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This past Wednesday morning marked the end of an era in Hockeytown.
After more than seven years as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, Steve Yzerman moved into a senior advisor role to CEO Chris Illitch as the organization decided it was time to move in a different direction.
When Yzerman returned to Detroit in 2019, expectations were sky-high. The franchise legend had just helped build the Tampa Bay Lightning into a Stanley Cup contender and was viewed as the perfect person to restore the Red Wings after years of struggling.
His vision was clear: build through the draft, avoid shortcuts and create a sustainable contender.
The foundation was built through the draft
Yzerman's early drafts gave fans plenty of reason to believe the rebuild was on the right track.
His first two selections produced franchise cornerstones in Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond, while Simon Edvinsson has emerged as another important piece of the team's future. Those picks showed Yzerman's ability to identify elite talent and gave Detroit a foundation to build around.
Detroit developed one of the deeper prospect pools in the NHL, but outside of Seider, Raymond and Edvinsson, few players made an immediate NHL impact. Prospects like Marco Kasper, Nate Danielson and Axel Sandin-Pellikka still provide optimism, but Yzerman's patient approach required more time than many fans expected.
When patience became the problem
Patience was always the core of Yzerman's philosophy. He refused to rush the rebuild and believed Detroit needed to avoid becoming a middle-of-the-pack team without the elite talent required to truly compete.
That patience, however, became one of the biggest criticisms of his tenure.
Some fans believe the Red Wings should have committed to a longer rebuild and continued accumulating higher draft picks. Others believe ownership deserves some blame, questioning whether Chris Ilitch provided Yzerman with the financial support needed to accelerate the process.
The hits and misses of his moves
Yzerman's roster decisions featured both successes and mistakes.
Some long-term free-agent contracts became difficult to justify as Detroit remained outside the playoff picture. However, he also found value with short-term additions. Patrick Kane's one-year contracts gave Detroit elite scoring without long-term commitment, while Shayne Gostisbehere provided solid value on the blue line.
His trades were just as inconsistent.
The acquisition of Alex DeBrincat was a major win, adding a proven goal scorer to Detroit's lineup. On the other hand, the Jake Walman trade to San Jose out of nowhere became one of the most questioned moves of his tenure.
The (potential) playoff window that closed
Despite the criticism, Detroit was closer than many realize.
The Red Wings found themselves in playoff position late in the season four consecutive years, only to collapse during March and miss the postseason each time.
Yzerman was also criticized for his conservative trade deadline approach. Rather than moving future assets for immediate help, he consistently believed the players already on the roster needed to prove they belonged.
Unfortunately, those teams never found a way to finish the job.
Yzerman's legacy in Detroit
Steve Yzerman leaves Detroit with a much stronger foundation than the one he inherited. He rebuilt the prospect pool, drafted franchise players, and restored hope to a fanbase that desperately needed it.
But in the NHL, results matter.
Yzerman's vision was built on patience and development, but the timeline ultimately became longer than expected. Whether his tenure is viewed as a necessary step in rebuilding the Red Wings or a missed opportunity will depend on what comes next for the franchise.
Today's best reads
- What Steve Yzerman stepping down means for the Red Wings
- Steve Yzerman left his Red Wings' successor a mess to clean up, starting with Dylan Larkin
- The 3 best (and worst) moves of Steve Yzerman's tenure with the Red Wings
- The Red Wings should avoid committing to a re-rebuild
- Drafting Sebastian Cossa was a Steve Yzerman fumble
This article was originally published on octopusthrower.com as How the Yzerplan fell short for the Red Wings.
