The new CBA closes an AHL assignment loophole

The Hockey News’s Adam Proteau posted a list of 6 changes in the NHL-NHLPA CBA which go into effect this upcoming season, and the last one on Proteau’s list might be most apropos for the Red Wings.

If you recall, the Wings kept sending Marco Kasper down to the AHL on paper, and then recalled him to the NHL over and over during his rookie season (per Sean Shapiro’s intrepid reporting in 2025) to save salary cap space:

6. AHL Player Transactions

In the old CBA, NHL teams had the option of technically loaning a player to their minor-league affiliate without that player actually having to report before being recalled the following day.

It was a sneaky but legal maneuver, but in the new labor deal, any player assigned to the American League is required to play in at least one game before they can be recalled to the NHL. 

This particular change isn’t going to register all that much on the radar of hockey fans, but it’s one of those odd holes in the CBA that teams found a way to exploit. Every new labor deal tries to tie up whatever loose ends are out there, and that’s the case with this move.

It’s holding teams to account, and teams now are going to have to adjust to this more stringent rule.

Continued; this will also apply to players who no longer clear waivers and are recalled.

They’re subject to waivers again after playing in 10 NHL games or remaining with an NHL team for 30 days, so a John Leonard, for example, would have to head back down to Grand Rapids for real and play in an AHL game before being recalled again instead of remaining in Detroit when he was assigned to GR on paper.

Playing ‘what if?’ with Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine

I’m not the biggest fan of “What if?” articles regarding situations that haven’t happened yet.

That being said, Sports Illustrated’s Jason Fink asks whether the Red Wings made the right decision in determining that turning-pro prospect Trey Augustine’s a better bet to become Detroit’s “goalie of the future” than 24-year-old Sebastian Cossa, who will make his NHL debut with the Utah Mammoth as Karl Vejmelka’s presumed back-up this upcoming season…

And you do have to factor the future potential of one University of Michigan forward JP Hurlbert into the equation, given that the Wings essentially traded Cossa to Utah for the Hurlbert (also known as the 23rd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft)…

So let’s play along with Fink’s equation:

Scenario A: Augustine becomes the Red Wings’ long-term starter and the trade looks brilliant.

Scenario B: Both become quality NHL goalies and the trade becomes more about what Detroit received for Cossa.

Scenario C: Cossa becomes a star while Augustine struggles, and Detroit spends years hearing about the goalie it let get away.

And because Cossa was a first-round pick Detroit traded up to acquire, Scenario C would sting considerably more.

Again, to me, it’s way too early to determine the answer to the question as to whether the Wings made the “right decision,” especially given that 24-year-old Michal Postava’s emergence as a potential NHL-caliber goalie played into the Wings’ decision to trade Cossa. Scenario “D: Postava emerges as the #1 goalie, and the equation doesn’t matter” is an entirely possible option.

However…

The Red Wings have spent years searching for its next franchise goaltender and, for a brief period, appeared to have two candidates. The Red Wings decided they didn’t need both.

Cossa now gets the opportunity to prove Detroit gave up on him too soon; meanwhile, Augustine gets the considerably heavier burden of proving the Red Wings didn’t. Detroit has made their choice.

Now comes the part that could take years to determine: whether they chose the right goalie.

Too soon. Too soon.

Could John Gibson and Emmitt Finnie surprise fantasy hockey poolies?

The Hockey News’s Jake Tye posted a fantasy hockey preview for the Detroit Red Wings, whose roster’s hard to pin down given Dylan Larkin’s uncertain place within the next GM’s vision for this year’s Red Wings team.

Nonetheless, Tye suggests that Simon Edvinsson is primed for a breakout, and Tye also believes that two Wings should merit candidacy as “sleeper picks”:

Sleeper: John Gibson & Emmitt Finnie

Many goaltenders in recent years have proven that age is just a number, and Gibson is looking to do the same. After a strong first season in Hockeytown, the 33-year-old enters the final year of the eight-year deal he originally signed with Anaheim back in 2018. 

He’ll look to build off that solid season with a chip on his shoulder as he plays for his next contract. With Cam Talbot gone in free agency and Detroit bringing in Daniil Tarasov as a one-year backup, Gibson should have plenty of runway, and he’s a strong bet to outplay his current 140th-overall average draft position, along with other netminders being taken ahead of him like Dustin Wolf, Tristan Jarry, Pyotr Kochetkov and Philadelphia’s tandem of Joseph Woll and Dan Vladar.

