Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin can learn some important lessons from Steve Yzerman’s experiences with the Detroit Red Wings as Yzerman deals with the challenges of building a competitive team.

During his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Yzerman drafted Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Brayden Point, creating a core that eventually became Stanley Cup winners in 2019-20 and 2020-21. Red Wings fans were pumped about Yzerman’s return to Detroit. They are waiting for the Wings to break out, or else they could see Yzerman being fired.

Here are some key takeaways that could benefit Guerin in his role:

Yzerman took over a team in need of a rebuild. While he had an impressive track record by drafting Kucherov, Vasilevskiy, and Point, the results have been slow to materialize in Detroit. Yzerman drafted Lucas Raymond and Mortiz Seider as his cornerstones.

Raymond may be on the verge of a breakout season after scoring 31 goals and 41 assists (72 points) in 82 games in 2023-24. In 2024-25, he needs to become a breakout star if the Wings are going to go on a Cup run.

Seider has experienced a slight decline in production after scoring 50 points in his rookie season. He has scored 42 points twice in his last two seasons. Seider is a bigger and more physical version of Brock Faber, who will only grow into a key Cup contributor.

Raymond and Seider are on the verge of breaking out into MVP candidates.

Guerin has repeatedly said he has a clear, long-term vision for the Wild and recognizes that building a contender often takes time. However, Guerin is facing the challenge of ensuring that Kirill Kaprizov remains in Minnesota. To entice Kaprizov to stay, Guerin wants to make the playoffs.

Patience is crucial in the development of young players and the overall process. However, Guerin has prioritized Kaprizov and has focused on icing a veteran-heavy team instead of having some prospects grow into their roles around Kaprizov.

Yzerman’s challenge has been assembling a roster that effectively competes. Guerin has emphasized building a cohesive team culture and ensuring that new acquisitions fit as players, as well as character and work ethic. The chemistry within the locker room can significantly influence performance on the ice.

The article highlights the pressure Yzerman faces, especially with Detroit’s recent performance. Guerin should be aware of the expectations surrounding the Wild and prepare to face more challenges. Establishing clear communication with fans about the team’s goals and progress can help alleviate some of that pressure.

Yzerman has made key acquisitions, such as Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko, to get the Red Wings into the playoffs. However, they must yield results. Guerin may need to take calculated risks to shake up the roster if the Wild continue to underperform. That could mean exploring trades such as Patrik Laine or making more coaching staff changes.

Yzerman’s tenure shows that even highly-regarded experts can make mistakes. Guerin should maintain a mindset of continuous improvement, be open to learning from errors, and adjust strategies accordingly. Acknowledging past missteps can help make more informed decisions moving forward.

Yzerman may regret signing Andrew Copp, J.T. Compher, Ben Chariot, and Justin Holl to multi-year deals, especially Holl since he’s often been a healthy scratch. Holl’s a more expensive version of Alex Goligoski. At the very least, Guerin didn’t sign Goligoski for nearly double the price of his most recent contract.

Guerin will have to manage the cap with Frederick Gaudreau, Marcus Foligno, and Jake Middleton’s bloated contracts on the payroll. Can Middleton and Jared Spurgeon continue their success for the next few years? Can Foligno stay healthy? Can Gaudreau remain healthy and play a shutdown role? Would you rather have Gaudreau at $2.1 million or Riley Heidt at a $925,000 Entry-Level Contract (ELC)?

Yzerman’s focus on rebuilding through the draft has been essential for the Red Wings as they stock more young talent. Guerin should continue to prioritize scouting and developing prospects to create a sustainable model for success that doesn’t rely on free-agent signings.

Yzerman has assembled the NHL’s second-best prospect pool, which means they’ll be able to mature their games and won’t be in a full-time NHL role. However, pundits expect Detroit’s recently top-drafted prospect Simon Edvinsson to get NHL minutes. Guerin’s been able to put together the fifth-best prospect pool with Judd Brackett by his side. It’s impressive how the Wild could pull that off by finishing in the mushy middle and going through more first-round exits.

Bill Guerin can learn from Steve Yzerman’s experiences by applying a thoughtful and patient approach to team-building. He must make informed decisions regarding player contracts, foster team chemistry, manage expectations, and be willing to adapt and learn from both successes and failures.