This is What Detroit Red Wings Fans Have WAITED FOR

Neal Ruhl and Flannel Sam breakdown how Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman has turned the franchise around. While it took a little longer than fans would've liked, they're finally the team that was envisioned when he took over. Like, Subscribe and leave your comment below!
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[@aaronhoepner3154]

Best part about Yzerman is that all he'd say to an apology is "no apology necessary. We still have work to do". He's still the greatest and the best is yet to come LGRW!

[@nickfury8973]

What Yzerman did at the TDL last season was GM Master Class. By TDL last season, he knew the team was not making the playoffs. Instead of standing pat, he traded Hronek and Bertuzzi to get two first rounders. By trading away one top 6 forward and one top 4 d, the team was able to soft tank for another top 10 pick (he drafted Nate Danielson who looks like a great 2C, with potential 1C upside if things go well). With the pick he got from Hronek, he drafted Axel Sandin Pellinka who looks like one of the most exciting defense prospects in the NHL. And he packed up the Bertuzzi pick to get DeBrincat. The team has way better future than what it had a season ago. Some might argue Hronek looks great in Vancouver, but Yzerman seems not willing to give him what he is looking for in the new contract, and how much of his production coming from playing with Hughes I am not sure. Not to mention, he made gambles on Alex Lyon, and picked up a post surgery Kane. JT Compher has been solid as well. Sprong is a great goal scorer in the bottom 6.

[@detroitmcpro]

Maaaaan you broke it down before I had a chance. The guy knows hockey. He knows what his team needs better than all the armchair GMs in the comments

[@Salesdet]

Last night proved that this Wings team can hang with the best in the league!

[@vmi4172]

For one game, maybe, for 7 we are still a hard no..

[@mebehigh]

No, it says that this Wings team is among the best in the league!

[@michaelkehr3653]

Lyon is a HUGE reason why we are here! We still need a solid stay home defenseman to lower the shots against a bit, but it’s really looking good!!!

[@mikem7559]

And the Best thing is we have so many quality kids from his drafts who are getting close to being NHL ready. Edvinsson, Berggren, Casper, Wallinder, Danielson, and many others who are progressing quickly will keep our roster strong for years to come by allowing then to develop properly..Yzerman is a master at building a team the right way.

[@AaronMQuantz]

Ken Holland totally exhausted ALL of our futures chasing a streak that didn't mean shit, Stevie Y has been rebuilding the team from the absolute bottom and people/fans sure seem like they have forgotten what Ken did to us..... LGRW!!!🎉❤

[@nickfury8973]

I think that streak meant a lot to Mr I. Tigers and Red wings went into rebuild as soon as Mr I passed away.

[@JaredLS10]

@@nickfury8973 yeah, Mr. I didn't make it easy on Ken by any means and I get that what I will never be able to understand is the length of contract he gave out, Stephen Weiss five year contract, Jonathan Ericsson six years for a guy that had one season in the positive category of +/- and Abdelkader seven year 4.25 mil for a guy that scored most of his goals by having guys bank the punk off him in front of the net.

[@AaronMQuantz]

@@nickfury8973 the Tigers will be in perpetual rebuild with Chris Illitch at the helm, I have zero hope there.

[@roygoodhand1301]

With the Lions being so good, the Tigers can afford a few more years to make sure they get the right core. Just don't EVER split Torkelson and Greene up. They're the next Trammell/Whitaker.

[@jschultz2363]

I never wavered Yzerman knows what he is doing.

[@YooperHatesOhioState]

Beating the hawks pens avs bruins and lightning all at home in the same year feels extra special to this run we got going

[@jonmel]

Too many people forgot they tire fire of the cap situation we were in and how bad the farm system was

[@user-fc2ob7yl3u]

Stevie Y IS BY FAR THE BEST MAN FOR THIS REBUILD! A++++

[@phillipmartin5732]

Here’s the Y! on it, lol never doubted for a sec!! LGRW!!!

