The Athletic’s James Mirtle summarized the biggest storylines surrounding the opening of NHL training camps ahead of the 2026-2027 season, and Mirtle did not pull any punches when it comes to the Detroit Red Wings’ struggles both on and off the ice:
3. Detroit: With no permanent GM and no captain, what on earth is going on with the Red Wings?
I honestly can’t recall a situation quite like this. The reeling Red Wings pushed out their longtime top exec — and, oh yeah, he’s a franchise legend as a player — then waited months to ultimately settle on an unusual and unsatisfying interim situation. Shawn Horcoff, the interim GM, kept it close to the vest in his first appearance as the organization’s public face. His incredibly difficult challenge is to dig out of the tough spot his owner put him in. Good luck.
Meanwhile, Dylan Larkin, a disgruntled hometown first-line center stripped of his captaincy, is trying to quiet the noise around his trade request. It’s, uh, not going all that well. The entire situation is pretty volatile. Fans are filled with anger and apathy, and a tough start on the ice could snowball into something worse.
Continued; I know that things are tense and nervous around the Red Wings, but they haven’t played a game yet. I cannot totally freak out until and unless the team struggles out of the gate.
