Stat Hockey’s Detroit Red Wings 2023-24 Line Projections

This is a look at the Detroit Red Wings 2023-24 line projections. It will cover all forward lines, defense pairings, goaltenders, and scratches.

Projected Lineup

F

Alex DeBrincat – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond

Michael Rasmussen – J.T. Compher – David Perron

Robby Fabbri – Andrew Copp – Jonatan Berggren

Christian Fischer – Joe Veleno – Daniel Sprong

S- Klim Kostin, Austin Czarnik

D

Jake Walman – Moritz Seider

Ben Chiarot – Jeff Petry

Shayne Gostisbehere – Justin Holl

S- Olli Maatta

G

Ville Husso

James Reimer

Forwards

The Red Wings are looking very deep at every position this season, especially forward. I found it tough to even pick 14 players and decide who would get into the top-12. DeBrincat comes over as the big offseason addition and should slot right in on the top line. Recent reports say he wasn’t happy playing behind Brady Tkachuk in Ottawa, so there’s no way he is dropped down. Larkin should once again lead the team offensively and has even more help this season to further his career along. Their other winger might change over the course of the season. I think Raymond should be back there, but Perron is a solid option as well. This top line should fare well this season.

Perron is a staple of consistency and I don’t see that changing. There shouldn’t be any dispute that he and Compher hold two of the three spots on that line. But the other wing will be interesting. There are more than enough options and I don’t think one player locks it down all season long. I like Rasmussen’s game and think he would benefit from starting in the top-six.

After that, Fabbri has a case for the second line as well, if he can stay healthy. Some seem to also think Berggren could also steal some time there as well. He is an interesting player and one to keep an eye on. Copp is an easy pick down the middle here and is looking to bounce back offensively.

The depth continues to trickle down to the fourth line as Sprong, Veleno, Fischer, Kostin, and even Elmer Soderblom could split time here. Sprong and Fischer should be mainstays as Sprong excels in this role. There’s a chance he is even given a larger role on the third line if his scoring rate continues how it has been going. Veleno spent all of last season in the lineup, so there’s a good chance he does so again. The problem is that Kostin is a great depth piece that the Red Wings will want in the lineup as well. This team doesn’t lack options.

Defense

Things are a bit more cut and dry on defense, but there is also some great depth as well. There’s no superstars on the back-end yet, but everyone is solid. Seider and Walman should be partners again and continue to get better on the top pairing.

This season Seider will have some more help on the right side defensively as Petry joins the mix. He can log minutes and play tough minutes too. To make this a shutdown duo and to rekindle some Canadiens magic, Chiarot will likely slot in beside him. This could of course change as Gostisbehere is fully capable of a top-four role.

Related: Stat Hockey’s Dallas Stars 2023-24 Line Projections

Two newcomers will likely be lining up together on the third pairing after both playing higher in their respective lineups last season. Holl gets a fresh start in Detroit after a bad ending in Toronto. Sheldon Keefe continued to see something good in his game if he kept playing him a lot. Gostisbehere adds much-needed offense from the back-end and could be limited more five-on-five, but get all of the power-play time. Maatta is also a very good seventh defenseman that should see time as soon as someone exits the lineup.

Goaltending

The Red Wings made sure to address a weak point last season, which was goaltending. Husso was kept around and is looking to have a better year in his second season as a starter in the NHL. Reimer was added as a veteran backup after Alex Nedejkovic didn’t do the trick last season. Not only do they have two capable goalies for the NHL, Alex Lyon may be one of the best third-string goalies in the league. He’ll be waiting on his opportunity to play this season.