The Detroit Red Wings were six wins short of qualifying for the NHL playoffs this season. They have now missed postseason for seven consecutive seasons. The last time they were in the postseason was 2016. The last time the Red Wings won a playoff series was 2013.

How do the Red Wings make up those six wins to get in next season?

Here are five happenings that help the Red Wings make up ground:

1. Sign Top-notch Backup Goaltender

The backup will get roughly 25 starts, and maybe more depending on Ville Husso’s level of play and injuries. Last season, the Red Wings’ backups only won 34.6% of those games.

If GM Steve Yzerman could acquire a backup who could even win 40% of his starts, it would push Detroit closer to the postseason. Of course, that will be easier said than done. The goalie market is thin this summer.

But there are some options, including Adin Hill who is playing well for Vegas in the postseason or Semyon Varlamov.  Pittsburgh’s Casey DeSmith is also a proven backup and he’s going to be an unrestricted free agent.

2. Find a Proven Right Shot D Man

The Detroit defense is coming together. But they have to find a veteran right shot D man. Gustav Lindstrom seems to be looking to go elsewhere and he is coming off a disappointing  season.

Imagine if Yzerman could persuade 6-foot-4 Scott Mayfield to come Detroit. That probably falls under the category of wishful thinking. The Islanders will make a last ditch effort to keep Mayfield. Plus, contenders will also be making plays for him. But the Red Wings do have find a credible right shot D man.  With Simon Edvinsson also expected to make the team and Albert Johansson knocking on the door, the Red Wings have the makings of a noteworthy defensive group.

3. More From Lucas Raymond

With 40 goals over his first two NHL seasons, Lucas Raymond is one of the NHL’s top young scorers. But Raymond’s second season was slightly disappointing because his production dropped. He went from 23 goals to 17 and from 57 to 45 points. He did miss eight games because of injury. But that doesn’t explain all of the decline. It also doesn’t explain why Raymond didn’t improve from season one to season two.

A drop-off is not uncommon. The sophomore jinx is frequently discussed. It obviously isn’t a jinx as much as it is the reality that the second year can be more challenging. NHL opponents now know the young player’s tendencies. Plus, in the second season, young players start to understand the burden of expectations. Once a player scores 23 goals, the team expects him to deliver that many, or more, every season.

If Raymond can take his game to a higher level in his third year, it will make the Red Wings a more dangerous team.

4. Another Good Offseason From Yzerman

It’s difficult to say exactly what that would look like because we don’t know what his opportunities are in the trade market. And we certainly don’t know what he is thinking regarding trades or signings. Since he took over, have we ever heard any speculation about what he planned to do before he did it?

There are some obvious holes that need to be filled, such as the backup goaltending, additional scoring and the right-shot D man. He certainly needs to address those areas.

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But one of Yzerman’s main strengths as a manager is a keen ability to think outside the box and do something you don’t see coming. He did that last summer with adding David Perron and the summer before by getting Nick Leddy. Although Leddy didn’t play all that well, Yzerman turned Leddy into Jake Walman, Oskar Lundqvist and a second round pick.

If Yzerman could pull one rabbit out of his hat this summer, it could go a long way toward putting this team in the playoffs. Could he find a No. 2 center and and move Andrew Copp to the wing or No. 3 center? It feels like he may do something big this summer. He wants this team to turn the corner.

5. Edvinsson, Kasper Both Make Red Wings in 2023-24

When four Yzerman first rounders are in the lineup, it would feel as if Detroit is making definable progress. Kasper probably isn’t ready to be Detroit’s No. 2 center, but he might be able to start on the third line. He can contribute now with his hard-nosed play.

We all got a glimpse of Edvinsson’s potential last season.  He can be a difference-maker. Even if he plays it safe, by the end of the season, Edvinsson is going to be making things happen by the end of the season.