Author: George Malik

The Red Wings hosted three Russian players at their Summer Development Camp this past week at the BELFOR Training Center underneath Little Caesars Arena. Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff took note of their presence, as well as Red Wings director of player development Dan Cleary’s take on the trio’s performance in a learning environment:

Detroit, a team known for rostering some of the best Russian hockey players in NHL history, hosted three young KHL players over the past week, including free agent invites Yegor Vinagradov and Yaroslav Busygin, alongside 2025 sixth-round pick Nikita Tyurin

“It was good to finally see him [Tyurin.] You know, three of them together are like thick as thieves, these guys. They had a great time. Got to watch and do some baseball, they got to go shopping… I hope they enjoyed it,” Director of prospect development Dan Cleary said.

The Red Wings probably have little to no shot of signing Vinagradov or Busygin, but the Wings afford all their development camp invitees with the same level of instruction.

As such, Duff reports that the Russian players did run into a language barrier from time to time, but the Wings’ skill development coaches made sure that everything worked out for the best:

For Independence Day, the Detroit News’s Bob Wojnowski wonders aloud whether the Red Wings or Pistons could deliver summertime trade fireworks to the Detroit sports scene.

Wojnowski suggests that the Dylan Larkin situation provides Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman with an inflection point…

Possible Wings firework: Trade Larkin to Minnesota, one of his preferred destinations, but only if the Wild surrender young star Matt Boldy, 25. Minnesota reportedly is saying no way, at least not yet, instead offering less-enticing names such as Danila Yurov and Charlie Stramel. I doubt Yzerman will let the Larkin situation simmer into training camp, but he can’t (and shouldn’t) cave. Larkin, 29, reportedly is coveted by a couple of teams who lack the prime assets to make a deal, so it could take time.

1. I don’t think that the Wild are trading Matt Boldy for Dylan Larkin. No matter what. As far as I’m concerned, trading Matt Boldy is to Minnesota what trading Moritz Seider is for Detroit–unthinkable.
2. But wait, there’s more:

Yzerman still has a chance to turn a disaster into an opportunity. He signed tenacious free-agent forward Viktor Arvidsson and rugged forward Keegan Kolesar, both addressing a gnawing need: Toughness. In addition to missing the playoffs for 10 years, the Wings often get pushed around like empty jerseys.

The roster needs a purge, and if that means the departure of 37-year-old Patrick Kane, so be it. It wouldn’t be ideal – and Yzerman has said he wants to keep him — but way too many veterans are clogging the ice and the salary cap. Yzerman is mostly to blame for his lack of trade chips, so he can’t blow the one that was handed to him by Larkin’s demand.

I don’t usually disagree with “Wojo,” but I think that the Red Wings have more “trade chips” than one would imagine. The problem is that they’re not on Steve Yzerman’s mind as “trade chips,” but instead, as prospects and possible roster contributors.

Anyway…

As Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen notes, with each passing hour, it feels more and more likely that the Red Wings’ Patrick Kane era is over. That’s both disappointing and a little concerning, because the free agent marketplace is particularly thin at forward:

The best remaining UFA forwards are Claude Giroux, Michael Bunting, Adam Henrique, Eeli Tovanen, Anthony Mantha, Vladimir Tarasenko and James van Riemsdyk. The last three are probably not an option under a been-there-done-that mindset. Giroux is interesting, but he has not been linked to Detroit.

Tolvanen has been linked to Detroit because he has the ability to score 16 to 20 goals while recording 200 hits per season. Tolvanen is likely to get a four-year deal worth at least $4.5 million per season.

Keep in mind that Dylan Larkin is making $8.7 million. If or when they trade him, depending upon the return, they could end up with more cap space.

At this point, the best hope of plugging holes may come from the players coming back in the Larkin trade. GM Steve Yzerman has made it clear that he wants a return that helps the Red Wings now, not four years from now.

The Red Wings are also looking at possible trades, although the No. 1 trade option Vince Trocheck is now in Utah.