Finnie, meanwhile, was one of Detroit’s biggest surprises last season, developing rapidly from a seventh-round pick and AHL grinder into a full-time NHL regular at just 21 years old. The Lethbridge, Alberta native steadily improved his production at every level, earned a spot on Detroit’s opening-night roster, and finished his rookie campaign with 13 goals and 17 assists for 30 points while playing all 82 games. 

With another offseason of development ahead, Finnie has the potential to keep climbing, likely remaining a top-line option alongside Larkin and Raymond, with 45-plus points within reach. Owned in just three percent of Yahoo leagues, he’s an intriguing low-cost, high-reward option to watch on the waiver wire.

Continued; I’m not sure that Finnie will still be on the Wings’ top line, but he’s established himself as someone who drives play as a relentless forechecker, and that gives him a leg up on the competition.

Talking about Red Wings prospect defenseman Larry Keenan

During last year’s hiatus, I kept on getting Google email alerts about Red Wings prospect and UMass defenseman Larry Keenan, a 21-year-old left D who stands at 6’4″ and 205 pounds.

Keenan didn’t overwhelm statistically last season, posting 8 goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 39 games played, but the news stories I read consisted of coaches, players and scouts raving about Keenan’s leadership, clutch play and excellent 2-way abilities.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen posted a profile of Keenan today, describing the big defender as, “Keenan the Most Improved Prospect?” I’m not certain that the question mark is necessary as the 2023 draft pick has become someone whose name is in at least the “He’s going to make pro hockey” conversations, if not discussions as to whether his ceiling is that of a solid 3rd pair NHL defender:

Three Reasons Why Keenan Will Play in the NHL

  1. Possesses a toolbox that will allow him to be a three-zone defenseman in the pro game. He can have impact all over the ice. He has NHL-caliber skating.
  2. His offensive game is improving. He can skate the puck out of his zone and can shoot the puck.
  3. Gets his team out of trouble in the defensive zone. Can play heavy. Can kill plays

What May Hold Him Back

The Red Wings boast a collection of quality young defensemen looking to climb onto the roster. He must continue to improve both offensively and defensively if he wants to compete for playing time against the likes of Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Anton Johansson.

Continued; I agree with Allen’s assessment here. Keenan would raise more eyebrows if he wasn’t a defenseman in the Red Wings’ system, where players like ASP are NHL’ers-in-waiting, and Anton Johansson stands ready to make his pro debut at a rangy 6’4″ and 196 pounds, having earned some “wows” for his physical play both in the SHL with Leksands IF and during his 16 games (8 regular season games and 8 playoff games) with Grand Rapids.

Trying to break into the Red Wings’ corps of defensive prospects on the right-hand side isn’t going to be easy, but I certainly wouldn’t bet against Larry Keenan.

Tweet of note: PuckPedia reports that the Red Wings’ managerial search is narrowing

The dearth of news regarding the Red Wings’ general manager/president of hockey operations search is slowly but surely cracking. Last night, per SI’s Jonathan Bailey, PuckPedia posted the following Tweet:

Two DHN things: Griffins have abundance of roster players; waiting on Paul Woods’ replacement

Of note from Detroit Hockey Now this morning:

  1. According to Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff, the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, should have a stacked roster this upcoming season, even given the likely NHL graduations of players like Carter Mazur, William Wallinder and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard:

The Griffins’ website currently lists 34 players as signed with the club.

That list includes 20 forwards: Carter Bear, Ondrej Becher, Tag Bertuzzi, Kaden Bohlsen, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Cameron Butler, Nate Danielson, Noah Dower Nilsson, Kienan Draper, Sheldon Dries, Dylan James, Jesse Kiiskinen, John Leonard, Carter Mazur, Nolan Moyle, Sutter Muzzatti, Theo Rochette, Dominik Shine, Wilmer Skoog, and Chase Stillman.

Then there are 10 defensemen: Ronnie Attard, Shai Buium, Justice Christensen, Marcus Crawford, Anton Johansson, William Lagesson, Alex Kannok Leipert, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Jacob Truscott, and William Wallinder.

The four goalies are Trey Augustine, Carter Gylander, Jonathan Lemieux, and Michal Postava.

