Author: George Malik

The Athletic’s Max Bultman ponders what the Red Wings’ path to “internal improvement” is, assuming that the roster remains in its current form (i.e. if there are no trades to bolster the top-six forward group or the top-four defensive group).

Bultman spotlights Marco Kasper, Simon Edvinsson, Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond’s developmental curves, but I’m most interested in the following paragraphs:

Yzerman also alluded to a young player coming up from Grand Rapids and helping the Red Wings, and there are two names that really come to mind.

One is Carter Mazur, who was called up last season only to quickly sustain an upper-body injury and be done for the season. Injuries have followed Mazur as a pro, but he’s the kind of gritty forward with offensive touch who could both help build a tougher-to-play against identity and score more goals in the bottom six.

The other, and perhaps the higher-ceiling candidate, is Nate Danielson — the 2023 ninth pick who had very similar numbers to Kasper in their respective AHL rookie seasons. Whether Danielson makes the team out of camp or not, his blend of size, skating, smarts and skill gives him the potential to play in the top six and complement Detroit’s top players.

Red Wings assistant director of player development Dan Cleary praised Danielson’s finish to last season, particularly the Griffins’ final game (a double-overtime playoff loss to Texas), and Detroit will challenge him to pick up where he left off.

There are other names to know for the season. Forward Amadeus Lombardi is one, after a great second season in Grand Rapids. Both Shai Buium and William Wallinder could bring more size on the back end. And of course, recent first-rounders Michael Brandsegg-Nygård and Axel Sandin Pellikka have big potential once they adjust to North American ice.

But Danielson, because of how truly well-rounded he is, has the most potential to move the needle for Detroit in 2025-26 among the prospects, if he can find his top level consistently.

Continued (paywall); the Wings’ desire for internal improvement will definitely involve a rookie or two making the big club’s roster, and, quite possibly, a veteran or two being supplanted by a younger player.

We all know that the Wings’ current-roster young players have to “take a step” forward for the team to improve; for me, the “x-factors” are members of the Red Wings’ youth movement coming up from Grand Rapids.

The Free Press’s Andrew Birkle suggests that the Detroit sports scene is “having a moment,” and a good one at that, so he lists 29 reasons to support his suggestion, including several which mention the Detroit Red Wings:

The Winged Wheel: Timeless. Classic. Instantly recognizable. What more could you want from a logo of a team in your city? And now we’ve got a fresh new variation for the 100th season of the team to remind everyone.

Dylan Larkin is willing to speak up: Whether or not it was the right answer, Larkin has been clear that he and the Red Wings’ locker room felt general manager Steve Yzerman let the team down by not doing anything at the trade deadline. No matter what, at least Wings fans can know that he will speak his mind if he feels he needs to.

The Grand Rapids Griffins goaltender’s crease has been a revolving door over the past 3-5 years, with both North American and European goaltenders spending a season or two in GR and then moving on.

This morning, MLive’s Ansar Khan focuses on the Red Wings’ European free agent signings who’ve struggled in the goal (see: Jussi Olkinuora, Patrik Rybar, Matej Machovsky) as compared with the Wings’ newest signing, 23-year-old Michal Postava, who won the Czech Extraliga championship with Brno Kometa:

“I think it’s very realistic he can play in the AHL next year,” Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said. “I haven’t seen him do it, so that’s the only question mark. I think he had an outstanding year. One of our scouts, Petr Jaros in Europe, who lives in the Czech Republic, has watched Kometa all year and really pushed hard for him. He’s watched him climb through every league, and I think the next step for him after a really good year is to go to the American League. Time will tell, but we think he’ll be more than fine there. The only cause for caution is that he hasn’t been over here yet. But based on everything else — I watched a lot of him on video — and he played very well.”

Postava went 23-18-0 with a 2.39 GAA and .920 save percentage during the regular season, his first in Czechia’s top men’s league.

Postava told Khan that he met with Jiri Fischer before deciding to sign with the Red Wings:

Seattle and Utah were among NHL clubs reportedly pursuing Postava, who cited an hour meeting in the Czech Republic with Jiri Fischer, Red Wings associate director of player personnel, for convincing him to choose Detroit.

