When the two-time Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers played their last NHL game this season, they didn’t have a single defenseman in the lineup from their 2025 championship team.

Injuries crushed the Panthers this season. They used 12 different defensemen during their 82 games. There is no such entity as a carved-in-stone NHL defense. Steve Yzerman re-signed Ben Chiarot and Jacob Bernard-Docker, he has Justin Faulk for another season and expects to re-sign restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson to give him six proven defensemen under contract. But those players plus Moritz Seider and Albert Johansson may, or may not, be his regular defense.

“We’ll see,” Yzerman said. “There’s going to be some competition next fall for spots and spots on the roster, spots in the lineup and that’s a good thing.”

The six D men at the end of season Moritz Seider, Benard-Docker and Faulk on the right side and Edvinsson, Chiarot and Johansson on the right side.

Still Room for ASP

“And with Axel Sandin-Pellikka, who spent the majority of the season here, finished the season in GR,” Yzerman said. “He’s going to push for a spot in the lineup again.”

The Red Wings appreciated right-shot Sandin-Pellikka’s puckhandling ability. As his skill becomes more polished, he will help the team create more offense. He was overmatched defensively, but that can be corrected with experience and time in the weight room.

“And then on the left side, William Wallinder is another one who needs waivers next year and we’d like to think had a pretty darn good season (in Grand Rapids),” Yzerman said. “And again we’re expecting good, solid play from him and hoping for a long playoff run, he’ll push for a spot on the roster. “

Wallinder is 6-foot-4 and can skate. He’s not a significant offensive contributor but has transformed himself into a highly dependable one-on-one defender.

Waiting in Wings

It those two make the roster, the Red Wings would have their eight defenseman. The Red Wings also like Swedish Anton Johansson and former college player Shai Buium, who could both be ready at some point next season.

“I’m comfortable with our D-Corps at this point,” Yzerman said. “We’ll see how things play for the rest of the year in GR and then what it looks like in (NHL) preseason next year.”

The other possibility is the Red Wings may have to move a defensemen in a trade to land some offensive help.

“I’m certainly not opposed to making changes,” Yzerman said, “and potentially to address other areas as well.”