team captain Dylan Larkin.
Let’s call it for what it is: Yzerman’s handling of the 2025 Trade Deadline was a disgrace. For a team in desperate need of making the playoffs and playing in a postseason game for the first time in its new arena, the Red Wings needed to take a swing this season – especially with how tight things are in the Eastern Conference.
The Red Wings were getting more wins under McLellan immediately following the coaching change, but there were hints of it being a mirage if you looked beneath the hood, even when things were going better. Still a putrid defensive team and relying heavily on its offense to come off the power play, the Red Wings were not as good as their record showed at the beginning of 2025. They needed a desperate augmentation of talent on their roster (specifically on the back end) to soften the landing when things inevitably evened out.
Unfortunately, Yzerman sat on his hands at the Trade Deadline, and when the cream rose to the top, there were no reinforcements to help navigate through turbulent times.
Per Moneypuck.com, the Red Wings are bottom-10 in the NHL in both expected goals for per 60 and xG against per 60. Even after the coaching change, this team needed help at 5-on-5 and was among the worst defensive teams in the NHL. Now the offense has bottomed out, too, and goaltender Cam Talbot has been unable to weather the storm. Losers of their last six and eight of their last 10, the Red Wings find themselves four points back of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second Wildcard seed in the East.
Looking at the roster, it is puzzling that Yzerman felt comfortable with sending this team to war in the (presumed) hopes of making the playoffs post-trade deadline. Not especially deep down the middle to begin with, the injury sidelining Andrew Copp opened the door for a shot down in the arm in the way of a center addition. Defenseman Jeff Petry is hardly the player he was during his days with the Montreal Canadiens, but his injury only further highlighted the need for a defensive addition – preferably right shot. Neither type of addition came to fruition.
Now, I understand that the market did not present a plethora of options in either category. The Colorado Avalanche paid a premium to acquire both Charlie Coyle and Brock Nelson, while the Toronto Maple Leafs gave up a decent haul to bring in Scott Laughton. But could the Red Wings not have found a way to grab a guy like Cody Glass at the very least? If for optics, if nothing else?
Right-shot defensemen were not largely on the move, but Brandon Carlo would’ve been a perfect fit for the Red Wings. The Leafs did pay a big significant cost of Fraser Minten and a 2026 first-round pick, but Carlo’s play and cost certainty is well worth it and could’ve been a good add for Detroit. But at the very least, could Yzerman not have paid up to bring in a Carson Soucy-type, even as a left shot?
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Perhaps I’m just a touch frustrated because I was pointing to the Red Wings as an under the radar team to watch to make noise leading up to the deadline, but doing nothing other than adding goaltender Petr Mrazek and depth winger Craig Smith is a complete failure. Especially when you consider what its divisional rival and standings-competitor Ottawa Senators did on deadline day, trading for Dylan Cozens from the Buffalo Sabres and Fabian Zetterlund from the San Jose Sharks. Sens GM Steve Saios knew the importance of making the playoffs this season and made additions and changes to his roster to ensure that he gave his group the best chance to do so. The best part is that the Senators have been a much better team all season long and still decided to improve their roster. Meanwhile, in Motor City, Yzerman felt comfortable standing pat.
Look, I understand that this isn’t a make-or-break season for the Red Wings. Even if they were to make the playoffs, are we to believe that they’d have anything more than a snowball’s chance in hell of ousting one of the division winners? Of course not, but after nearly a decade of being on the outside looking in of the playoffs – which followed 25 years of consecutive playoff particpation, mind you – optics that need to be considered. The Red Wings owed it to their fanbase and current roster to make additions and at least pretend to care about taking a tangible step forward by making the playoffs – not just keep preaching patience and pointing to prospects’ potential as the only glimmer of hope.
I’ll reserve judgment to change my opinion and, much like two months ago, will gladly eat my words if I’m proven wrong once again. But this deadline was a massive failure for Yzerman both from a tangible and optics point of view, and with yet another season of no playoff hockey taking shape in Michigan, some tough questions need to start being asked.
