Carter Mazur

After years of waiting in the wings, Carter Mazur could be poised for a legitimate shot with the Red Wings next season. Detroit's front office has been patient with the prospect, but patience eventually turns into opportunity or regret. The question isn't whether Mazur has talent - it's whether the timing finally aligns for him to stick in the NHL.

The Red Wings have officially committed to Simon Edvinsson's future while simultaneously deciding that Carter Mazur isn't part of their long-term plans. These kinds of roster decisions tell you everything about how a front office views its prospects and where it's willing to invest its cap space. Edvinsson's tender signals confidence in the young defenseman's trajectory, but Mazur's non-qualification opens up questions about what went wrong in Detroit's evaluation.