Which Red Wings Have Been Naughty or Nice This Season

As the holiday lights twinkle across Detroit, the Red Wings are skating toward the Christmas break with a strong 22-13-3 record, tied for the fourth-most points in the NHL. Some players have dazzled fans with jaw-dropping goals and clutch assists, earning a spot on Santa’s Nice list, while others have racked up penalties, turnovers, or on-ice mistakes that might leave them checking it twice.

This mid-season snapshot takes a closer look at who has been shining bright and who has been skating on thin ice. From rookie breakouts to veteran consistency and the occasional blunder that made fans groan, we are breaking down the Red Wings roster to see who deserves a stocking full of praise and who might need a little extra coal this Christmas.

Nice - Moritz Seider

Hockey fans across the league are starting to recognize what Detroit fans have known for some time. Moritz Seider is one of the NHL’s top defensemen. The German blueliner leads the team with a plus-13 rating and averages over 25 minutes of ice time per game. He has also made a strong offensive impact with six goals and 23 assists for 29 points in 38 games. 

On the physical side, Seider ranks third on the team with 65 hits and second with 80 blocked shots. While he has struggled with puck control at times with 44 giveaways, the second-most on the team, it comes with the heavy responsibility of playing so many minutes. He has responded well with 15 takeaways, the third-most on the roster. Seider has been outstanding this season and continues to serve as the anchor of the Red Wings defense. 

Naughty - Simon Edvinsson

The 22-year-old defenseman has been strong this season, logging the second-most ice time on the team at just under 22 minutes per game behind Seider. The main issue for the six-foot-six blueliner has been his penalty minutes as he leads the team in that category. 

Despite this, he has been a very solid contributor with 69 hits, the third-most on the team, and has added 13 points in 35 games, putting him on pace for roughly his second straight 30-point season. There have been more positives than negatives in Edvinsson’s game, but Detroit coach Todd McLellan would like to see the youngster take fewer penalties. 

Nice - Lucas Raymond 

The Swedish winger continues to lead the Red Wings in scoring this season with 11 goals and 30 assists for 41 points in 36 games. He has been effective in all areas of the game, with 25 of his points coming at even strength and 16 on the power play.

He has shown excellent puck skills, recording the second-most takeaways on the team with 16, and is tied with his center Dylan Larkin for the second-best even-strength on-ice goal differential at plus-nine, showing that their unit consistently scores more than it allows. There have been few notes for Raymond this season other than that he continues to do what he does best and provide timely scoring for the Red Wings when they need it most. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Naughty - Albert Johansson 

The 24-year-old Swedish defenseman is on pace for his first full NHL season after joining the Red Wings last year and playing 61 games, finishing with a minus-14 rating. So far this season, defensive struggles have continued, as he again sits at minus-14, tied with Axel Sandin-Pellikka for the lowest rating on the team. 

Sandin-Pellikka has contributed more offensively with 14 points, while Johansson has just four points this season. He also has the worst on-ice goal differential on the team at minus-14, though he has logged almost 16 minutes per game. Johansson is still very young and has room to grow. The coaching staff continues to give him opportunities to develop, learn from mistakes, and gain experience. Hopefully, in the second half of the season, he can find another gear and start playing like the second-round talent he was drafted as. 

Nice - Alex DeBrincat

The lethal goal scorer has stepped up when the Red Wings have needed him most, delivering timely goals that have helped carry Detroit to important victories. The Cat trails only Raymond in scoring with 40 points in 38 games this season. Nine of his 20 goals have come on the power play, and another four have been game winners.

The Michigan native has been strong with the puck, leading the team with 17 takeaways while averaging just over 18 minutes per game. If he continues this pace into the new year, the 28-year-old is on track for a career season and is expected to surpass the 80-point mark for the first time in his career, coming close twice during his time with the Chicago Blackhawks. 

Naughty - Travis Hamonic

The bottom-pairing defenseman has been a questionable late off-season addition as the 35-year-old has been inconsistent this season. Hamonic has played 19 games, recording one point with a minus-11 rating. He has been on the ice for just six Detroit goals while giving up 17, and his rating is among the worst on the team. 

Some fans are concerned that the Red Wings are only 9-9-1 when he is in the lineup. As a result, he has mostly served as the seventh defenseman, with Jacob Bernard-Docker handling the majority of right-side duties on the bottom pairing. Hamonic will hope for a reset over the Christmas break and return looking refreshed and ready to make an impact on a Detroit team still chasing its first playoff appearance in nearly a decade. 

Perfect Holiday Gifts for This Year’s Detroit Red Wings Imagining the perfect gifts for the Detroit Red Wings this holiday season, celebrating their early season with mementos on how each player is doing.

Nice - Dylan Larkin

The Red Wings captain has continued to lead by example, outworking nearly everyone on the ice while logging massive minutes each game and still delivering dangerous offense. This season, the longtime leader has been unstoppable, recording 20 goals and 16 assists for 36 points in just 38 games while averaging 20.5 minutes per contest. He often plays even more as he carries Detroit at even strength, on the power play, and while killing penalties.

A true Swiss Army knife for the Red Wings, Larkin has been a driving force behind the team’s success and has put together one of the best starts of his career. He is on pace to finish just short of his career-high 79 points and could surpass it in the second half of the season.

Larkin’s impact is not limited to scoring. He also dominates possession with a 53.4 percent win rate on faceoffs, which is tied for 14th among NHL centers with 500 or more draws. His presence is felt on the ice every shift and every game, making him a top contender for a spot on Santa’s nice list this Christmas.

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.