Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat spoke to assorted media over the course of last week’s NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour in Las Vegas.

On Tuesday, NHL.com/de’s Christian Rupp posted a different kind of interview with DeBrincat. First, it’s in German, and second, it’s an interview in which DeBrincat discusses his German-born teammate, Moritz Seider, and DeBrincat makes some cute comments therein.

What follows is translated from German:

DeBrincat: “Seider is like a teddy bear”

The Detroit Red Wings’ German defenseman chases the Norris Trophy as an Ironman and aims for the playoffs

Moritz Seider is already one of the best defenders in the NHL. Clearly, the 25-year-old German is among the top players on the Detroit Red Wings.

In the race for the Norris Trophy, which is awarded to the most complete defensive player during the regular season, the 1.88-meter-tall right-handed defenseman finished 5th behind Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets, 1.), Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche, 2.), Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres, 3.) and Evan Bouchard (Edmonton Oilers, 4.) in 2026.

An Ironman chases the Norris Trophy

“He’s very close to that goal, definitely one of the best defensive defenders, and he brings that offensive flair. He is not, without reason, one of the best players on our team,” says forward Alex DeBrincat, Seider’s teammate with the Red Wings.

With 10 goals, 50 assists and 60 points, a plus-minus balance of +15 and an average of 25:40 minutes of ice time per game, Seider set personal records last season. The international player also played all 82 games, extending his Ironman streak to 410 consecutive games.

“The way he plays–with all the blocked shots, checks and that he’s all over the ice–that has a lot to do with robustness,” DeBrincat said. “He certainly played on despite one or another injury. He’s one of those guys who just fights his way through everything. He always wants to help the team and do everything right.”

NHL.com’s Nicholas J. Cotsonika posted an updated, abbreviated preseason preview of the Detroit Red Wings ahead of the 2026-2027 season.

Cotsonika manages to both address the Dylan Larkin situation, the Shawn Horcoff situation, and Cotsonika still finds enough Red Wings-related information to produce a good, comprehensive preview:

How they make the playoffs

If the Red Wings are in position to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs again, they must close the deal. Each of the past three seasons, they have faded down the stretch. Last season, they were tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for first in the Eastern Conference and had a 12-point playoff cushion Jan. 24, then finished 9-15-5. From Jan. 25 through the end of the season, they ranked 30th in goals per game (2.55) and blew multiple third-period leads. Coach Todd McLellan said mental toughness was an issue, but it’s fair to wonder if they have been built to succeed when the hockey gets harder. Detroit ranked 30th in 5-on-5 goals (142) and 29th in hits (1,480) last season.

Most intriguing addition

The easy answer is forward Viktor Arvidsson, who should help offset the loss of forward Patrick Kane and boost 5-on-5 scoring. Arvidsson, who signed a two-year, $10 million contract July 1, had 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) in 69 games for the Boston Bruins last season, including 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) at even strength. Kane, who signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 23, had 57 points (16 goals, 41 assists) in 67 games for the Red Wings last season, including 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) at even strength. But don’t forget forward Keegan Kolesar, who should make Detroit more physical and help establish the forecheck. Kolesar, acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights on July 1, had 270 hits last season, seventh in the NHL, and has 1,416 hits since 2020-21, fourth in the League in that span.

Biggest potential surprise

Forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard made the Red Wings roster out of training camp last season, but the No. 15 pick of the 2024 NHL Draft was sent to Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League after he had one assist in nine games. He had no points in five games during two NHL stints late in the season. But he had 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists) in 60 games for Grand Rapids, then eight points (four goals, four assists) in eight games in the Calder Cup Playoffs. He also had six points (three goals, three assists) in five games for Norway at the IIHF World Championship, including an assist in a 3-2 overtime win against Canada in the bronze-medal game, helping his country win a medal at worlds for the first time. He turns 21 on Oct. 5.

Continued with some praise for Justin Faulk’s potential fantasy hockey impact…

The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects won a 3-2 overtime decision over the Columbus Blue Jackets’ prospects on Tuesday afternoon, and the Wings’ beat writers have weighed in on the game.

The Hockey News’s Michael Whitaker provides a “just the facts” recap…

The Detroit Red Wings closed out the 2026 NHL Prospects Tournament on a winning note, defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets in comeback fashion by a 3-2 final score in overtime. 

