Whoever becomes the Detroit Red Wings’ next GM will need to get aggressive in a hurry.
Between the still looming break-up between disgruntled captain Dylan Larkin and this team, and Patrick Kane signing a 2-year, $16 million contract to return to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Red Wings will be entering the 2026-2027 campaign down a top-line center and a strong 5-on-5 scorer, and while there aren’t many free agents available out there who can provide scoring…
There’s no reason to not swing for the fences on a “lateral move” free agent signing like Eeli Tolvanen, for example, and it’s going to be important for the Red Wings to determine what to do regarding Alex DeBrincat’s future with the team as soon as possible, too. DeBrincat was very happy playing in Detroit with Kane, but he was very happy playing in Detroit, period, and if the Red Wings can sustain that relationship, combined with a solid return for Lakin…
There’s at least a possibility that Detroit doesn’t take a significant step back this upcoming season.
Detroit’s young players soaked up inspiration from Kane’s talent and especially his “rink rat’s” work ethic over the past three seasons, and the team’s young core should be better off for having had Kane in on the ice, on the bench and in the locker room. For better or worse, Kane is gone, but the concept that the Red Wings deserve to walk out onto the ice with some swagger came with Kane and doesn’t have to exit alongside the actual player.
