DHN on fan morale, as well as holding training camp in Detroit this upcoming season

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen and Bob Duff posted a pair of articles this morning, discussing the Red Wings’ present state, as well as the team’s training camp plans.

First, Allen discusses the Red Wings’ lack of urgency to make moves over the course of this weekend’s 2026 NHL Draft…

Forwards J.J. Peterka, Mason McTavish, Pavel Dorofeyev and Andrei Nichushkin were all traded Friday. And none of them ended up on the Red Wings roster. With the Dylan Larkin trade request clouding the team’s future, it’s fair to say the fan base is looking for something, anything really, that sends the message that they are taking steps to improve the situation.

Fans are waiting for them to trade Dylan Larkin for a strong return, trade for a center, re-sign Patrick Kane, make an aggressive offer to Columbus for Kirill Marchenko, hear that Alex DeBrincat plans to stay in Detroit and add a veteran scorer like Rickard Rakell or Bryan Rust or move Michael Rasmussen and Mason Appleton to make room for more physical players.

If they could start working off that checklist, fan morale would likely improve.

And second, Bob Duff took note of GM Steve Yzerman’s remarks as to why the team chose to hold their 2026-2027 season’s training camp at Little Caesars Arena:

Continue reading DHN on fan morale, as well as holding training camp in Detroit this upcoming season

An exercise in imagination: The Athletic discusses ‘fits’ for Zach Werenski, including Detroit

This morning, The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman and Aaron Portzline discuss potential trade “fits” for Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, who’s reportedly told Blue Jackets GM Don Wadell that Werenski will not re-sign with the team when his contract expires in the summer of 2028.

In offering “Eight Possible Fits” for Werenski to be traded to, they include the Red Wings, who are (of course) Werenski’s “hometown team“:

Detroit Red Wings

If Dylan Larkin hadn’t requested a trade out of Detroit, the Red Wings would have been one of the most interesting teams on this list. Werenski’s ties to Michigan run deep; he’s from Grosse Pointe and went to the University of Michigan. Playing for the Red Wings with Larkin could be a full-circle moment and would address a major need in Detroit, but that possibility seems remote.

The Red Wings have their franchise defenseman in Moritz Seider, whose all-around game put him right in the thick of the Norris conversation with Werenski. But another dynamic threat on the back end could be an absolute game-changer for a team that has ranked in the bottom half of the league in five-on-five scoring chance generation over the last couple of seasons.

Detroit likely has pieces to interest Columbus, such as Emmitt Finnie, Nate Danielson, Marco Kasper and Axel Sandin-Pellikka, among others. The Red Wings also have a deep pipeline to pull from and cap space to absorb (and extend) Werenski. But without Larkin, this team’s timeline likely gets pushed back. And that’s two strikes against Werenski’s chances of waiving his no-movement clause to end up in Detroit.

Continued (paywall); I can’t see Columbus accepting the Red Wings’ top prospects alone. They’d want a front-line NHL player, like Simon Edvinsson, in return…In addition to some top prospects and first-round draft picks.

Werenski coming to Detroit is a nice thought to bounce around in our heads, but it’s not going to happen.

HSJ in the morning: Victor Plante knows the Osgood family very well

The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted an article this morning which discusses the relationship between 2026 47th overall pick Victor Plante and Chris Osgood’s family.

As it turns out, the Osgoods were billet families for Plante while he played with the National Team Development Program this past season:

As soon as she found out Victor Plante had been drafted by the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, June 27, Jenna Osgood reached out.

“I told him, yay, he can now live in our basement forever,” Osgood told the Free Press. She and her husband, former Wings goaltender Chris Osgood, have billeted U.S. National Team Development Program players for years, and their most recent houseguest at their home in Plymouth – where the USNTDP is based – couldn’t been a better tenant, in every way possible.

“Vic was great for my kids, because he’s on the ice every night in my backyard,” Chris Osgood told the Free Press. “Every night they’d be out there. We love having them all around. And Victor was just an awesome kid – he gets along with anybody. When I saw him get drafted on TV, he looked like the happiest guy in the draft. We were so happy for him.”

