Red Wings’ Goaltending Trade Targets for 2024 Offseason

Goaltending is a fickle beast. It has always been considered one of the hardest positions in sports to evaluate because it’s a mental game that no one can quite fully comprehend. What goes on between the ears of an NHL goaltender will always be a mystery to those who follow the game. Teams can live and die by the player who guards the blue paint as the Detroit Red Wings found out during the 2023-24 season. Ville Husso, James Reimer and Alex Lyon were all part of the active roster during this past season, but it’s safe to say the story didn’t play out the way Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman had planned. An upgrade is most definitely needed in Motown. But at what cost?

Husso was brought in before the 2022-23 campaign to solidify the goaltending spot for the Red Wings, but it’s safe to say that didn’t quite work out. Yzerman signed him to a three-year $14.25 million deal after he briefly shined for the St. Louis Blues during the 2021-22 season. He started 56 games for Detroit going 26-22-7 with a 3.11 goals-against average (GAA) and a .896 save percentage (SV%), but after a promising start, he seemed to wear down as the season progressed. The 6-foot-3 Finnish netminder had never taken on a number one role and it clearly showed during some pretty rough stretches as the season winded down. Detroit was hoping for some kind of improvement during his sophomore season, but that also did not come to fruition.

Teams not named the Florida Panthers don’t generally like to tie up that much money in two goaltenders, so the Bruins may be forced to move on from Ullmark. Things could get really interesting if they fail to advance past the first round for the second year in a row. Ullmark to me is an intriguing option if he can be had at a reasonable price. Yzerman may not have to give up key assets as Boston probably doesn’t want their goaltending tandem taking up $10 million-plus of the team’s cap space next season. I’m thinking a B-level prospect and a third-round pick may be able to get it done.

The Hardest (Sports) Job in the Motor City

It’s well known in and around Michigan circles that the two most highly scrutinized positions in all of Detroit sports are the Lions’ quarterback and the Red Wings’ goaltender. The two always seem to take the most heat on the local sports radio circuit. The Red Wings have not had elite goaltending in a long time, and even then I’m not sure you can call Chris Osgood, or a much older Dominik Hasek, elite. Mike Vernon maybe? But the great Red Wings teams we remember were never about “elite” goaltending. This team needs to go back to that formula for these next two years and find someone high-end who can steal games here and there until Cossa and Augustine arrive.

I’m not saying any of these options have a high probability of occurring – in fact, it may be low – but Yzerman could have some interesting opportunities this summer if he chooses to go in that direction. If I had to guess, I would say a move is coming. I just can’t envision another season of subpar goaltending being acceptable at this point in the rebuild. There appears to be a youth infusion coming, and there is always the possibility of a setback for the 2024-25 season, so that may play in the back of the Detroit icon’s head. He’s not one to tip his hand, and I don’t expect him to now, but I’m betting that the Red Wings getting that close to ending their playoff drought lit a fire in Yzerman. We’ll find out soon enough.