A to-do list for the Red Wings’ next hockey executive(s)

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen has posted a 6-item to-do list for the Red Wings’ next hockey executive, be they a GM or a GM and a president of hockey operations. This is a behind-the-paywall article, so let’s examine two pressing issues:

4. Re-Establish as a Destination City for NHLers

No one wants to play in Detroit anymore. The playoff drought plays a major role in that truth. But when Dylan Larkin says he wants to leave and Patrick Kane decides not to say, it adds to that thinking.

More than one prospect has left Grand Rapids saying they didn’t feel the Red Wings didn’t give them a true chance to make the team.

Other NHL players have watched what’s happening in Detroit and want no part of that. One of the Yzerman’s replacement’s top priorities has to be to restore Detroit’s reputation as Hockeytown.

This is an Original Six city. Gordie Howe. Iconic jerseys. First-class arena. Passionate fan base. A more competitive team and better relationships with players would go a long way to fix this problem.

Allen’s right in that the Wings don’t have much roster permeability–or haven’t had much roster permeability–under Steve Yzerman, with a glass ceiling separating Detroit’s prospects and Grand Rapids, and no, Detroit is not a free agent destination. The latter point will have to be built slowly, but it can be rebuilt.

His next point is a practical one, but it needs to be said:

Continue reading A to-do list for the Red Wings’ next hockey executive(s)

Shapiro reveals the search firm Detroit’s using to find their next front office executive(s)

Per Shap Shots’ multi-talented Sean Shapiro:

A quick update since I posted earlier today on the Detroit Red Wings general manager search.

According to multiple sources, who reached out this afternoon, the Red Wings are using turnkeyzrg for their job search to replace Steve Yzerman.

Turnkeyzrg specializes in executive placement for sports and entertainment, the client list includes at least a handful of NHL teams, including the Vegas Golden Knights who used turnkeyzrg to hire their team president Kerry Bubolz.

Continued

Red Wings managerial search updates and tidbits

Of Red Wings managerial-related note this afternoon:

  1. MLive’s Ansar Khan summarizes the storylines regarding the Red Wings‘ managerial search:

The Red Wings appear inclined toward implementing a different front office structure and strategy after missing the playoffs the past 10 years. They might hire a director of hockey operations who oversees, among others, a general manager who handles the day-to-day tasks. The Tigers, the Ilitches’ other team, have a similar format with Scott Harris serving as president of baseball operations and Jeff Greenberg as GM, though Harris does trades and signings.

This much is certain: The new leadership will be data and analytics driven.

The Red Wings, in their July 15 press release announcing a change in hockey operations leadership, said Yzerman will continue serving the organization as a senior advisor. He is not involved in the search process, however, while being paid the final three years and $15 million of his contract.

Continue reading Red Wings managerial search updates and tidbits

Hyping up the dynamic between Michal Postava and Trey Augustine

Today, the Hockey News’s Jake Tye frames the Red Wings’ abundance of goaltending prospects in Grand Rapids, in the form of Michal Postava and Trey Augustine, as both a competition for the Griffins’ starting job and a battle for the future of the Red Wings’ crease.

One of the most highly discussed future prospects for the Detroit Red Wings, without a doubt, is Trey Augustine. 

The 2023 second-round pick has seen his stock climb so high that the organization felt confident moving a player in his way, former top-15 pick Sebastian Cossa, who broke franchise and league records this past season, just to clear runway for Augustine’s first full professional season.

But it may not play out that simply as another name has emerged in the competition. One that stole starts away from both Cossa and Augustine toward the end of the Griffins’ historic season and into the playoffs. That’s Michal Postava, a free agent addition out of Czechia who has quickly become one of the most intriguing prospects in all of Detroit‘s loaded pipeline.

Continued; a little hype-y, but a solid read here…

SI tells the Red Wings’ fish story about the Bure that got away

Sports Illustrated’s Jason Fink tells the tale of how the Detroit Red Wings attempted to draft Pavel Bure in the team’s remarkable 1989 draft, but were hoodwinked by the NHL, and, eventually, the Vancouver Canucks:

“With the 95th overall pick in the 1989 NHL Draft, the Detroit Red Wings select Pavel Bure.” That announcement never happened. But on June 17, 1989, it came remarkably close.

The Wings’ 1989 draft class became legendary anyway. But the Russian Rocket could have been a Red Wing if Detroit had pushed the matter and asked for forgiveness rather than permission.

Then-Red Wings general manager Jim Devellano had committed to building the Red Wings through the draft rather than sacrificing young players for veterans. Ironically, just two days before the draft, he made one of the worst deals in Red Wings history when he dealt center Adam Oates and winger Paul MacLean to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for aging star center Bernie Federko and winger Tony McKegney.

Oates would go on to amass over 1,200 points after he left Detroit and became one of the premier setup men in NHL history. Just ask Brett Hull and Cam Neely.

Continue reading SI tells the Red Wings’ fish story about the Bure that got away

NHL.com’s ’32 in 32′ series examines the Detroit Red Wings

Today, NHL.com places the Red Wings under the microscope, attempting to discern the team’s situation despite the uncertainties surrounding Dylan Larkin’s trade request and the search for Steve Yzerman’s replacement.