[@gulfwarvet5710]

Speak it! I honestly can’t believe people think it’s so quick and easy. The league is watered down and talent is thin! Steve has done a great job. He started out at least 7 to 10 years behind with cap space, and a farm/team void of talent.

[@ChucksHockeyTownTalk]

Don’t love media saying they’ve made playoffs already. Risky biz

[@ipeclub]

Look at the lightning... since Yzerman left .. they have been slowly sliding out of contention.

[@davinss6095]

Exactly

[@HungAF]

Bruh

[@nickfury8973]

This hits hard

[@redwingsfan019]

I've never doubted the Yzerplan!

[@colonialstraits1069]

It’s amazing to sit back and realize that with Yzerman and Holmes, we currently have two of the greatest GMs in professional sports. I never doubted the Yzerplan, I’ve been on board since he came home. LGRW!

[@michelleleeginger5225]

The only move I have questioned was Lalonde....and Steve is proving me wrong on that. Other than that, I never questioned any of Steve's moves. I'm absolutely loving the Yzerplan ❤

[@mitchsehoyan5017]

love newsy

[@lyleknight9012]

@@mitchsehoyan5017I was frustrated between his defensive system not clicking and him NEVER saying anything to an official. Yes, I want(still do), a fiery Torts type coach.

[@redbeard6403]

The only move that I have questioned is I think we signed to many free agents. I think Edvinsson and Berggren should both be in the NHL. The AHL isn't doing them any good, we signed to many free agents. But as always Trust the Yzerplan, Stevie knows what he is doing.

[@zacharyfranklin6510]

Yzerplan #19/19

[@harrygaskin7995]

There isn’t a better combination of mind, savvy, and relentless work ethic than Steve Yzerman. He’s always going to be the best or one of the best in anything he goes after!

[@RedWingsninetyone]

It's almost as if the "patience" they've been preaching to fans for several years is paying off.

[@user-fc2ob7yl3u]

I remember #19 telling me to have patience when he was hired! I said "Yes Mr. Yzerman" #LGRW

[@redbeard6403]

​@c2ob7yl3u Capital is a term that is often used in politics, well Yzerman has earned a lot of capital. Not only as a player, but as a Rd Wing executive, GM of Team Canada, GM of Tampa. I may not have always been supportive of everything that he has done, especially this year with all those free agent signings. I thought since the season began that Both Berggren and Edvinsson should have started the team in Detroit, not because they weren't one of the best 23 players, but they didn't have to clear waivers. I've always said trust the Yzerplan, Stevie knows what he is doing.

[@RedWingsninetyone]

@@redbeard6403 people forget that it took 10 years to get Tampa to prominence and that was without having to straight up dig out of a hole of bad contracts left by the previous GM. People wanted to blame Blashill when he was just working with what he had to.

[@RedWing88]

@@redbeard6403For the most part I agree. However, bringing in Sprong, Ghost, Fischer, Lyon and The Cat were good moves. Then bringing in Kane was a great move. Personally, I hope we resign Sprong and Kane. I understand why he got Petry and Holl. You can never have enough d-man Depth. Most contending teams at the trade deadline try and trade for defensemen. Also, I don’t think Edvinsson is ready. He’s not exactly tearing up Grand Rapids. He scored his first goal in 25 games a couple nights ago. His offensive and defensive game still needs to improve. Until he can take a guy like Maata’s job, he will play in GR. I would like to see Berggren play though. I know he’s NHL ready. But I’m thinking Yzerman may trade him?

[@redbeard6403]

@@RedWing88 Free agent signings are hit or miss, most of the signings have really worked out and hindsight is always 20/20. I agree that there's a good chance that Berggren will be traded but he's not someone that has to be moved he's going to be an RFA. I'm not sure I'm not sure who I would move him out to get him a spot. As for Edvinsson, maybe Holl was a player that we shouldn't have signed. If we don't signed a d-man in free agency or trade for one, there will will be defenseman signed so there might a spot open that he could compete for.

