Of Red Wings-related note in “list form,” from Sports Illustrated’s new Red Wings blog:
- If you head over to PuckPedia and glance at its list of remaining free agents, the list is pretty bleak. Right now, the consensus pick for the Red Wings to sign, one Eeli Tolvanen, is looking bounce back from an “off” season with Seattle.
Sports Ilustrated’s Jayd Serdy suggests that the Red Wings look elsewhere to replace lost offense, including making a trade for Calgary Flames forward Morgan Frost…
Morgan Frost: This one would require the Red Wings to give up some assets, but in Morgan Frost of the Calgary Flames, the team could find a long-term solution at their 2C position, with Frost bringing the speed, the skating and the playmaking ability that makes those around him better.
While he started the season in Calgary slowly, Frost thrived after the trade deadline in a greater role, tallying nine goals and 14 points over the Flames’ final 21 games of the season. If the Red Wings targeted him as a pairing with DeBrincat, they could make a very dynamic second line.
To land Frost, the Red Wings would likely need to give up multiple draft picks, and a long-term extension likely needs to be in place to make it worth their while, but with the team looking to build sustained success in the coming years, the 27-year-old could be worth that risk.
Or signing UFA forward Patrik Laine:
Patrik Laine: Right now, Patrik Laine is seen as the ultimate low-risk, high-reward player, but very few teams in the National Hockey League are willing to take a chance on the former No. 2 overall pick.
Given the spot that the Red Wings are in, however, this could be a worthwhile swing, as Laine showed his promise again in 2024/25 when he tallied 20 goals and 33 points in 52 games with the Montreal Canadiens, but in 2025/26, he appeared in just five games, struggling to stay healthy and earn a place in their lineup.
At this point, the reason he’s unsigned likely has to do with his asking price, but if the Red Wings could convince the 28-year-old to sign a prove-it, one-year deal, the risk could be worth it. Of the three, this is the least likely to happen, as Detroit may look to prioritize young names like Michael Brandsegg-Nygård and Nate Danielson as options in their middle two lines, but right now they have very little to lose, and it could be worth the risk.
2. Serdy also posted a list of 5 2026-2027 season games which Red Wings fans “must watch“…
Centennial Celebration vs. Boston Bruins (Nov. 18)
No game on the schedule carries more historical significance than Detroit’s Centennial Celebration. The Red Wings will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the franchise’s inaugural NHL game when they host the Boston Bruins on Nov. 18. Fittingly, the Bruins were also Detroit’s opponent in that very first NHL contest back in 1926, making this anniversary game a full-circle moment for one of hockey’s most decorated organizations.
The atmosphere should be unlike any regular-season game. Fans can expect alumni appearances, special ceremonies, throwback elements, and a celebration of everyone who has worn the Winged Wheel over the past century. Regardless of where Detroit sits in the standings, this game will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the entire NHL season.
3. And finally, Serdy posted a list of the Wings’ “5 most important players,” including Dylan Larkin:
Moritz Seider: There is arguably no player more important to Detroit’s success than Seider. The former Calder Trophy winner logs massive minutes in every situation, regularly faces the opposition’s best forwards, kills penalties, quarterbacks the power play when needed, and provides the physical edge that every contender covets.
Simply put, Detroit goes as Seider goes. If he continues developing into one of the NHL’s premier two-way defensemen, the Red Wings become significantly harder to play against every night. His ability to control games from the back end affects every aspect of Detroit’s performance, from limiting scoring chances to jumpstarting the transition game.
There may be flashier scorers on the roster, but no player influences winning quite like Seider.
