Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen discusses the state of the Red Wings’ power play without Patrick Kane or Dylan Larkin the lineup:
[D]on’t think for a minute that Moritz Seider, Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond haven’t thought about that power play trigger man Patrick Kane is gone and bumper Dylan Larkin is trying to get out of the door.
Detroit’s lack of scoring (ranked 22nd in 2025-26) has been a major offseason discussion. Imagine how bad it would have been if Detroit did not have a decent (ranked 12th at 22.6%) last season? The Red Wings scored 56 power play goals last season. Only six teams scored more. In 2024-25, the Red Wings’ 64 power play goals were tied for the league lead.
Kane contributed the goal or assist on 45.3% of the power play goals in 2024-25 and 29.6% last season. Meanwhile, Larkin was involved in 42.1% two seasons ago and 42.8% last season. Larkin has scored 57 power play goals over the past four seasons.
Detroit’s significant offseason acquisition was Viktor Arvidsson. He scored 20 or more goals six times in his career, including 25 last season for Boston. However, he has never been a noteworthy power play scorer. He has only registered more than four power play goals in a season once. Last season, he had nine power play points.
If Michael Brandsegg-Nygard makes the team, he might get a shot on the power play, maybe even in the bumper position if Larkin is traded. Brandsegg has a quick release and a sizzling shot. But counting on such an inexperienced player isn’t the preferred way to shore up the power play. That’s a let’s-see-what-we-have move.
Whatever the new director of hockey operations and coach Todd McLellan cook up, they won’t have much time to implement changes. The preseason is cut in half this season because the league is launching its new 84-game regular season. Just one more problem Steve Yzerman’s replacement will have to deal with
Continued; the Red Wings’ power play players can be replaced with youngsters, but finding consistency is going to be difficult, and, as Allen notes, the Wings’ new-look power play won’t get a whole bunch of “reps” before the regular season begins.
Thus, the power play is going to be one of the Red Wings’ many works in progress over the course of early play in the 2026-2027 season.