“Proud to be in this organization,” Postava said last week during Red Wings development camp at Little Caesars Arena. “It’s maybe because there are many Czech players before like Jiri Fischer. And Detroit is a big club, big six. So, I think it’s big opportunity for me.”

Continued (paywall); the Wings hope that Postava splits time with Sebastian Cossa this upcoming season, though it is entirely possible that the Red Wings might still sign a 3rd goaltender to shuttle between Detroit and Grand Rapids as needed.

Red Wings prospect Jesse Kiiskinen will remain in Finland to play one more season with HPK Hameenlinna of the Finnish Liiga this upcoming year. Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff explains the circumstances of Kiiskinen’s situation…

“He had a good season in HPK and we expect him to have another strong season,” Red Wings director of player development Dan Cleary said of Kiiskinen. “Then we’ll see him in North America next year.”

Next year, because Kiiskinen, 19, has one season remaining on his contract with HPK Hameenlinna of the SM-liiga, Finland’s top pro league. Under the terms of his deal, if he’s not playing for the Red Wings in the NHL, he must be returned on loan to finish out his commitment to his Finnish club.

It’s the same reason why Red Wings draftee Anton Johansson will be playing in Sweden in the upcoming season for Leksand IF of the SHL. That’s no assessment of their potential as a Detroit prospect. It’s simply the facts of how European contracts work.

The usual rule for European contracts is that players have to complete their under-20 seasons with their European rights-holders if they don’t make the NHL.

They can attend their NHL teams’ training camps, and play in exhibition games (as Michael Brandsegg-Nygard did last season) but then they have to complete their 18-year-old and 19-year-old seasons with their European teams.

Duff also noted Kiiskinen’s self-described best skill (scoring) and the area which he believes needs improvement (his skating):

Last season, Kiiskinen led HPK in scoring with 14-30-44 totals, despite losing 14 games to injury.

“Just got better,” is his explanation for the strong season.

He also believes that those numbers might be a bit misleading when it comes to exhibiting the strengths of his game.

“I think I’m still like a scorer and like a shoot-first player,” Kiiskinen said. “Maybe the stats don’t show that because I had a lot of assists and more than goals, but I like to still make plays and make a goal. I still love scoring and have loved that all my life.”

Continued

The Hockey News’s Adam Proteau chose a set of six teams with significant salary cap space remaining, and he suggests that each of these teams should “make a splash” to maximize their salary cap space’s punch. He includes the Red Wings in his list:

Detroit Red Wings

Cap Space: $12.0 million

The Red Wings acquired John Gibson to be their starter in net and signed role players Mason Appleton, James van Riemsdyk and Jacob Bernard-Docker in free agency. Gibson can be a difference-maker, but those other three players aren’t needle-movers in any sense.

Thus, in a highly competitive Atlantic Division, we still don’t see Detroit as a playoff team right now. But Wings GM Steve Yzerman still has cap space to use in trades. His team lacks sufficient high-end talent to compete with Atlantic front-runners, such as the defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

So far during his time as Detroit GM, Yzerman’s biggest trade acquisition was arguably Alex DeBrincat. He missed out on finding another Grade-A skater in free agency, so unless he pulls off a blockbuster, we’re skeptical he’ll be able to acquire the talent he needs to put his group into legitimate playoff contention. Gibson will be the X-factor if the roster stays as it is.

Continued; I would prefer to see Yzerman make a trade of some sort, but I have a bad feeling that we are where we are in terms of the Red Wings’ roster.

Red Wings prospect and CSKA Moscow forward Dmitri Buchelnikov gave an interview to Sport24.ru’s Nadezhda Tonkonog recently, after taking part in a charity game called “The Match of the World,” and we’re getting two translations thereof today.

First, from Red Wings Prospects on Twitter:

"You have to think about leaving for America from the heart. The NHL is almost everyone's dream." Interview with CSKA newcomer Buchelnikov
By Надежда Тонконог loosely translated. Only the Detroit related stuff. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/IbUnHNX5WF

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) July 9, 2025

Other paraphrased notes from the article.
•enjoyed the 3v3
•hoped Roman Rotenberg could save Vityaz
•according to the KHL couldn’t return to SKA
•excited to work with Igor Nikitin the school of Leonid Grigorievich Tambiev prepared him
•Vityaz still owes him money

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) July 9, 2025

Second, from the Hockey News’s Michael Whitaker:

Michigan State University posted this Tweet a couple of hours ago, and I’m catching up, so…

Academic Weapons ✅

Trey Augustine and Matt Basgall have been named @CollSportsComm Academic All-Americans!

