The Free Press’s Helene St. James updates the statuses of restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson and new acquisition Andreas Englund this morning, discussing the slightly uncomfortable situation that the Red Wings’ players find themselves in as Detroit attempts to re-sign Edvinsson:

“We all have Simon’s back,” fellow defenseman Moritz Seider said, “but also we know it’s a hard situation for [interim GM Shawn Horcoff], as well. It’s obviously his first deal. I think it will be done eventually. I think we just have high hopes and a good mood. Just got to remind everyone that we’re all in the same team in the end, and I think it will be worked out.”

Edvinsson, 23, is a restricted free agent. He’s one of the team’s most important players, a 6-foot-6, 225 pound behemoth who is an excellent skater and puck-handler. To not have him in the lineup would be a blow – but there’s time yet this week, as the Wings don’t open the 2026-27 season until they host the New York Rangers on Friday, Oct. 2 (6:30 p.m., TNT/truTV).

Having arranged his own insurance, Edvinsson practiced with the team through training camp but did not take part in scrimmages or exhibition games. Now, with the preseason done, he’s not on the ice with his teammates – but if a contract is signed, for example, hours before a game, there’s a spot for him in the lineup.

“He’s fit,” [coach Todd] McLellan said. “He’s ready. He knows the guys. He’s been working systematically with us. So if that happened, yeah, we would, providing he’s mentally and physically ready to go, we would have no problem playing him quickly.”

Continued (paywall); Edvinsson is probably practicing on his own at a rink in Metro Detroit to keep up his conditioning.

As far as the 30-year-old Englund is concerned, the 30-year-old defenseman awaits for his immigration papers, and Seider praised the Wings’ waiver move to land a #7 defenseman who can step into the lineup and contribute stability and toughness to the team’s cause:

“I think that’s exactly what I think his trademarks are,” Seider said. “Just a very steady defenseman who can play in the bottom here, and isn’t afraid to step up. And I think that’s somebody we’ve been looking for for a while, and I would say it’s nice that somebody like him is being picked up by us.”

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff describes Englund as a “true heavyweight” when it comes to dropping the gloves, and the 6’4,” 200-pound defenseman told Duff that he’s tried to emulate several Red Wings in terms of his style of play:

“I’m a defensive type of guy,” Englund said. “I like to box out and keep the net clear. And then, like, bring a presence on the ice and, you know, bring a physical style.”

Naturally, being a Swede, Englund paid attention to the Red Wings as a youngster.

“Yeah, for sure,” Englund said. “I mean, [Nicklas] Lidstrom is one of the greatest defensemen of all time. He’s a legend in Sweden, and so is [Niklas] Kronwall.

“His game is a little bit more like mine. I like watching him and watching him step up on people, so definitely Kronwall was a big guy growing up.”