Detroit Red Wings defense core needs a real shakeup after 2021-22

The Detroit Red Wings are pushing towards a time where they are going to be competitive and pushing to be a winner year in and year out. But after the 2021-22 season comes to an end, there has to be some changes to the roster.

One of the biggest things the Detroit Red Wings need to work on with their roster is the construction of the team’s defensive core. The Red Wings should be looking to switch things up and make some changes.

While some fans may be confused and wonder why the Red Wings need to switch things up if Moritz Seider and Filip Hronek are there, I’m not suggesting that the Red Wings need to get rid of Seider, which would be blasphemous, or even get rid of Hronek.

The group of veteran defensemen who are in the Red Wings lineup need to be gotten rid of. It’s the players like Danny DeKeyser, Nick Leddy, and Marc Staal who should be heading out. It will be interesting to see what the Red Wings do.

The Detroit Red Wings need to shake up their defense core.

Looking at the Red Wings layout on CapFriendly, here is a list of defensemen whose contracts will expire after the 2021-22 season.

• Nick Leddy
• Danny DeKeyser
• Marc Staal
• Troy Stecher

Based on this list, three of the four names can be let go. I do not think it’s fair to get rid of Troy Stecher. He’s been at a disadvantage due to his injury and has been someone the team was looking forward to seeing how he plays for this Red Wings team.

On the other hand, Danny DeKeyser is a shell of his former self and looks like a pylon out there at times. Letting him walk after ten seasons may be tough, but it has to happen. The Red Wings traded for Nick Leddy in a deal that looked like the team was bringing in a quality depth defender.

Unfortunately, Leddy has not been the player the Red Wings are looking for and is another player the team can move on from following the 2021-22 season. Marc Staal has also been someone who has not been horrible.

He’s been serviceable and a sound defender for the Red Wings; he’s someone the team can replace though. If the team were to let these guys walk, they would have to plug in some gaps.

If I were to guess, one of those would go to Simon Edvinsson, the team’s first-round pick with the sixth overall selection from this year’s NHL Entry Draft. On top of that, they could explore options in the free-agent market to round things out.