The sophomore slump has hit Simon Edvinsson harder than anyone expected this season, turning the Detroit Red Wings’ once-promising defenseman into a puzzle that even head coach Derek Lalonde can’t quite solve.
Last year Edvinsson arrived like a gust of fresh lake wind off the Detroit River, posting 31 points in 70 games and earning whispers that he might become the franchise’s next Nicklas Lidstrom. Scouts raved about his 6-foot-6 frame gliding end-to-end, his heavy shot from the point, and a defensive awareness that seemed years beyond his age. Fans packed Little Caesars Arena chanting his name during a late-season surge that pushed the Wings into playoff contention for the first time in eight years.
This fall the ice feels different. Through the first dozen games Edvinsson has just two assists, a minus-7 rating, and a growing collection of turnovers that land on highlight reels for all the wrong reasons. Opponents now target him on the forecheck, forcing rushed clears that flutter into the neutral zone like startled pigeons. Lalonde pulled him from the lineup twice already, a move that raised eyebrows across the league.
“I see the frustration in his eyes every practice,” Lalonde told reporters after a 4-1 loss to Nashville. “He’s pressing because he wants to prove last year wasn’t a fluke. The NHL doesn’t hand out second chances easily.”
Edvinsson himself offered a rare glimpse into his mindset during a quiet moment in the locker room tunnel. “Everything felt smooth as a kid,” he said, voice barely above the hum of ventilation fans. “Now every mistake gets magnified. I skate out there thinking about the last shift instead of the next one.”
The numbers tell a colder story. His average ice time has dropped from 21 minutes to 17, and advanced metrics show a sharp decline in controlled zone entries. Where he once carried the puck with confidence, he now chips it off the glass more often than not. Teammate Moritz Seider, the 2022 Calder Trophy winner who avoided any sophomore dip, has taken to skating extra laps with Edvinsson after morning sessions.
General manager Steve Yzerman remains publicly patient, but sources inside the organization say he’s exploring trade options for veteran help on the blue line. The Wings sit near the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings, and another prolonged slump from their top prospect could force difficult decisions before the March deadline.
What makes Edvinsson’s struggle particularly intriguing is how it mirrors yet diverges from recent Red Wings history. Lucas Raymond managed 57 points as a sophomore after a solid rookie campaign. Dylan Larkin powered through his second year with 23 goals. Edvinsson’s drop-off feels more dramatic, more abrupt, like a car shifting from fifth gear straight into reverse.
Former Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall, now a development coach with the organization, spent an hour with Edvinsson on the ice last week working on pivots and gap control. “The league adjusts to you faster than you adjust to it,” Kronwall said afterward. “He’s learning that lesson the hard way, but the talent is still there. You don’t lose 6-foot-6 with that kind of reach overnight.”
The real mystery lies in whether this represents growing pains or something deeper. Edvinsson spent the summer training in Sweden with elite European coaches, adding muscle to his lanky frame. He arrived at training camp in peak condition, skating circles around veterans during scrimmages. Yet the regular season exposed different pressures: tighter checking, smarter systems, and the weight of expectations that come with being the first defenseman drafted in the Yzerman era.
Assistant coach Bob Boughner noticed subtle changes in Edvinsson’s preparation. “He used to watch film with this hungry look, asking questions every five minutes,” Boughner said. “Now he sits quietly, almost afraid to speak up. That’s the mental side creeping in.”
Fans have started to turn. Social media threads that once celebrated his highlight-reel goals now fill with suggestions to send him to Grand Rapids. The same supporters who wore Swedish flags to games last spring question whether Detroit rushed him to the NHL. Season ticket holders in Section 112 still chant his name during warmups, but the volume has dropped a few decibels.
Edvinsson’s next chance to silence doubters comes against his hometown team, the Vegas Golden Knights, who passed on selecting him in 2021. The matchup carries extra weight; Vegas traded up to take Zach Dean one pick after Detroit grabbed Edvinsson. A strong performance could spark the turnaround everyone keeps predicting.
Lalonde plans to pair him with Ben Chiarot for the foreseeable future, hoping the veteran’s physical style rubs off. “Sometimes you need to play through the mud before you find clear ice again,” Lalonde said. “Simon just has to trust that the skill which got him here hasn’t vanished.”
The Red Wings organization faces a delicate balancing act. Push too hard and risk crushing a young player’s confidence. Ease up and invite accusations of coddling. Edvinsson himself seems caught between wanting to prove he’s still the same player and understanding he must become someone new.
As the team boards another flight to another road arena, one truth remains clear: the sophomore slump doesn’t care about potential or pedigree. It arrives uninvited and stays until the player figures out how to show it the door. For Simon Edvinsson, that process has only just begun, and every shift now carries the weight of a season teetering on the edge of promise and disappointment.
