Speaking June 21 before the NHL Draft, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman spoke of his preference for a two-goaltender system. It makes practice rotations easier, game assignments easier. While he emphasized that he wasn’t 100% opposed to running with three goaltenders, it was clear that Yzerman preferred to move on from that if he could.
“I don’t see us really doing three goaltenders throughout the course of the season,” Yzerman said. “That wasn’t really the plan last year, either, but injury kind of dictated that. And we kind of hemmed and hawed a little bit at the end of the season as far as OK, what do we want to do and then Ville (Husso) got hurt and the issue was resolved.”
If the Red Wing wanted two goaltenders for 2024-25, then signing two more in free agency certainly complicated matters. Detroit gained a potential starter in Cam Talbot, while Jack Campbell is likely destined for the AHL. Those two are added to a system that already has Alex Lyon and Ville Husso at the NHL level, re-creating the three goaltender situation that Yzerman wasn’t so keen on.
Forget about the complications this system might present to simply getting goaltenders enough ice time. This could also have costly ramifications for the roster spots available to the Red Wings’ many budding rookies. By occupying a healthy scratch slot that limits lineup changes and roster adjustments, the three-goaltender rotation presents roster management problems that Detroit is going to have to address at some point.
Assuming they get defenseman Moritz Seider and forwards Lucas Raymond and Jonatan Berggren under contract, the Red Wings are set to start their offseason with all 23 roster spots claimed by returners, free agent adds, or prospects who are now waiver eligible. Right now, defensemen Albert Johansson and Justin Holl are projected to fill the two healthy scratch spots available to skaters, and if it isn’t them then some defenseman they displace will be in those shoes. When it comes to forwards, whether a rookie or an established vet, there just isn’t a roster spot to bring them on right now with Lyon, Husso and Talbot all on the NHL roster.
This presents a challenge for both the short – and long-term futures. With roster space so tight, rookies such as forwards Marco Kasper, Carter Mazur and Nate Danielson will find it exceedingly difficult to make the roster. Unless something gives — a trade, a waiver assignment or even LTIR — then they’re going to have to play so well that…