Continued; the AHL has no roster limit for teams, but it’s highly likely that some of the players signed to AHL contracts would be assigned to the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye for playing time.

2. Duff also reports that the Red Wings haven’t replaced radio color commentator Paul Woods yet. With training camp approaching, Duff believes that the Wings will platoon several voices alongside Ken Kal this upcoming season:

Continue reading Two DHN things: Griffins have abundance of roster players; waiting on Paul Woods’ replacement

Free agent signing Theo Rochette’s among 5 prospects deemed ‘important’ over the course of the Red Wings’ prospect tournament

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen posted a column which discusses the Red Wings’ imminent prospect tournament this afternoon. In the subscriber-only article, Allen highlights Nate Danielson, Theo Rochette, Carter Bear, Anton Johansson and Trey Augustine as five players who will serve as focal points as the Wings’ prospects play 3 games in 4 nights next weekend:

Who is Theo Rochette?

This is the 24-year-free agent forward the Red Wings signed out of the Swiss National League. The Red Wings don’t have an impressive history of hitting the lottery with European free agent signings. The organization took some criticism from Eduards Tralmaks because he didn’t believe he received a true chance to earn an NHL uniform.

But it will be new regime making decisions about Rochette. What we know about Rochette: he is a sformer QMJHL player who went undrafted. But scouts were impressed this past season when he put up 22 goals and 21 assists for 43 points in 46 games for Lausanne. He was a 106-point scorer in his final season in the QMJHL.

This was his third season in the Swiss League, and he has improved each season. The issue on Rochette is his smallish physique. He’s 5-10, and not much more than 170 pounds.

Continued (paywall); all four players could really improve their stock over the course of the prospect tournament, which is Allen’s point of emphasis.

Tweet of note via RWP: Red Wings prospect Max Plante named University of Minnesota-Duluth’s captain for 26-27 season

Via Red Wings Prospects on Twitter, Red Wings prospect Max Plante has been named the captain of the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs for the 2026-2027 season:

Roughly translated: Eddie Genborg confirms that he’s staying in Sweden for this upcoming season

Red Wings prospect Eddie Genborg spoke with ST.nu’s Nathalie Vinroth for a paywalled article, and Hockeysverige.se’s Adam Wenborg provides us with a peek behind the paywall…

Genborg: “It feels like I’ve played here for a hundred years”

There will be no season on the other side of the Atlantic for Eddie Genborg. Instead, the 19-year-old World Junior Championship gold-medal-winning hero from last year will stay at home with Timrå all this upcoming season.

“It feels incredibly good to know that I will play here for another year,” he told Sundsvalls Tidning.

There have been reports before that Eddie Genborg will stay in Timrå. The Detroit-drafted forward suffered an injury during the AHL playoffs last season that he has had problems with until recently. This was the reason there was no pre-season training camp on the other side of the Atlantic [in Detroit].

Genborg has been training with the team on the ice for two week,s and is looking forward to a whole season fresh from the start in Timrå IK.

“It feels great to know that I will play here another year. It’s been pretty safe here all along, that’s what I’ve known. Given how well I enjoyed it here, it has been pretty obvious to me all the time,” he says to Sundsvalls Tidning.

Continue reading Roughly translated: Eddie Genborg confirms that he’s staying in Sweden for this upcoming season

Frank Seravalli updates the Red Wings’ mangerial search

Long-time NHL reporter Frank Seravalli has landed with Casino.org, and Seravalli provides an update on the Red Wings’ managerial search this morning:

The Detroit Red Wings have been without a permanent general manager since franchise icon Steve Yzerman was dismissed in mid-July.

Sources say Detroit hoped to have Yzerman’s successor in place by Labor Day. While that target has passed, a final decision could still come soon.

Several candidates have emerged in the search, including Florida Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson and San Jose Sharks assistant GM Jeff Kealty. Another intriguing name in internal discussions is current Detroit Tigers GM Jeff Greenberg, who previously served as an associate GM with the Chicago Blackhawks.

However, despite initial reports, sources now indicate that Kealty has not actually interviewed for the position, even though Detroit received permission from San Jose to speak with him.

In the meantime, hockey operations continue to manage day-to-day duties as Detroit prepares for training camp. Whoever ultimately takes the helm will immediately inherit a major roster decision: the future of Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin.

Continued; this is a lot better than the nothing we’ve heard from the Red Wings’ organization thus far…