3 ways the Detroit Red Wings can model their rebuild around Tampa Bay
By Bob Heyrman
The Detroit Red Wings are missing a top-tier goaltender.
Yzerman put together a stellar cast of players in Tampa Bay, including making sure the organization had its backbone in goal.
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Before Yzerman drafting the eventual Vezina Trophy winner, Andrei Vasilevskiy, the organization had a star in goal. Yzerman acquired Bishop from the Ottawa Senators in 2013 in exchange for Cory Conacher and a fourth-round pick. As it turned out, this would be a steal for Yzerman and the Lightning.
Bishop had been just 26-years old at the time and couldn’t fend off either Craig Anderson or the youthful Robin Lehner for regular playing time.
Before filling Tampa’s net with the towering 6-foot-7 Bishop, Yzerman had already drafted a high-end prospect in Vasilevskiy with the 19th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Level Draft, which would solidify the organization goaltending options for years to come. Yzerman turned what had been a weakness since Nikolai Khabibulin left following the 2003-04 campaign into a strength by adding a pair of highly talented goaltenders.
When you examine the current Detroit Red Wings goaltending situation, you will be quick to find the organization does not have a long-term solution for the position. Prospect Keith Petruzzelli, a third-round pick of the Red Wings, is set to part ways with the organization and opting for free agency.
It’s quite the blow to Detroit after seeing the senior 6-foot-5 netminder go 17-8-4 with a goals-against-average of 1.89 to go with a stout save percentage of .926% last season at Quinnipiac University.
With Jonathan Bernier heading to free agency, Detroit will be left with veteran Thomas Greiss as their primary goaltender. Yzerman will be in the market to either hope to retain Bernier for another season. Or perhaps go out on the open market and once again sign a bridge netminder to share the workload with Greiss as the organization continues to search for its long-term solution at the position.
Next. 3 players to target in free agency this summer. dark
Maybe Yzerman will be targeting top goaltender Jesper Wallstedt in the upcoming 2021 NHL Entry Level Draft as the franchises answer in goal moving forward.