[@datcrazywhiteboy6205]

To appreciate the best years, you gotta go through the worst

[@RedWing88]

“The sweet is never as sweet, without the bitter.”Where you a 1990’s kid too? I had the privilege to watch the whole 25 season playoff streak. Got to watch them go to 6 Cup Finals, winning 4 of them(should’ve had 09 lol). The last 7, 8 seasons have been tough compared to what I was used to. But I appreciate it so much more now. You are very right. I actually like watching our rebuild. It can be frustrating at times. Like when we took Zadina over Hughs. I was pissed during that draft. But I’ve gotten to see Rasmussen grow and see him get his extension. I’ve gotten to see Raymond and Seider turn into something special. I’m enjoying the process. I hope we resign Kane and Sprong.

[@redbeard6403]

I want to caution my fellow Red Wings fans. It looks like we are going to make the playoffs, but we could hit a rough patch like we did in December. Don't count our chickens before they are hatched.

[@jasonkemppainen4731]

I agree. Everyone’s excited, but Y said. There’s work to do. That being said, the boys are buzzin’😊

[@redbeard6403]

@@jasonkemppainen4731 I am pumped, I am excited. I just want to issue caution. The D-Mac was there I think he may have tried to slow the breaks a little. They way that there were talking it made it sound like they have already clinched a playoff birth. Be excited, be very excited, but be we still have a lot of work to do. This is no time to go on cruise control.

[@johanjotun1647]

I never questioned him, I remember him saving us when we drafted him no one is smarter, no one works harder.

[@mamagne800]

Yzerman is my all time favorite. I knew it would take him only 2 to 3 years to make the Wings competitive because the guy was a genius as a player. He would have been top scorer of the NHL if not in Gretzky and Lemieux era. One year he scored 155 pts but finished third behind the two great ones.

[@ralphhutchinson2354]

I have not heard any comment about how Yzerman has got us here with very little luck in the draft lottery. No number one draft picks to work with.

[@paultorpedo6378]

Some moves I questioned but after I saw what Seider was going to be I developed full faith in the Yzerplan. We had 0 offence at that draft but gets a D-Man 20 spots higher then expected who is going to be our new Lindstrom. What Holland and Babcock did to our team contract wise before they left is the reason this took 3+ years longer, at least it got us some better picks

[@ralphhutchinson2354]

That and zero luck in the draft lottery are the main reasons the rebuild has taken this long

[@KarelGut-rs8mq]

It's still a work in progress... The team is still short of really good wingers behind DeBrincat and Raymond, Kane and Perron are old and on expiring contracts and won't be here when the team is ready to contend. Sprong is on an expiring contract and is UFA, Berggren is surrounded by trade rumours. The team is still questionable on the right side of the defense. The left side is stacked with prospects but the only really promising thing we have on the right is ASP and he's several years away from making an impact. The goalie position is still in flux. Lyon have been great this year but behind him are nothing but question marks. Lyon is signed for only one more year and then what? Will Cossa be ready to step in? Will Lyon resign with us, and if so at what cost?

[@celldweller69]

This aged well…

[@joechriste7052]

Berggren is a Holland pick

[@ericscottstevens]

1:28 Detroit gets to decide what 1st round pick to give to the Sens for the ADB trade. The Red Wings will all but certain surrender the Bruins #1 pick that will be in the 30s. SY knows how to work the situation in these trades.

[@larrydenny3000]

Ahh yes December 2023... Larkin Injured, Kane injured, Perron suspended. Yup lets sum up Yzerman's team to that month

[@ekim4363]

There are no guarantees with rebuilds. Go ask the Cubs from 1980-2016 and Bulls since 1998. Yzerman inherited a mess and it took two years for him to start a rebuild.

