It’s only mid-July, but NHL.com is already examining the respective offseason statuses of their 32 NHL teams, and today, NHL.com’s Dave Hogg examines the state of the Red Wings. Here’s his take on the Wings’ top prospects…
On the cusp
Nate Danielson, F: Detroit’s first-round pick (No. 9) in the 2023 NHL Draft, Danielson got off to a slow start in his first full AHL season. He finished with 39 points (12 goals, 27 assists) in 71 games with Grand Rapids, and had a goal in three playoff games. He’s expected to start the season in the AHL, but he could be one of the first forwards recalled. … Axel Sandin-Pellikka, D: Another first-round pick (No. 17) from 2023, Sandin-Pellikka turned 20 in March, but he has already played 107 games in the Swedish Hockey League, the highest professional league in the country, and has 52 points (24 goals, 28 assists). He helped Skelleftea AIK to a championship in 2024 and needs more experience on North American ice, but Sandin-Pellikka is considered Detroit’s best defenseman prospect. … Carter Mazur, F: A third-round pick (No. 70) in the 2021 NHL Draft, the Red Wings thought Mazur was ready for the NHL last season. Unfortunately, his March 6 debut ended after two shifts when he dislocated his elbow. He’s healthy again and will compete for a spot in the bottom six.
As well as what unresolved business the Red Wings have to do:
What they still need
A first-line forward. Van Riemsdyk isn’t at the level the Red Wings need to play alongside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond on the top line. They could move Marco Kasper back to that spot, but that would mean needing a second-line center to play between Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat On defense, Detroit would like to find someone more experienced to play alongside Simon Edvinsson on the second pair. Albert Johansson was impressive as a rookie, but playing there could be asking too much.
Continued; at this point, I’d take a top-six forward and a top-four defenseman, but the relative scarcity of those players on the trade market means that their asking prices are high, and I am expecting that it’s going to take until this upcoming season’s trade deadline to truly rectify the Wings’ two positional deficiencies.
For what it’s worth, the NHL’s 2025-2026 regular season schedule is coming out today at 1 PM EDT, too, so we’ll find out sooner than later (though probably not today) when that trade deadline is scheduled to take place.
