The Detroit Red Wings find themselves in an unusual situation following what should have been a celebratory victory over the Utah Hockey Club. While the win helps get them back on track, there’s an asterisk attached to it.
In that same game, the Wings added another chapter to one of the NHL’s strangest ongoing controversies—one that I didn’t expect to take this turn when I initially chose not to dismiss it outright a few weeks ago.
This situation isn’t likely to be resolved until at least the summer, and even then, that’s far from certain. But what exactly is the issue, and why is it so difficult to solve? Here’s a hint: there’s no clear long-term fix.
Win over the Utah Hockey Club didn’t come without brewing controversy
Although the 5-1 victory appeared solid on the surface, it was actually one of the sloppier games of the season. Both teams struggled with puck control, combining for a staggering 44 giveaways.
Adding to the chaos, goaltender Petr Mrazek exited early after facing just one shot and making a single save. That opened the door for Alex Lyon, who had been relegated to the No. 3 spot following the recent trade with the Chicago Blackhawks that brought Mrazek to Detroit. Lyon stepped in and delivered a strong performance, stopping 16 of 17 shots.
It marked Lyon’s first appearance in net for the Red Wings since March 6—ironically, also against Utah—and his best outing since March While he had struggled in recent games, potentially leading to Mrazek’s arrival, Lyon has still put together a solid season for Detroit.
Hello, unwinnable goaltender controversy…should this continue…
Here’s the dilemma: Alex Lyon is in the final year of his contract, while Petr Mrazek and Cam Talbot are set to return for the 2025-26 season. That means the Red Wings are looking at an aging, makeshift goaltending duo next year.
Lyon, despite posting a .901 save percentage, a 2.70 GAA, a shutout, and a .545 quality starts percentage, seems to have been overlooked. While not elite numbers, they were respectable until his recent rough stretch. But is Lyon really a goalie you want playing significant minutes?
It took him until age 30 to secure a regular NHL spot, and by 2025-26, he’ll be 33—the youngest of the trio but still unlikely to land a long-term deal in Detroit. Meanwhile, Mrazek and Talbot aren’t capable of carrying a team at this point in their careers, leaving the Red Wings at risk of a major goaltending void next season.
The future looks promising with Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine in the pipeline, but is there a short-term solution? Right now, Lyon’s solid play and Mrazek’s injury have turned this into a three-way battle between stopgap options, none of whom are performing at an elite level.
Unless the Red Wings believe Cossa is NHL-ready, they’ll need to bring in a goaltender with legitimate long-term potential this offseason. The ideal scenario? Cossa steps in, dominates, and claims a 1A role. Otherwise, this situation looks like a no-win scenario.