Continued; at this point, I’m on Team Tolvanen, because he’s very well-balanced, but I honestly believe that the Red Wings will have to make a trade to address their needs at center in addition to trading Dylan Larkin for whatever return he provides.

None of the teams that Larkin has been linked to, both on his trade list and off of it, are willing to trade the kind of #1/2 center that Detroit will need, so the Wings will either have to make a secondary trade, or they’ll have to hope that the situation rectifies itself organically via prospects and an in-season trade.

This morning, the Red Wings’ press corps discussed the intangibles that new Red Wings forward Keegan Kolesar brings to the team in his physicality and leadership. This afternoon, MLive’s Ansar Khan focuses on the Kolesar’s leadership abilities…

“Just talking to guys now, it felt like there was a missing piece, maybe an identity of just having that, not the fighting aspect, but more the toughness of being hard to play against, being a veteran presence on the front end, bringing guys into the fight,” Kolesar, 29, said. “I think that’s something I can provide. With the skill that they have, that part of the game is fine for them. They have a lot of young studs who I have felt have been good for a number of years and are tough to play against. I just want to bring whatever I can to (form) more of an identity to the team.

“You try to bring guys into the fight every night. If I can be one of those older guys that comes in and shows guys that we’re going to go in there to trenches tonight and see who wants to follow me and, maybe it uplifts the guys a little bit more.”

Not everyone is suddenly going to be abrasive, but that element can become contagious. It was well worth relinquishing third- and seventh-round picks to acquire.

“I think when you have that in your lineup, it makes everyone play a little bit tougher,” Kolesar said. “You can play a little bit more confident when you have someone that is going to go in the trenches and do all the dirty work.”

Continued (paywall); 97.1 the Ticket’s Will Burchfield also took note of Kolesar’s comments regarding the aspects in which he’ll improve the Wings’ forechecking game…

After four seasons playing for the WHL’s Everett Silvertips, Red Wings prospect forward Carter Bear will “turn pro” this upcoming season. As such, Bear told the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan that he’s getting ready for the transition from Major Junior hockey to the AHL:

“It’s pro now, and it’s a whole level of hockey,” Bear said this week at the Wings’ development camp. “It’s different than junior. It’s faster and you have to be smarter and stronger. I just have to work on my game, that’s what Detroit wants me to focus on and I trust Detroit on whatever their best development is for me. I trust them with that and it’ll all work out.”

Bear suffered a torn Achilles tendon in March 2025, but was able to be ready for Wings’ training camp, where he impressed with his competitiveness, intelligence on the ice and ability to score.

After a slow start, Bear heated up the second half of the season in Everett and finished with 36 goals and 41 assists (77 points) with a plus-45 rating in 53 games. Bear was outstanding in the playoffs, helping Everett to the WHL championship and trip to the Memorial Cup, with 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 18 games, with a plus-22 rating.

“I don’t really like to put any excuse on it,” Bear said of the average start. “I just started playing and (the injury) went away from my mind and started feeling normal. It’s all healthy now, for sure.”

Red Wings director of player development Dan Cleary told Kulfan that Bear, who turns 20 this November, does need to improve in several categories:

The Red Wings woke up this morning to post a “hype reel” illustrating that trade acquisition Keegan Kolesar can offer depth scoring and hard hitting, and I’ve got it on repeat as I await Patrick Kane’s free agency decision on Twitter:

Bringin' the boom 💪 pic.twitter.com/3LI9rnyYT2

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 3, 2026

Again, Kolesar is a bottom-six forward, but the 29-year-old’s toughness and leadership are two qualities that the Wings’ lineup has lacked for some time. It’s going to be better having this big guy (6’2,” 216 pounds) in the lineup.

Via Red Wings Prospects on Twitter, the Red Wings signed forward Wilmer Skoog to a 1-year contract to add depth to the organization’s forward corps, but the 6’2,” 198-pound forward told Hockeysverige.se’s Ronnie Ronnqvist that he’s excited about joining the Wings’ organization.

