Derek Lalonde hopes the Detroit Red Wings are buyers at the trade deadline
Well, it’s been a while since the Detroit Red Wings have been buyers at the NHL trade deadline, but that could be the case in 2024.
A very formidable January, which saw the organization go 9-2-2 into the All-Star break, has the Detroit Red Wings poised for what’s been so rare in recent years: a real playoff push. And this isn’t like last season, where Detroit hung around through January before getting stomped by the Ottawa Senators in back-to-back road games days before the deadline. This season, it feels like the Red Wings have some substance to the notion of qualifying for the postseason.
A large part of Detroit’s December defensive deficiencies were solved or, at the very least, masked by the stellar play of goaltender Alex Lyon. The Detroit Red Wings need to continue to focus on team defense to help out their netminders, but having a goalie who can steal a game every now and then can really boost the team’s confidence and overall morale.
Far too often, goals against came in bunches throughout the first half of the season. It wasn’t until January that the Red Wings failed to win a game in which they hadn’t scored four or more goals; that all can’t fall on the goaltending or the defense; it’s more of a reflection of the entire team.
Things have quickly changed since Lyon took over the cage, and he will continue to be the workhorse in goal for the Detroit Red Wings until he falters. Veteran Ville Husso will serve as the primary backup moving forward, leaving James Reimer in the press box unless an injury occurs.
Since becoming the clear No. 1 option for the Red Wings, Lyon has posted a 13-6-2 record with two shutouts backed by a stout .922 save percentage and a 2.51 goals against average. Lyon’s 21 starts this year is a career-high break the previous number of 14 he made last season with the Florida Panthers.
