Yzerman talks new contracts, prospects and more ahead of Red Wings’ 2024 Training Camp

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- With the Detroit Red Wings set to open Training Camp at Centre ICE Arena on Thursday, Executive Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman discussed a variety of topics surrounding the club and his expectations for the upcoming season during a Zoom call with the media on Tuesday morning.

Yzerman first expressed his pleasure about the Red Wings re-signing Lucas Raymond to an eight-year contract extension, which carries an annual value of $8.075 million and was announced by Detroit on Monday night.

“I think he’s just entering the early stage of his prime,” Yzerman said about Raymond. “I fully expect him to become a better hockey player for a couple of reasons. He’s extremely driven, an extremely bright player. His motivation, he’ll just continue to get better over the next few years. I think all these long-term deals for these younger players, there’s some projection in it. There’s expectation that the player will take his game to another level, and that’s on both sides. I’m very confident that Lucas will do that.”

With Raymond now locked into Detroit’s future for years to come, and after re-inking Jonatan Berggren to a one-year deal on Monday morning, Moritz Seider is the team’s remaining unsigned restricted free agent.

Yzerman said contract negotiations with Seider’s representatives are ongoing.

“I’m hopeful we can get a deal done at some point, obviously sooner than later would be better for both parties,” Yzerman said. “I don’t think we’re terribly far apart, but hopefully we can progress to getting (Seider) here as soon as possible.”

Yzerman said because of factors like the NHL salary cap and with Seider still unsigned, the Red Wings “probably weren’t in a position to do a two-year deal” with Berggren.

“Both parties are comfortable with a one-year deal,” Yzerman said. “Jonatan goes out and has a solid season, he’s in a very good position to renegotiate after one year. What he needs to do? Just be a good hockey player in all aspects of the game. He has a lot of talent.”

Yzerman is looking forward to seeing the returning and new faces all together at Centre ICE Arena later this week. Per Yzerman, forward prospect Ondrej Becher is expected to be unavailable for the start of Training Camp, while defenseman prospect Shai Buium is day-to-day.

“(Becher) has a sprained ankle that he did prior to coming to Detroit,” Yzerman said. “I think skating on his own, so he’ll be out for a little while. Buium blocked a shot in a (2024 NHL Prospects Game) the other day and he’s kind of day-to-day. We’re still doing some more tests, but at this stage it doesn’t look like anything serious and hopefully it’s not. He still might potentially miss a few days, but otherwise I think everybody is good to go.”

Looking ahead, Yzerman wants the Red Wings to improve defensively this season after ranking 24th in goals against per game (3.33) last season.

“We need to be a better defensive hockey club top to bottom,” Yzerman said. “Our special teams has to be good. Our special teams both improved last season and we scored more goals. We gave up too many to make the playoffs, but you have to be solid in those areas. You can get by with not having the best power play or penalty-killing unit, but you better be solid in other areas. The key, ultimately, to long-term success is being a good defensive hockey team.”

For the Red Wings, the first step towards achieving that goal, among many others, begins on Thursday.

“I want to see progress in our team as a whole in all the areas we’ve talked about and individually from our younger players,” Yzerman said. “As long as we’re moving in the right direction, I think it’s positive.”