The Detroit Red Wings' best chance of making the 2025 playoffs may well come down to the men charged with tending the net.
Ville Husso starred for the Wings two seasons ago; Alex Lyon last season, and newcomer Cam Talbot carried the Los Angeles Kings a year ago. It's a level of insurance few teams can boast: Three goalies all capable of stealing games.
"I think it will be a huge asset for us," Lyon said this week. "In the same vein, things always get weird, or things change extremely quickly. You don’t know what’s going to happen or how it’s going to look. That’s why you have to have that ‘always be ready’ mindset. I mean, we were in Sweden last year and Ville had his baby and that’s where I got my opportunity.
"We have a good goalie room in here, too, which makes a big difference. We’re here to compete with each other but also support each other."
LYON IN WAIT: Red Wings goalie Alex Lyon finds himself in familiar spot: Always be ready
Husso is slated to get the start Thursday, when the Wings open the season at Little Caesars Arena against the Pittsburgh Penguins, on the strength of an excellent exhibition season. This camp has been especially important for Husso, 29, who missed the latter two-thirds of last season with a nagging lower body injury.
"I’m feeling better than ever, I would say," Husso said. "Everything — I feel good on the ice, feel good off the ice, body feels good. Just everything feels good right now. It’s fun to play again."
Lyon, 31, was part of a triumvirate last season that also included James Reimer. Lyon, at that time a career minor leaguer, entered 2023-24 as a distant No. 3 on the depth chart, but when Husso's paternity leave segued into an injury, and Reimer struggled, Lyon rose to the top of the depth chart — and thrived. He knows he has to always be ready.
"I’m very familiar with the situation," Lyon said. "I have some experience to draw on and know to be ready when the opportunity arises. I plan to take full advantage. That’s my mindset."
Talbot, 37, was brought in during the summer as insurance because there was lingering concern about Husso's long-term health. He's a journeyman NHL'er with nearly 500 games to his credit, and understood the situation when he signed.
"If a guy is getting hot, you have to do what is best for the team," Talbot said. "Whenever that situation arises, you just have to be OK with it, be a good teammate, work hard in practice and be ready when the next opportunity comes along.
"Three goalies definitely can be a strength. It’s a long season. Guys have nagging injuries sometimes that they play through, but in situations like this, maybe you take that extra day or two and heal up to get to 100%. You know the other two guys have been there before and can provide the stability in net, and the team can have confidence in all three of them, which is the best part."
Coach Derek Lalonde indicated that who starts will be determined the day before a game — and it won't just be a matter of playing a guy with a hot hand.
"I'm comfortable and confident starting any one of those three," Lalonde said. "We would like for all three to assert themselves. We'll judge it on performance."
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com . Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames .
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Her latest book, “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings , A Curated History of the Red Wings,” will be available October 2024. Her books, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon , Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why goaltending just may be Detroit Red Wings' best hopes for playoffs in 2024-25 season
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