ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton posted a massive set of NHL team previews combined with power rankings this morning, discussing the relative lots of each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams, and they do not rank the Red Wings particularly highly:
27. Detroit Red Wings
Last season: 41-31-10 (92 points), missed playoffs
Stanley Cup odds: +15000
Projected points: 79.7Biggest strength: The Red Wings should feel good about their marquee players — namely, Moritz Seider, Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond. At 25, Seider is hitting his prime as a dominant threat at both ends of the ice. (Plus, he can handle huge minutes, such as last season’s 25:40 per game.) DeBrincat eclipsed the 40-goal mark in 2025-26 and was a key to Detroit’s excellent power play, which ranked 12th in the league, and he projects to be again. Raymond continues to expand his repertoire as a strong two-way forward who consistently punches in 20-plus goals per season. That’s a young, strong, smart group capable of stacking up with some of the NHL’s best performers.
Biggest concern: Detroit has holes deeper in the lineup and an apparent gap in leadership. Dylan Larkin‘s (still-unfulfilled) trade request stripped him of the Red Wings’ captaincy, and Detroit replaced former GM Steve Yzerman with a temporary manager in Shawn Horcoff. That’s an unsettling turnover with the potential to throw the team off course. There are other pain points to address, too. Defenseman Simon Edvinsson is an RFA without a new deal. Patrick Kane and David Perron aren’t around to boost Detroit’s depth and offer some veteran presence. And a shortened training camp won’t help this team forge new bonds and find its rhythm with a dressing room that could feel understandably off-kilter. Then, there’s the question of goaltending — can John Gibson still be a top netminder in the league? And how well will Daniil Tarasov fare in his first season backing up for the Red Wings? The unknowns have added up in the Motor City.
This season hinges on … how Detroit manages Larkin. One player probably won’t make or break Detroit’s season (even an elite-level forward such as Larkin). But there is bound to be some trickle-down effect from the team’s options here. The real issues come with: a) keeping a disgruntled skater and risking him going from a top center to a potential liability, or b) honoring Larkin’s trade request but without getting a player in return to backfill his contributions. Both would be real issues. Keeping an unhappy Larkin could lead to a crumbling of Detroit’s dressing room dynamic. How comfortable will players be with him — and each other — moving forward? Chemistry is foundational for every top team, and if Todd McLellan is expected to get the Red Wings back to the playoffs (after they’ve been missing out for the past decade), they have to play as a group.
Most likely award winner: Alex DeBrincat, Art Ross Trophy
Fantasy outlook: Moritz Seider anchors an elite peripheral profile, but the forward core carries questions after Patrick Kane’s departure and Dylan Larkin’s ugly offseason. Fade Alex DeBrincat: He was fourth in the league in shots per minute last season, but that chemistry with Kane is off the table now. — Allen
Bold prediction: Dylan Larkin stays in Detroit. — Wyshynski
And Sean Allen and Victoria Matiash does state that he believes fantasy hockey poolies should “fade” on Alex DeBrincat in a slightly longer post as well:
Detroit Red Wings
Moritz Seider anchors an elite peripheral profile, but the forward core carries questions after Patrick Kane‘s departure and Dylan Larkin‘s ugly offseason. Fade Alex DeBrincat: he was fourth in the league in shots per minute last season, but that chemistry with Kane is off the table now.