Augustine is the first first-teamer for MSU since Jeff Lerg in 2009, while Basgall was named to the third team#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/JttDzjh3ie

— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) July 9, 2025

Per MSUSpartans.com:

NHL.com’s Mike G. Morreale spotlights NCAA prospects not named Gavin McKenna today (McKenna, the top prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft, spurned MSU to sign with Penn State yesterday evening), and Morreale gives a shout-out to Red Wings prospect and Michigan State University goaltender Trey Augustine:

Trey Augustine, G, Michigan State

Selected by the Detroit Red Wings with No. 41 pick in 2023 NHL Draft

The youngest starting goalie in college hockey was a First Team All-American and Big Ten goalie of the year winner in 2024-25. The 20-year-old has helped elevate the Spartans into the national spotlight, backstopping them to consecutive Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles — the first team in league history to accomplish that. Augustine’s .924 save percentage as a junior this season was the best since Jake Hildebrand’s .930 in 2014-15. He finished 19-7-4 with three shutouts, and his 2.08 goals-against average was the lowest since Jeff Lerg (1.94) in 2005-06.

Continued

Again, I’m no fan of mid-summer free agency speculation, but the Hockey News’s Jake Tye posted an article which gets at least 2 of 3 recommendations for the Red Wings “right.” I believe that 28-year-old defenseman Oliver Kylington and 31-year-old Matt Grzelcyk could both fit in on the Red Wings’ blueline:

Oliver Kylington – LHD

The 28-year-old blueliner has struggled through different ailments over recent years with his most recent battle being with his mental health. Kylington has played just 54 games over the last two seasons and recorded 13 points during that span. 

The Swedish defenceman has shown to be an impact player in the past with nine goals and 22 assists for 31 points through 73 games during the 2021-22 season with the Calgary Flames. Kylington could be a useful option with the expectation being a bottom pairing role as he could work in with Albert Johansson. 

His confidence and hopefully his mental health could be built up in one of the best organizations in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins. This could provide him with a massive boost in his overall confidence and tap back into his high upside as a second round pick back in 2015 by the Flames. His last 23 AHL games went as good as you can expect from a defenceman, as he totalled ten goals and seven assists for 17 points.

Matt Grzelcyk – LHD

The top producing free agent left on the board is the Penguins blueliner, who is coming off a big season with the Penguins, where he put up a solid 40 points with over 20 minutes of ice-time per game. His 40 points had him tied for 26th in points by defenceman with his name in the same conversation as other difference making defenceman like Edmonton’s Jake Walman and St. Louis’s Cam Fowler. 

The 31-year-old is likely looking for a bit of term to carry him into his mid- to late-30s and it appears teams aren’t willing to meet him there. As a regular 20-30 point player he would likely work as a solid middle pairing defenceman that can handle serious minutes. 

Detroit GM Steve Yzerman has made it clear he doesn’t want to block pathways for young up-and-coming players, which makes this add not as likely but would add an immediate improvement to their blueline. He likely slides into the second pairing with Jacob Bernard-Docker while Ben Chiarot could look to work in with Johansson. 

Continued; I’m not as much of a fan of Tye’s suggestion that the Red Wings could sign 29-year-old goalie Alexandar Georgiev as a 3rd goaltender, but that’s just me.

If we’re going to be talking about potential free middle-of-the-summer free agent targets for the Red Wings, they should be realistic, and Kylington and Grzelcyk are two players who fit the Wings’ “type.”

The World Junior Summer Showcase is being held in Minneapolis, Minnesota this year, and two Red Wings prospects will take part after being named to the WJSS roster today.

Defenseman John Whipple, a 2024 draft pick (144th overall) and center Max Plante, a 2025 draft pick (47th overall) are both taking part, and it’s convenient for both players as the WJSS is taking place at the University of Minnesota. Whipple plays for the Golden Gophers, and Plante plays for the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.

Update: NHL.com reports that Red Wings 2025 draft pick Eddie Genborg will attend the WJSS for Sweden.