[@wyattbarnes9641]

I wouldn’t say Debrincat “unlocked” Larkin but yea Stevie Y played the long game and it looks like it’s going to pay off. Hopefully some of these draft picks exceed expectations also.

[@dangroat4438]

All Yzerman had to do when he got here to GM the Red Wings was to figure out what is missing from this team from the successful teams that he once played on. That is something he probably learned from Scotty Bowman, from watching how he operated. If you don't trust Yzerman you probably didn't trust Scotty either.

[@jft7775]

Wings need : Center / D-Man

[@WW3_Soon]

Stevie Y would have been fired long ago if he had been Rangers’ impatient owner James Dolan.

[@judeau9151]

TLDR; you owe Yzerman an apology (x15)

[@cameronfranke8566]

And the delusional red wings fans thought the yzerplan was a joke 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@SuperIcarusman]

Yzerman himself was merely just a player at one time; it took him 14 years to win a championship..Patience

[@oldjarhead386]

5 years just to get back to the playoffs, maybe in a league where half the league gets in isn’t exactly incredible. Maybe we can actually get back to a cup in 10 more at this pace.

[@NIVO1972]

wait til Fabbri gets rollin. when he scores he scores in bunches. playoffs comin up thats a good time to let it fly. Go Wings.

[@Mjiw-hn2zm]

We aren’t in the playoffs yet tho lot of hockey left

[@miketylenda8880]

People forget how depleted of talent the wings were when Yzerman took over. It also took two years to straighten out the horrible contracts that Holland saddled him with. I still believe he signed two too many free agents last year which froze the prospects to the AHL.

[@philhamilton8731]

There's nothing saying that they couldn't be brought up now. I don't know why everyone thinks they know more about these players who they are keeping in the AHL than DRW front office people do.

[@dj4aces]

I said it before, and I'll say it again: Trust the Yzerplan.

[@WW3_Soon]

Poor Habs fans know for a successful rebuild (they’re in Year 3), they might have to endure another 2 or 3 years.

[@jackconrad2667]

He has made great moves. The ones I’m concerned with are husso and holl. But I guess u can’t get them all right.

[@nickfury8973]

Husso was a gamble, same as Nedelkovic. And low risk ones too. Holl was not a good one.

[@jackconrad2667]

@@nickfury8973 well that contract on husso is terrible. And so is holl. But don’t let it sound like I think yzerman isn’t doing good. There are way more good moves than bad ones. And that’s all u can ask for. But those two bad contracts could bite Detroit in the butt when it comes to the offseason.

[@lyleknight9012]

Simmer down Neal. This is the most you’ve talked hockey in years. The only one getting an apology is Lalonde. His defensive system has finally taken hold. I didn’t think it was ever coming.

[@mattverville9227]

What does the amount of time neal has talked about hockey have to do with anything. Nobody likes hockey talk and that's why they don't talk hockey

[@davidlaitinen2699]

I'd argue that the Rangers are the hottest team in the NHL, I love the red wings, but I think that they just need another year before being Cup contenders.

[@nickfury8973]

2-3 more pieces away Still need a legit top 6 forward Another top 4 d And possibly another starter caliber goalie

[@harrybaldman3437]

Hockey players!!! LGRW

[@frodo3320]

I don't know where you all found people not believing in Steve Yzerman. I have never heard a soul talk bad about him or his plan

[@Migmaw]