What follows is roughly translated:

Swedish forward Wilmer Skoog initially received information that he would remain in Florida. Instead, the Swede ended up on the free agent marketplace, and signed with Detroit.

“I had been informed that I could expect to be offered a contract,” he told hockeysverige.se after Florida’s sudden swing.

At the end of the last season Wilmer Skoog made his NHL debut with Florida. But for the upcoming season, it will be a different team for the Tyresö/Hanviken-educated forward. He signed with the Detroit Red Wings.

The Florida Panthers released my rights, so we looked around a bit. Then Detroit felt like a good opportunity and a new challenge, so it will be a lot of fun to get there,” says the 26-year-old when hockeysverige.se meets him after a practice at Stora Mossen.

Was it disappointing when Florida released your rights?

“There was no disappointment, but I was a little surprised. I then saw most opportunities were to be able to talk to other teams, and see where there was interest.”

Wilmer Skoog chose the Detroit Red Wings.

There was also interest from other teams.

“We talked about a few different options, but Detroit felt good and I’m looking forward to it.”

New Red Wings forward Keegan Kolesar introduced himself to the Wings’ media corps on Thursday, discussing his desire to bring a physical element to his new team’s “bottom six.”

This morning, the Free Press’s Helene St. James offers more from Kolesar’s introductory press conference, noting that Kolesar’s having a somewhat difficult time dealing with the first trade of his NHL career:

Kolesar sounded both wistful and wishful the day after he was traded from the only NHL team he has known to the Detroit Red Wings. One the one hand: He’s used to winning, and to being in the playoffs. On the other hand: It’s nice to be wanted.

“It’s tough when you hear news like that because your whole life changes,” Kolesar said on Thursday, July 2. “But I also look at it as like I’m in the NHL, on an Original Six team. Life’s good.”

As St. James also notes, Kolesar brings the toughness to the back half of the Wings’ forward lineup that Detroit’s lacked over the past half-dozen seasons:

Of Red Wings-related note this evening:

1. Sportsnet’s Justin Bourne offers “two sentences” regarding every notable free agent signing, and, as the Red Wings made two notable free agent signings in Viktor Arvidsson and Daniil Tarasov (Keegan Kolesar was brought in via trade)…

Bourne offers this regarding the 33-year-old Arvidsson, who posted 25 goals and 54 points in 69 games last season…

Arvidsson is one of those guys who, when he’s healthy, is easy to love. Small but lays it all on the line, goes to the net, but his availability will be a question mark.

And this regarding Tarasov, a 27-year-old who stands at a massive 6’5″ and 196 pounds:

Big, young, and actually had better numbers than Bobrovsky in Florida last year. The goalie market is a crapshoot, though, so who knows.

2. This is just plain old neat. Hetrik.sk, a Slovakian sports website, reports that the goaltending coach for the legendary Slovak team Dukla Trencin took part in the Red Wings’ Summer Development Camp (and what follows is roughly translated):

I’m not certain why this is/was the case, but the coverage of the Red Wings’ annual Summer Development Camp was hit-and-miss this past week.

The Wings themselves at least posted daily press conference videos and some cute/insightful behind-the-scenes stuff, but the scrimmage-less camp didn’t include the usual broadcast from the rink or commentary from Kris Draper regarding the Wings’ newest prospects.

The beat writers seemed preoccupied with Dylan Larkin’s situation, Patrick Kane’s situation, and Detroit’s free agency performance (or the lack thereof), too–understandably so–but they’ve already moved on to post-free agency and offseason coverage for the most part.

As such, the local news media didn’t really head down to LCA for video hits, and while the Detroit News’s David Guralnick posted his annual 65 image photo gallery from the BELFOR Training Center on Monday, and I’m sure that Max (Bultman) will offer some observations from the SDC at some point soon…

I was surprised when I spotted a 1:50 video from WNEM 5’s Cole Martens, who gave us a full-fledged sports report, comments from Red Wings director of player development Dan Cleary and prospect forward JP Hurlbert included: