New York Rangers: A Look at the other Rebuilding Teams

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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 14: Michael Rasmussen #27 of the Detroit Red Wings walks out to the rink before the start of an NHL game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Little Caesars Arena on March 14, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Tampa defeated Detroit 5-4. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings are quite a bit further along the path than the Senators, but they still have a fair amount of work to do. The Red Wings are currently the third worst team in the league, only ahead of Ottawa and the Los Angeles Kings, another struggling franchise. Management in the Motor City has done well to stock up the roster with young forwards but has done little to alter the rest of the lineup.

The Red Wings’ roster boasts some of the best young offensive talent in the NHL. They currently have the likes of Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou, and Filip Zadina all under the age of 24 and under contract through next season. The rest of the lineup leaves much to be desired, as it’s full of aging players without much in the pipeline.

Luckily, the brass will have some level of flexibility this coming offseason. The Red Wings have their own first round pick and three second round selections. They also will have more cap room, as approximately $13 million will be shed in the forms of Thomas Vanek, Nicklas Kronwall, and Jimmy Howard. They will have to put Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen back on long-term injury reserve to get that full level of cap relief, however.

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