Continued (paywall); this is a very good read…

And St. James also posted a set of prospect profiles based upon the comments made by GM Steve Yzerman and assistant GM/director of amateur scouting Kris Draper yesterday afternoon. Here’s what Draper had to say about Plante:

Continue reading HSJ in the morning: Victor Plante knows the Osgood family very well

Talking about Dylan Larkin’s looming departure via a fine ‘Wojo’ column

The Detroit News’s Bob Wojnowski reacts as only “Wojo” can to Steve Yzerman’s remarks regarding Dylan Larkin’s trade demands. First, Wojnowski frames the situation well, noting that the Wings’ first-round draft pick, JP Hurlbert, said that his favorite player growing up was Larkin…

Maybe at one time, Larkin’s favorite player was Yzerman. But the link between captains is broken, and hope of a quick, amicable resolution is fading. Yzerman initially declined to address the issue until after he spoke about the draft. Then he delivered a blunt statement and took no questions. He confirmed the details of Larkin’s request, that it was made by his agent shortly after the season, followed by a short list of teams for whom he’d waive his no-trade clause. Yzerman’s options are limited and acceptable offers scarce, so far. And he doesn’t seem interested in clearing up the murkiness.

“Dylan has five years remaining on his contract,” Yzerman said Saturday. “My job as the manager of the Detroit Red Wings is always to do what’s in the best interest of the Detroit Red Wings, and I will act accordingly to that. I cannot make any guarantees and did not make any guarantees that the request could, or would, be met. There’s certainly a lot of uncertainty around that.”

And, after offering both Larkin’s probable perspective under an environment of Olympic success and what the NHL writers are calling “the era of player empowerment,” and fair criticism of Yzerman’s job steering his team’s still-on-wobbly-legs rebuild, Wojnowski offers this:

Continue reading Talking about Dylan Larkin’s looming departure via a fine ‘Wojo’ column

Kris Draper assesses the Red Wings’ second-day-of-the-draft haul

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan took note of the comments made by Red Wings assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper today, after Detroit brought six new players into the prospect pipeline.

That number includes Victor Plante, brother of Max Plante:

Victor Plante had a fine season at the Plymouth Township-based United States National Development Team Program and is a similar, smart, offensive-minded player as his brother.

“Getting to know the family, it’s an incredible hockey family and we were real excited about the development,” said Kris Draper, the Wings’ director of amateur scouting. “Victor is wired the exact same way. A smart, competitive player that has a passion for the game.

“He had a real good year and the similarities, you kind of look at him as a bit of a late bloomer with the way his year went. He continued to get better throughout. He’s a passionate kid and we’re excited to have him.”

Also of note from Draper:

Continue reading Kris Draper assesses the Red Wings’ second-day-of-the-draft haul

Press release: Red Wings’ 2026 Summer Development Camp begins Monday at LCA

Life comes at you fast.

Per the Detroit Red Wings, the draft class of 2026 has less than 48 hours to high-tail it to the Motor City:

Red Wings to hold 2026 Development Camp at Little Caesars Arena June 29-July 2

Four-day camp featuring Red Wings prospects returns to BELFOR Training Center

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today announced the schedule for their 2026 Development Camp, which returns to the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena from June 29-July 2. The camp begins on Monday, June 29 and features on-ice skill development and off-ice workouts each day, ending on Thursday, July 2.

The camp will be split into two teams – Team Howe and Team Lindsay – and will feature daily on-ice instruction and skill development from a team of coaches, led by the Red Wings player development staff. Attendees will also take part in NHL-level off-ice workouts and attend presentations designed to help players transition to professional hockey, while experiencing the state-of-the-art player amenities offered at Little Caesars Arena and receiving feedback from Red Wings coaches and management.

The Red Wings roster will be comprised primarily of players selected by Detroit over the last several NHL Drafts, as well as signed free agent prospects and undrafted free agent invitees from collegiate, junior or European leagues. The full roster for the 2026 Development Camp will be announced on Sunday, June 28.

Continued, with a schedule…

Pat Brisson shares his take on the ‘Dylan Larkin situation’ with Pierre LeBrun and Max Bultman

We’ve covered Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s remarks from his post-draft press conference regarding his disgruntled captain in both Tweet, article and video form, and as The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun promised a response from Dylan Larkin’s agent, Pat Brisson, here’s what LeBrun and Max Bultman have to report as of 7:35 PM EDT:

Reached by The Athletic, Larkin’s agent Pat Brisson also broke his silence on his client’s trade request Saturday. Brisson felt it appropriate to comment given that Yzerman had also finally talked about it with media.

As far as Yzerman saying there’s no guarantees he can meet the trade request and he has to do what’s best for the organization, Brisson took no issue with those comments.

“I understand where he’s coming from,” Brisson said. “The process is that we’ve had discussions for the last month or so. And we’ve agreed that we’ll be working together on this. I do understand that Steve and the organization have to do what’s best for the Red Wings. We’re trying to work as a ‘team’ together on this to reach each of our goals, so to speak.