Stevie Y has always had a high hockey I.Q and he learned how to build a team from Scotty Bowman, oh but Bowman was the coach? The Bowman years Scotty made the decisions and Kenny made the contacts, we see what happened when Scotty left, Holland overpaid underwhelming players and the only reason the wings were a playoff team and won a cup was because of the culture the wings of the late 90s early 2000s built with Scotty. So Stevie learned how to build a core and a team from Scotty and he learned what bad contracts did to an organization from Holland and took that knowledge to Tampa and built a potential dynasty team, imagine where the wings would be today if Holland stepped aside for Stevie like he was supposed to? Stevie won cups and as a player and GM he won gold medals for Canada, One thing Stevie can do is sell his vision to a player, look everyone thought Larkin was gonna be traded or he'd sign somewhere else and Stevie traded his linemate and friend. Stevie is the reason Debrincat wanted to come and he's the reason + Debrincat that Kane signed. Does anyone believe Yzerman didn't already have the whole thing planned out before the season ended? He knew if he landed Debrincat and had the pieces to do so Kane would sign. Kane had options and for longer term but the wings organization went and learned everything possible about Kanes surgery and developed a plan to keep him healthy before he signed and Kane was amazed by the due diligence of the wings. Long way of saying keep doubting Stevie cause he rises to the occasion every time. I've been a wings fan for 36yrs, Stevie never let me down.

[@Mtzrlein]

What was that guy’s screen name that we all shat upon a year ago? I know who you are. Fuh q “who you are.” Hahahaha!

[@vmi4172]

Nobody owes SY an apology. Unless you're a complete bonehead Wings fan you knew the dumpster fire SY inherited. This was not going to be easy and not going to be quick. SY came here with nothing to work with but terrible contracts, cap hell and a mismanaged roster. A burning freakin dumpster fire courtesy of bonehead Holland. To add salt to our wounds we get screwed by the draft lottery every freakin year, picking top 5 only once since Stevie's been here! SO, all things considered, this process was gonna be slow and painful, and SY does have his rightful criticism BTW(I hated the Chariot and Copp deals, we should have been playing our kids while aiming for a lottery pick instead of overpaying vets when we had no business doing so, Petry and Holl were dumb moves from the get go that made no sense, especially after signing Gost and resigning Walman and Olli, overpaying another #3 JT after overpaying a #3 a year prior in Copp was weird especially after drafting a #3 Kasper and hopefully a guy that can become a #2 for us in Danielson but who's more likely a #3 in the same back to back years while also having Veleno and Rasm on the roster as well is odd, so just the collection of mid players while drafting similar players at the same time in general is head scratching but SY has earned the benefit of the doubt) so yes theres still so much work to do but we are getting there and the best days are ahead!

[@satchitus7200]

They really need to make the playoffs this yr and build it into another championship team. I love Steve Yzerman but will be losing faith fast if it doesn't happen.

[@440x]

He signed a bunch of short term contracts with worst case scenario being he flips them for more picks

[@tylertyler8782]

Only mistakes, Yzerman has made in my opinion is the Justin Holl and Ben Chariot contracts. Copp’s contract is “meh”. But practically every other moves he’s made in trades and signings have been totally great! Drafting: A- Only thing I don’t like is drafting Sebastian Cossa over Jasper Wallstedt. But honestly it’s still too early to tell.

[@Disciple_of_Larkin71]

I understand the cossa thing. But he has been slowly piecing it together lately. His numbers have been slowly increasing and just had a shutout.

[@aaronhoepner3154]

Cossa is really turning it around in GR. Just shut out Texas (best team in the division) and his save percentage in the last ten games is .932. It was the same story in Toledo, it took him a second to figure it out and then he took the next step. Definitely going to be competing for the back up spot in training camp next year.

[@mattmcnick]

the chariot slander will not be tolerated. he is totally living up to it, especially lately. benny is coming into his own on this team. him and copp are the kind of defensive role players you need.

[@eleanorcat9982]

Well let’s not get ahead of ourselves, they haven’t made the playoffs yet

[@BillMontroy]

As soon as anyone said anything along the lines lf how does it take 5 years and no playoffs blah blah blah ... They instantlyost credibility in the conversation with me . Almost as much as this clown suddenly caribg or knowing about hockey

[@philhamilton8731]

Dude is a blowhard that thinks a little too highly of himself.

[@achillesninja]

Buddy way to jynx the wings. A bad 4 game losing streak and then were back out. Stop