Forward Justice Christensen, who signed with the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins after playing the last four years with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders, scored twice, including the overtime game-winning tally. 

The scoring was opened Columbus in the second period after a disputed tally from Josh Eernisse; while the Red Wings argued that goaltender Trey Augustine was interfered with, the tally stood. 

Christensen scored his first of two goals on the afternoon not long afterwards, firing a slap shot past Blue Jackets goaltender Nolan Lalonde from the top of the faceoff circle while on the power-play. 

Columbus restored their one goal lead thanks to Jordan Dumais. However, with Augustine on the bench, Noah Dower Nilsson cleaned up a rebound in front of the net and deposited a backhander past Lalonde, knotting the score at 2-2. 

In overtime, it was Christensen converting on a give-and-go rush with Sutter Muzzatti for the game-winning tally. 

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan spoke with Christensen and Grand Rapids Griffins coach Dan Watson, who coached the prospects to a 2-and-1 record while playing 3 games over the course of 4 days and evenings:

Of video-related note from TSN tonight:

1. First, TSN’s Chris Johnston, Pierre LeBrun, Darren Dreger and Gino Reda appear on the season’s first installment of “Insider Trading,” and, at the 3:23 mark, Johnston discusses Shawn Horcoff being named as interim GM, possibly for as long as the entirety of the regular season. Johnston says that the Red Wings are looking for an innovator to take over the hockey operations department using the outside firm TurnkeyZRG, and Johnston suggests that there are “several outstanding contracts” to take care of…

2. And in the commentary department, TSN’s Bryan Hayes, Jamie McLellan and Jeff O’Neill comment on the Red Wings’ managerial situation using emphatic remarks:

In a 3-minute clip, the NHL Network’s Mike Rupp discussed both the Red Wings’ hiring of Shawn Horcoff as GM and the situation with Dylan Larkin, who’s been relieved of his captaincy.

Rupp mostly focuses on Larkin and the removal of the “C” from Larkin’s jersey.

The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects battled the Columbus Blue Jackets’ prospects in the final game of Detroit’s 2026 prospect tournament on Tuesday afternoon. Detroit hoped to improve upon its 1-and-1 record as both teams played in their 3rd game over the course of 4 days and nights.

On Tuesday afternoon, Columbus would open the scoring 9:05 into the 2nd, as Josh Eernisse, who had a great game, scored on a disputed marker (Augustine was pushed into his own net), but Detroit would rally on a power play marker by Justice Christensen at 11:11, and on a night where Columbus goaltender and former Toledo Walleye goalie Nolan Lalonde threatened to steal the show…

It took some late-game heroics for the Red Wings to earn their 3-2 OT win.
Columbus would push ahead 2-1 as Jordan Dumais scored a back-door power play marker (after Detroit had a trio of power plays, including a 4:00 double minor)…

But Noah Dower Nilsson would score at 19:00 off an Anton Johansson shot deflection to make it 2-2…

And, in overtime, Trey Augustine made two huge stops on Columbus players, Detroit slowly but surely tilted the ice back toward themselves, and Justice Christensen started and ended a play in which Sutter Muzzatti took a pass from Christensen to break out, Christensen crashed the net, and Muzzatti saucered Christensen a pass that would yield the OT winner.

Detroit ended the tournament 2-and-1, which ain’t bad.

🚨CHRISTENSEN🚨

Justice doubles down and gets the OTGWG on a great feed from Muzzatti! #GoGRG #LGRW pic.twitter.com/r428cLtjcP

— Hockeytown West Podcast (@HockeytownWpod) September 15, 2026

OT-winner to end the tournament🙌 pic.twitter.com/Y3fdnfSKz6

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 15, 2026

PREGAME: Detroit dressed the following lineup, with Trey Augustine starting in goal for the Wings…

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff posted a set of pregame prospect notes ahead of Detroit’s 2 PM EDT-starting game vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets’ prospects, and this bit about Red Wings prospects/players Anton Johansson and Nate Danielson caught my eye:

Center Nate Danielson and defenseman Anton Johansson will both get long looks in the main Red Wings camp. They were back in the lineup for Tuesday’s Rookie Tournament finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Watson was looking to both players to deliver more than just their talent level.

As seasoned pros, the coach is expecting both players to show the younger kids the right way to do things.

