The Detroit Red Wings` only move at the trade deadline was sending forward Joe Veleno to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for goalie Petr Mrazek and forward Craig Smith.
After missing the playoffs for a ninth consecutive year, a franchise record, captain Dylan Larkin expressed his dissatisfaction, stating that the single trade was insufficient.
`We didn`t gain any momentum from the trade deadline, and guys were kind of down about it. It would have been beneficial to add something to bring a spark to the ice and boost morale,` Larkin commented during his end-of-season media availability on Saturday.
Steve Yzerman, a legendary figure for the franchise, returned as general manager in 2019 after playing a key role in building a Stanley Cup-winning team with the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, he has yet to replicate that success in Detroit.
One year after narrowly missing the playoffs due to a tiebreaker, Detroit fell to sixth place in the Atlantic Division, with a record of 39-35-8 and 86 points.
They were surpassed by teams like the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens, both of whom reached the playoffs after undergoing rebuilds similar to Detroit`s.
While the Canadiens remained inactive at the deadline, the Senators made significant moves, acquiring forwards Dylan Cozens and Fabian Zetterlund.
`You need to secure wins, and I believe it was particularly tough in March when we didn`t make any moves,` Larkin added.
The Red Wings concluded the season ranked 20th overall, making them ineligible for the first overall draft pick but giving them a 5.1 percent chance of securing the second pick.
