Writers, insiders and fans let their feelings be known on GM Steve Yzerman's moves with the Red Wings this offseason.

The Detroit Red Wings made several moves in the offseason that brought on a wide range of opinions from insiders, writers and fans alike in how they did in building their roster towards the 2025-26 season. 

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman shared his takes on Sunday's edition of his podcast '32 Thoughts'  and explained that Detroit's interest in players like Nikolaj Ehlers, Mason Marchment and Viktor Arvidsson but GM Steve Yzerman was unsuccessful in each venture. 

Friedman added an interesting point when talking about the brief one-year adds with players like Patrick Kane and James van Riemsdyk as wanting to add in depth scoring but also not clogging up the Red Wings pipeline and still allowing their developing young players an opportunity in the future. Unless the move was for a home run player like Ehlers, Friedman indicated that Yzerman didn't have interest in adding players that would get in the way of developing talent. 

"He was only saying, look no term, we've got some more guys coming, we're not blocking anybody, and we're just going to keep letting our prospects get closer and get ready here," Friedman explained "[Yzerman] thinks he's doing the right thing, and that is drafting and developing their guys, so unless he can hit a big home run, and this year, would have been a guy like Ehlers, he's not going to do that anymore with four and five year terms."

He would go on to explain that Yzerman's moves were "a hard sell" considering the franchise's nine-year playoff drought but the philosophy of Yzerman, according to Friedman, is that he is willing to put his reputation on the line when it comes to banking on his upcoming players being difference makers and for the future, he will not be signing longer deals like he did with J.T. Compher and Andrew Copp. 

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Red Wings fans let their dismay be known on social media as Yzerman spoke to the media last Thursday with some fans commenting their displeasure. One commentator named Steven explained the situation plainly in that he believes Yzerman should be fired if they fail to make the playoffs again.

Another commentator named Dougie on X.com, formally known as Twitter, was frustrated that Detroit didn't use their elite prospect pool to trade and add more imidate help saying "Cannot believe we haven’t done more, I understand not being able to get the top free agents but you have a plethora of prospects, make a trade for a difference maker."

Other users liked the moves made by Yzerman like one comment listed by someone named Sean said "Yzerman hasn’t been the best GM in his tenure, but he definitely hasn’t been the worst, he came in with a long term vision and he’s sticking to it, which I appreciate. He said from day 1 that it would be a long rebuild and done primarily through the draft." 

Another user named Andrew added that he liked the moves as it gives Detroit the cap space to potentially pursue pending free agent and Michigan native Kyle Connor next offseason. "I like how Steve didn’t lock into any long term contracts for average to below average players," Andrew commented "Now we have the flexibility to make a move if something comes along this year or wait till next summer and possibly take a run at Kyle Connor."

Time will tell how the moves will affect the Red Wings roster next season but one thing is for certain: results will be needed soon as the growing dismay among Detroit fans may indicate a hot seat for Yzerman if the team misses the playoffs again this season. 

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