Can the Detroit Red Wings get what they want out of Pius Suter?

The Detroit Red Wings signed forward Pius Suter to a two-year contract worth $3.25 million annually to join the team’s offense. The quick-moving playmaking forward has already had an impact on the team’s offense after an outstanding debut season with the Chicago Blackhawks.

In 2021-22, Suter falls sixth on the Detroit Red Wings in points and is looking to keep climbing and producing for this team’s offense. He’s got five goals and eight assists for 13 total points, which put him in this position.

He’s coming off of a remarkable debut season where he looked great with the Blackhawks, who were in the depth of the league struggling to do much of anything. The Blackhawks, another team that is rebuilding, so his supporting cast was not the best, but he still managed to pop off for 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 total points over 55 games.

If he could do this and more in 2021-22, the Red Wings should be more than happy. He’s halfway there in about half the time it took, so he may be in good shape to perform similarly. The question is if the Red Wings are hoping for even more.

The Detroit Red Wings should be expecting more from Pius Suter.

While it may seem like a simplistic premise, the Red Wings should be hoping that Suter can outperform his first season. It may be a tall task since last year was his first season and was his debut in North American hockey after spending the years before overseas.

Suter looks like he has the ability to do it. If he could get to being a 20 goals and 30 assists guy, the Red Wings should be jumping for joy. Even as a 15-goal and 35 assists guy, he could be vital to the team’s middle-six group of forwards, especially being able to play multiple positions and be versatile.

The Red Wings got a good one with Suter, and even at the level he is performing, it seems like he is going to perform at a similar level as with the Blackhawks and maybe even outdo that performance.

Hoping or thinking that he could do that really is not that out of the expectations. Looking ahead, a strong 2021-22 campaign followed up with another quality performance in 20222-23; he may just earn an extension.

The Red Wings should view Suter as a long-term sustainable option that is cost-efficient for the organization to keep him around. If he continues to perform at the level the Red Wings feel is valuable; it’s not crazy to think that Steve Yzerman will want to extend him.