“It’s not an easy process. But this is something that, it’s not my first time, it’s not our first time (Yzerman included), and we’re trying to navigate this the best way possible to reach our goals. We know it’s a sensitive file, understanding what Dylan means to the Red Wings and also to USA Hockey and the world of hockey. He’s a really good hockey player. But we’re going to continue to the best of our abilities to eventually each our goals.”

Asked to confirm whether any teams were now on the short list of approved teams, Brisson would not go there.

“With respect to the process, I’ve always refused to discuss the teams and the number of teams,” said Brisson. “I want to keep as much of these conversations confidential as possible.”

As for how far the process has come in terms of trade talks and Brisson trying to help Yzerman get to the finish line, is there a timeline coming into sight?

“Honestly, I don’t really have any idea,” Brisson said. “I really don’t. We’re working on it on a day-to-day basis. That’s all I can say.”

Continued (paywall); again, Pat Brisson has been in the business for over 30 years, and he’s got a cavalcade of clients, many of whom have remained with their teams for their entire careers…

But I just find the irony of the fact that it’s been 23 years since Brisson guided Sergei Fedorov out of Detroit due to a contract dispute to be too bloody rich to ignore.

The Athletic’s Pronman, Bultman assess the Red Wings’ draft haul

Updated with Scott Wheeler and David St-Louis’ takes at 7:56 PM: The Athletic’s Corey Pronman isn’t a huge fan of the Red Wings’ 2026 NHL Draft haul. Detroit’s amateur scouts stay almost religiously tied to their own lists of player targets, and that can be a positive, and it can be a negative:

Corey Pronman details what to expect from the Detroit Red Wings’ new prospects and how they fit into the farm system.

2026 Draft Grade: C

Detroit took a swing on JP Hurlbert at 23, a highly skilled winger with a lot of offensive pop who can create off the rush. The Red Wings selected Victor Plante in the second round; he’s a classic NTDP competitive forward who does a lot of the little things right, though his pure offensive ceiling is a question mark. Hurlbert for me is the only real name in this class, although some of their later picks do have a chance to play.

Continue reading The Athletic’s Pronman, Bultman assess the Red Wings’ draft haul

‘We would love to have Patrick remain with the Red Wings’

Updated at 7:31 PM: NHL.com’s Nicholas J. Cotsonika took note of Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s take regarding the Red Wings’ possible loss of free agent-to-be Patrick Kane, due to the uncertainty surrounding Dylan Larkin’s trade request:

Yzerman said the Larkin situation creates “certainly a lot of uncertainty” around the Red Wings’ roster building with the free agent market opening Wednesday. Among Detroit’s pending unrestricted free agents is veteran forward Patrick Kane. The 37-year-old had 57 points (16 goals, 41 assists) in 67 games last season.

“We can talk about free agency later on,” Yzerman said. “Having said that, yes, we would love to have Patrick remain with the Red Wings.”

Continued; Larkin and Kane share the same agent in Pat Brisson, so we’ll find out shortly whether uncertainty pushes Kane out of Detroit, or whether his family situation as settled here in the Motor City’s suburbs proves to serve as a lasting bond.

Update: Here’s more on Patrick Kane’s nebulous status, via the Free Press’s Helene St. James:

Continue reading ‘We would love to have Patrick remain with the Red Wings’

Khan notes Steve Yzerman’s comments regarding moving on from Sebastian Cossa

MLive’s Ansar Khan took note of Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s comments regarding the team’s decision to trade Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth for the 23rd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (which Detroit used to draft JP Hurlbert) last night:

“I’ve been at this long enough now to know things can change over time and your needs change,” Yzerman said. “It’s not necessarily that we had given up on Sebastian Cossa. We’re looking where we are today, what we have coming in goal presently and what we have coming behind that. We’re looking to add dynamic players, and we had a chance, with the pick that we got for Sebastian, to significantly improve our prospect pool with a different type of player and still be solid in that (goaltending) spot.

“So, obviously, where we picked Sebastian at the time, we had very high hopes for him, and he’s an excellent young man. We really enjoyed working with him. We wish him nothing but the best of luck, and hopefully he has a great career. But things change along the way, and you make moves and you pivot and you do what you think is right.”

The Red Wings selected Cossa 15th overall and spent four seasons developing him in the minors, the past three with the Grand Rapids Griffins. When the Griffins started Michal Postava in the playoffs, it sealed Cossa’s fate. He is no longer waiver-exempt next season, and the Red Wings weren’t prepared to keep him on their roster.

Continue reading Khan notes Steve Yzerman’s comments regarding moving on from Sebastian Cossa