Predicting the Top 3 Detroit forward lines in August is always fun. The Red Wings’ depth at forward is significantly improved compared to last year. Several forwards were added through free agency, and a few free agents found homes in other organizations. Robby Fabbri remains on injured reserve with an ACL injury, and Filip Zadina remains un-signed and is currently a restricted free agent (RFA).
The Red Wings will likely keep 13 forwards on the opening night roster. With a few young players knocking on the door, competition at training camp should be fierce.
Here are my picks for the top nine forwards entering training camp next month.
Top Line
The top line from a year ago was made up of Dylan Larkin, Tyler Bertuzzi, and rookie Lucas Raymond. The trio finished 1-2-3 in Detroit, scoring last year. After scoring 84 goals and 188 points, the line should remain intact going into the regular season.
Larkin led the team with 31 goals and 69 points, despite only playing 71 games. Bertuzzi only played 68 games last year, scoring 30 goals for the first time in his career. Raymond was one of the top rookie scorers in the NHL last season. Raymond scored 23 goals and 57 points while playing all 82 games.
Going into training camp, Bertuzzi again remains unvaccinated, meaning he will miss at least ten games this year. With both Larkin and Bertuzzi set to become UFA’s next summer, one or both need to be either re-signed or traded before the trade deadline in March.
Second Line
Jakub Vrana will enter training camp healthy and ready to play an entire season for Detroit. In 37 games since his trade from Washington, Vrana has scored 21 goals. After playing only 26 games last year, Vrana starts the season healthy and ready to add skill to the second line and first power play unit. The depth up front will be displayed on the second line.
Andrew Copp was added through free agency. Copp is versatile and can play center or on the wing. He can also play anywhere in the top nine forwards. He will likely start the year at the center on the second line. Last year, Copp began the year in Winnipeg before he was traded to the New York Rangers before the trade deadline. In 72 regular season games, Copp scored 21 goals and 53 points. Copp also brings playoff experience after scoring 14 points in 20 games with the Rangers last year.
David Perron was signed to a two-year contract with Detroit during the off-season. Perron will bring veteran leadership and playoff experience to the Red Wings. Perron is entering his 17th NHL season, where he has played 973 regular season and 104 playoff games. Perron won the Stanley Cup with St. Louis in 2019 and will be looking to help Detroit get into the playoffs this year. Last year, Perron played 67 regular season games scoring 27 goals and 57 points.
Looking at last year’s statistics, the line of Vrana, Copp, and Perron scored 61 goals and 129 points. An entire season should improve these numbers, making the second line a dangerous offensive unit every night.
Third Line
Going into training camp, it is difficult to predict who will likely play on the third line. When Robby Fabbri returns from his ACL injury, he should slot into the line with his former junior teammate, Pius Suter. Filip Zadina remains un-signed and is currently an RFA. If he remains in a Red Wings uniform entering the season, he will likely play with Suter on this line.
Dominik Kubalik was signed to a two-year contract to play in Detroit. He needs to play in the middle-six forwards to maximize his skill set. Kubalik spent the first four years of his NHL career with Chicago. During his rookie year in 2019-2020, Kubalik scored 30 goals in 68 games.
For now, Pius Suter will likely be the center on the third line. Suter will be a UFA next summer and could be traded before the trade deadline. Last year, Suter scored 15 goals and 36 points while playing all 82 games with Detroit.
If Zadina remains with Detroit, he is the most likely player who will play on this line. For now, the job likely belongs to Oskar Sundqvist. He adds size and a limited offensive skillset to this line. Sundqvist split last season between St. Louis and the Red Wings. In 59 games, he scored eight goals and 23 points. Sundqvist also had a +5 rating, including a +1 rating in 18 games with Detroit.
This line will likely see the most significant player turnover throughout the season. As players return from injury or are traded, players will be added and subtracted until the right combination is achieved.
Players on the Bubble
Before the free agency signing period, Michael Rasmussen and Joe Veleno were likely candidates for the third line. They will likely start the year on the fourth line with Adam Erne. Erne can be a UFA next summer, and his days in Detroit seem to be numbered.
Givani Smith looks like he will start the year as the 13th forward. Smith didn’t have an excellent first year with Detroit and might even be placed on waivers and find himself in another organization or back in the AHL to start the year.
Taro Hirose has had a difficult time jumping from the AHL to Detroit. He recently signed a two-year extension to remain in the Detroit organization. Hirose will likely start the year in Grand Rapids or as the 13th forward with the Red Wings.
Jonatan Berggren was the top scorer in Grand Rapids last year. If he can’t play on one of the Top 3 lines in Detroit, Berggren will start the year back in the AHL.
Final Thoughts
Training camp should be interesting as players fight for jobs on Detroit’s Opening Night roster. Currently, the Detroit roster is crowded, and there will likely be roster moves ahead of opening night. Last year, the Red Wings played most of the year with 13 forwards. With as many as 16 forwards currently under contract and 17 if Zadina signs, training camp should be competitive, and players should thrive under intense situations. It will be fun to watch the competition unfold starting next month.
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What about Bertuzzi