Nicholas J. Cotsonika kicks NHL.com’s series of articles off with a team overview…

The Detroit Red Wings are at a crossroads. They have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 10 straight seasons, the longest drought in their 100-year history and the longest active drought in the NHL. General manager Steve Yzerman is leaving his role. Captain and No. 1 center Dylan Larkin has requested a trade.

Until Yzerman’s successor is named and Larkin’s situation is resolved, the direction will be unclear.

But the Red Wings addressed a couple of their most pressing needs this offseason by adding forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Keegan Kolesar, and the next GM will inherit an organization with building blocks.

“I think they’re going in a great direction,” Kolesar said. “They have a lot of young studs who I have felt that have been good for a number of years and are tough to play against. I just want to bring whatever I can to (build) more of an identity for the team.”

Cotsonika also looks forward, asking 3 questions about the Red Wings for this upcoming season, and he doesn’t just talk about Larkin’s situation or Yzerman’s successor…

Continue reading NHL.com’s ’32 in 32′ series examines the Detroit Red Wings

A bit about the Grand Rapids Griffins’ ‘youth movement’

The Detroit Red Wings have signed their share of NHL and AHL veterans to load up the Grand Rapids Griffins this past summer, but the Hockey News’s Jake Tye notes that, one way or another, a wave of rookies–be they rookie pro players or North American rookies with European professional experience–should help power the Griffins going forward:

Earlier Sunday, we detailed how one of Detroit‘s lesser-known prospects, Finnish winger Jesse Kiiskinen, could emerge as a surprise scoring leader for Grand Rapids this season on the strength of his heavy shot. The 20-year-old won’t be alone in getting real opportunity. 

A wave of youth is expected to push into the Griffins lineup, headlined by high-profile names like Trey Augustine and Carter Bear, who figure to dominate the storylines throughout the year. Alongside them, an intriguing group of recent draft picks and rising prospects, including Anton Johansson, Kienan Draper, Noah Dower-Nilsson, Justice Christensen and Dylan James, are also expected to make the roster.

That youth movement will still be anchored by a core of returning Griffins looking to keep pushing for opportunities with the big club in Detroit, including Shai Buium, Ondřej Becher, John Leonard, Carter Mazur and returning team captain Dominik Shine.

Perhaps the most compelling storyline of the season will play out between the pipes. Trey Augustine is ticketed for his first full professional season with Grand Rapids, while Michal Postava, who broke out a year ago, will also see significant starts, setting up what looks like a genuine competition for the crease.

Continued; a few notes:

Kienan Draper and Justice Christensen are signed to AHL deals, and both Carter Mazur and John Leonard are in the mix for jobs in Detroit–as are William Wallinder and Axel Sandin Pellikka…

But the Griffins will look different this year thanks to an influx of younger players, and that’s a healthy thing.

NHL Network ranks Moritz Seider as its 9th-best defenseman

The NHL Network aired a special program to list its top 20 defenseman for the 2025-2026 season, and they ranked Moritz Seider as the 9th-best defenseman in the league:

Here’s their full Top 20 list:

In written form, from NHL.com:

9. Moritz Seider, Detroit Red Wings

Seider set NHL career bests in goals (10), assists (50), points (60), power-play points (28) and average time on ice (25:40) while playing all 82 games for the fifth straight season. His streak of 410 consecutive games played is second among active NHL defensemen (Brent Burns, 1,007) and tied for fifth among all skaters. The 25-year-old was the first Detroit defenseman to have a 60-point season since Nicklas Lidstrom had 62 in 2010-11. He also led Red Wings defensemen with 180 blocked shots and was second with 128 hits, and finished fifth in voting for the Norris Trophy as the League’s top defenseman. The Red Wings were a different team with Seider on the ice– he had a 53.2 shot-attempts percentage at 5-on-5, compared to Detroit’s overall 49.2 percent.

And if you missed it, the NHL Network named Lucas Raymond its 20th-best “wing” in the league a week ago.

Update:

John Leonard’s one among many members of the Griffins who may step up in Kane’s absence

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff wonders aloud whether 28-year-old forward John Leonard, who dominated at the AHL level and played solidly at the NHL level last season, might help the Red Wings supplement their scoring without Patrick Kane in the lineup this upcoming season:

What we know for sure is that Leonard can score goals. Last season, he led the Grand Rapids Griffins with 33 goals, even though he only played 47 AHL games. He was named to the AHL Second All-Star Team.

Over the past two seasons, including playoffs, Leonard has scored 80 goals. He potted a career-high 36 goals for the AHL Charlotte Checkers in 2024-25.

“I think I just try to put myself in good spots (to score),” Leonard said.

He played 11 games last season with the Red Wings, accounting for two goals and two assists. Leonard displayed a creative flair when given opportunities to skate among Detroit’s top-six forwards.

“He can make an impact on the game with his speed,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “But now his shot and his creativity offensively, they’re coming to the forefront as well.”

Continued; the Red Wings will have to get creative to generate even-strength scoring, and Leonard, Nate Danielson, Sheldon Dries, Theo Rochette and Wilmer Skoog will all be in the mix, as will other presumptive Grand Rapids Griffins-bound players.