“They’ve got to be leaders,” Watson said. “I think that’s the biggest thing. They’re thrust into these leadership positions now. Even Anton, this is his first prospect tournament, but he’s still looked upon as a guy who knows what we as a staff want, what the organization wants, because he’s been around it.

“So these guys are leaned upon heavily to make sure that the guys know the schedule, that they’re on time for everything. They understand the systems. They understand the structure we want to play with and how we want to play, the sort of mentality side of it.

“And you can already see they’re taking that leadership seriously. And I think it’s good for their growth and their development in those types of roles, besides just putting on weight.”

Continued with more interesting tidbits…

Via Red Wings Prospects on Twitter comes this from college’s NCHC conference, which has named Red Wings draft pick and University of Minnesota-Duluth captain Max Plante, and his brother, Penguins prospect Zam Plante, as members of their Preseason All-Conference team:

The votes are in! 🗳️🌟@UMDMensHockey & @UNDmhockey each have a trio of representatives on the 2026-27 NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team, as selected by media! 👏

📰: https://t.co/6NeSIVIdLQ#theNational pic.twitter.com/3a3J3cXBjB

— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) September 15, 2026

The Detroit News’s Bob Wojnowski conducted a wide-ranging, must-read Q and A with Red Wings and Tigers owner Christopher Ilitch. Here’s a piece of the paywalled article:

Q: After Dylan Larkin’s trade request was made public and Yzerman wasn’t budging, it was a firestorm. One theory was, you chose Larkin over Yzerman. How much did that discord between current and former captains affect your decision?

A: I would answer that by saying that the Detroit Red Wings are a 101-year-old organization. This franchise is bigger than any one player, any coach, any general manager, any owner. Dylan’s a great player. He’s an important part of our team. Any conversations about his future are gonna stay private between Dylan and our front office.

Q: Were you disappointed that he wanted to be traded, and I assume still wants to be traded?

A: I’m disappointed that our Red Wing team is not where we want them to be yet. So that’s where I understand the frustration, fan frustration. But I want fans to know we’re going to find a great leader.

Q: You have many former Wings in the organization, like Kris Draper, Nicklas Lidstrom, Kirk Maltby and others. Do they have a role going forward, and how long will Yzerman be in his role?

A: Steve will be in the role as long as he wants to be in the role. I’d love for him to stay to see this through. And yes, there are many other former Red Wing players as part of our organization. I would say our next president of hockey operations is going to determine the staff and execute the vision and plan. As I do with every single one of my sports leaders, and have since the day I started in my role, I give them complete autonomy and authority to make the decisions necessary.

Also:

Q: I don’t know how much you pay attention, but there’s a perception among some that you’ve put the Wings on the backburner behind the Tigers. What is your response to that?

A: (Ilitch leans forward and his tone hardens). My response would be plenty. First, I would say I care deeply about our teams. Hockey and the Red Wings have always been a big part of my life. I learned to skate when I was 3, pushing a chair around our backyard rink that my siblings and I made. I played travel hockey, and in high school I played all four years, co-captain, all-state. I played pickup hockey at Michigan, and then after college, I played hockey for 20 straight years in men’s leagues.

My first Red Wings game was with my parents at the Olympia Stadium when I was 10 years old. I spent many amazing years watching Red Wing hockey, Stanley Cup hockey, with my family in Section 118 at Joe Louis Arena. I watch every single game. I’ll occasionally attend our games on the road, and at LCA, I’ll either watch from a suite, or I like to sit in the lower bowl to see the game from different perspectives. I speak with our front office multiple times a week. How would I respond to that? I would say I love Red Wings hockey, always have, always will.

Continued

Ahead of today’s 2026 prospect tournament finale against Columbus (2 PM EDT start on DetroitRedWings.com), Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen discusses today’s affair by noting this from one Jesse Kiiskinen:

It’s usually a memorable effort or playing style that endears a prospect to a team’s management and coaching staff. Sometimes it can involve a goal, or an assist, a hit, even a blocked shot.

But Detroit prospect Jesse Kiiskinen managed to get everyone’s attention with a quote.

Asked about his penchant for driving to the net, Kiiskinen said: “That’s like a big part of hockey. I like net-front battles. Sometimes you get hurt, but maybe I’m that crazy Finn that wants to go there.”

Continued