For the last 18 years (12 with The Hockey News) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 19th annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future. Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are what I take into consideration when looking at the depth chart and the player potential on that depth chart.

Enjoy!

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Gone – Bobby Ryan, Valtteri Filppula, Richard Panik, Evgeny Svechnikov, Darren Helm, Luke Glendening, Frans Nielsen, Mathias Brome, Christian Djoos, Dennis Cholowski, Alex Biega, Jonathan Bernier

Incoming – Pius Suter, Mitchell Stephens, Nick Leddy, Jordan Oesterle, Alex Nedeljkovic

Impact of Changes – In one of the most surprising offseason trades, the Red Wings were able to add Calder Trophy finalist Nedeljkovic from Carolina for the negotiation rights to Bernier (who later signed with New Jersey) and a third-round pick. Unable to come to terms with the Hurricanes, the Wings immediately signed Nedeljkovic to a two-year contract. Nedeljkovic gives the Red Wings a goalie they can build around while 2021 first-round pick Sebastian Cossa develops.

Leddy was acquired for a second-round pick and Panik, who himself had been acquired at the deadline along with Jakub Vrana for Anthony Mantha. Suter, who was surprisingly not qualified by Chicago, was signed as a free agent. Despite the offseason changes and an improved second half (15-15-7 to end the season), the Wings will face an uphill battle to make the playoffs in a tough Atlantic Division. No problem for the plan, as the Steve Yzerman-led long rebuild is on schedule.

Ready for Full Time – Fresh off successful stints in the Swedish Elite League and the World Hockey Championship, Moritz Seider appears ready to make his NHL debut. Don't expect huge points right away given both his inexperience and the team's, but he will have the potential to accumulate big counting stat numbers as he matures. His upside is as a top-pairing defenseman.

Joe Veleno could be a full-time NHLer this season, although he won't likely be centering one of the top two lines at this point. If the Wings want him to get more minutes, then he could be back in the AHL for a third season. His second AHL season only consisted of four games after he spent most of 2020-21 in Sweden.

2020 fourth overall pick Lucas Raymond will make his way over to North America this fall. He's more likely to be in the Wings' AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids to start, as GM Steve Yzerman has stated he will only be on the roster if he has a regular role. Regardless, expect him to play his first NHL game at some point this season. He is expected to be fully recovered after an arm injury last season.  

Fantasy Outlook: The Wings finished with the league's second-worst offense (2.23 GF/GP), but there are several reasons for a potentially immediate improvement. At age 25, Dylan Larkin's production has fallen for two consecutive seasons, so there might be nowhere to go but up after an injury-shortened season. Filip Zadina will also look to improve on his six goals and 19 points as well. Tyler Bertuzzi is returning from a back injury that cost him most of the season, but his production has climbed gradually in each of the last three seasons. Vrana provided a late-season boost to the offense with 11 points in his 11 games with Detroit, including eight goals. The complete lack of offense meant that Adam Erne was tied for the team goal-scoring lead with just 11 goals (with the departed Mantha), but he still finished with under a half point per game.

Defenseman Filip Hronek led the Wings in points, even though he scored only two goals all season. Both of those goals were empty net, so he did not beat a goalie at all in 2020-21. In spite of the lack of goal-scoring, Hronek should remain on the first-unit power play, although don't be surprised if Leddy also joins him there.

Nedeljkovic might be viewed as the starter, but it might not be as cut and dry as you think. Nedeljkovic's 1.90 GAA and .932 SV% were tops among goalies with at least 15 games played last season. However, it's also worth mentioning that Thomas Greiss was outstanding during the second half (16 GP, 1.96 GAA, .938 SV%) after stumbling in the first half (17 GP, 3.41 GAA, .883 SV%). Expect Greiss to really push Nedeljkovic for starts.

Fantasy Grade: C (last year was C)

2021 Offseason Fantasy Grades

Anaheim

Arizona

Boston

Buffalo

Calgary

Carolina

Chicago

Colorado

Columbus

Dallas