Re-sign Kane, bring in Tarasenko with eye on ending 8-year playoff drought

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NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the Detroit Red Wings.

In order to continue their upward trajectory under general manager Steve Yzerman, the next step for the Detroit Red Wings is to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“There’s definitely expectations going into this season, so that’s always a good thing,” said forward Patrick Kane, who signed a one-year contract June 30 instead of testing the free agent market. “You want those expectations. You want, whether it’s the fans or the media or just players in general, to expect the team and the organization to take the next step.”

The Red Wings have progressed steadily since Yzerman took over April 19, 2019. After bottoming out with 39 points in 71 games (.275 points percentage) in his first season, they had 48 points in 56 games (.429) in 2020-21, 74 in 82 (.451) in 2021-22, 80 in 82 (.488) in 2022-23 and 91 in 82 (.555) last season.

They failed to qualify for the playoffs last season because they lost the tiebreaker to the Washington Capitals, who earned the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with the same number of points but more regulation wins (32-27). Detroit’s playoff drought stretched to eight seasons, the longest in the team’s 98-year history.

Asked if he feels more pressure to make the playoffs as the years go by, Yzerman said with a laugh, “Um, yeah, a little bit, honestly. Our fan base wants to win. We came close last year to making the playoffs. Still … the finish of our season was very exciting and dramatic. It’s a little bit maybe misleading. We’ve got to really improve, as we talk about, in some areas.”

Detroit finished ninth offensively (3.35 goals per game) but 24th defensively (3.33 goals against per game) last season.

In the offseason, the Red Wings lost forwards David Perron (signed with the Ottawa Senators July 1) and Daniel Sprong (signed with the Vancouver Canucks July 20), and defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere (signed with the Carolina Hurricanes July 1) and Jake Walman (traded to the San Jose Sharks June 25).

But they added forwards Vladimir Tarasenko (signed a two-year, $9.5 million contract July 3) and Tyler Motte (signed a one-year, $800,000 contract July 2), defenseman Erik Gustafsson (signed a two-year, $4 million contract July 1) and goalie Cam Talbot (signed a two-year, $5 million contract July 1).

Tarasenko talked about the playoffs after signing.

“I’m not a person who just come and hang out, enjoy my time and don’t try to win,” said the 32-year-old, who won the Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019 and Florida Panthers last season. “I really like winning, and [I] just won the second Cup. I will do everything I can to help the organization to take a next step, help the guys, share my experience and just do my best to be able to make the playoffs.

“[If] you make the playoffs, you never know what’s going to happen. That’s the reason I come, because I like the way the team played (last season) and I believe this team can make the playoffs and do some special things.”

Talbot talked about the playoffs, too.

“I’m at the stage of my career where I’m not ready to just mail it in yet,” the 37-year-old said. “I don’t want to just give up starts. I still want to compete for starts, I still want to compete for the playoffs and I still want to win a Stanley Cup. I’ve never done that yet. So, all these things kind of play into that decision, the fact that they were that close last year and they really want to push for that again and they made that clear.”

Yzerman stressed that he will stick to the plan, trying to build a core that can compete for the playoffs consistently. But the Red Wings have potential this season and a sense of urgency.

“I don’t think it’s any different than I felt last year,” Yzerman said. “I think we’re in with that group of teams that has a chance to compete for the playoffs if we stay healthy, if our goaltending is good and you get some maybe unexpected [performances]. We might get in, or you might just miss by a point on the last game of the season. That’s the fine line of it all.”