2026 Year of the Yzerman Draftee?

With the Red Wings opening night set to begin later tonight, the Red Wings find themselves on the precipice of a season that very well could be the inflection point for the franchise's next decade.

Detroit's blueline carries two rookies, and while Nate Danielson (2023, 9th ovr.) and Carter Mazur (2020, 70th ovr.) can't exactly be called "rookies", the two rookies have less than half a season of NHL experience between them. The timing of Steve Yzerman's change in title from general manager and president of hockey operations was odd for several reasons, most of them already discussed, at extensive length.