Author: George Malik

Long-time NHL analyst Barry Melrose has passed away at 70 years of age. If you grew up in the 90’s or 00’s, Melrose and John Buccigross were welcome sights on ESPN’s NHL broadcasts and the “NHL 2Night,” the highlight show that was a lifeline for hockey fans across the United States.

Barry Melrose, the former NHL player and coach who was a beloved, longtime hockey analyst for ESPN, died Wednesday, his wife, Cindy, told ESPN's Steve Levy. He was 70. https://t.co/68PGbK6rkI

— ESPN (@espn) September 10, 2026

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Barry Melrose.

Barry played parts of two seasons with Detroit and was a Calder Cup-winning coach with the Adirondack Red Wings. He would go on to have an immeasurable impact on the entire hockey world as a beloved TV analyst.… https://t.co/Y4mRateHsM pic.twitter.com/coL0jAkH1b

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 10, 2026

As Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff notes, Melrose once played for the Red Wings, and coached the Wings’ AHL team at the time, the Adirondack Red Wings, to a Calder Cup win in 1992…

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski offers this regarding Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat’s views on one Dylan Larkin:

“He makes our team better and I’m more than happy to have him as a teammate,” said DeBrincat, speaking at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

News broke in June that Larkin, 30, had requested a trade from Detroit. He has a full no-trade clause in his contract through the 2027-28 season.

Sources told ESPN that issues between Larkin and Detroit management had been brewing for a while, dating back to testy contract negotiations in 2023. Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman abruptly stepped down in July after seven seasons — none of them resulting in a playoff berth. The team has yet to name a new general manager.

The trade request stunned the NHL, given that Larkin is signed through 2030-31 season ($8.7 million AAV) and has been Detroit’s captain since 2020. DeBrincat said he’s been coming to terms with Larkin’s request — as a friend and teammate.

“I think sometimes in life you’ve got to make decisions for yourself. If that’s the case, and he feels the need to still be out, then that’s his decision,” he said. “Coming to Detroit, he really made me feel welcome and is obviously a great player.”

Continued

According to Octopus Thrower’s Jake Rivard, interim Red Wings GM Shawn Horcoff will not be considered as Steve Yzerman’s permanent successor as the GM and/or director of hockey operations:

The Detroit Red Wings are inching ever closer toward finally signing a general manager. Earlier this week, reports confirmed that Detroit Tigers general manager (and reported finalist for the position) Jeff Greenberg pulled himself out of consideration.

This time around, another candidate is out of consideration: assistant general manager (and interim GM) Shawn Horcoff.

According to Octopus Thrower Site Expert Jake Rivard, sources close to the matter have confirmed that Horcoff is no longer in the running for the GM role.

…

If Tony Wolak of The Hockey Writers‘ sources are believed to be correct, assistant general manager Kris Draper is out of consideration for the role, as well. The only remaining candidates, as of right now, are Brett Peterson, Scott White and Jeff Kealty. There could, of course, be another candidate out of left field, but these three are the most oft mentioned and sourced as finalists for the role.

Continued…We shall see. Hopefully soon.

Late yesterday evening, Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin offered a set of comments from Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat , made during the NHL’s Player Media Tour in Las Vegas (DeBrincat also spoke with NHL.com’s Nicholas J. Cotsonika), and this morning, he offers more from DeBrincat, including this regarding Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin…

“It sucks. Doesn’t really change what we think of him,” DeBrincat said Tuesday. “He’s still a great player. He’s been a great friend and a great teammate to me, and we obviously love him here. That’s kind of for him to answer, what’s next for him. But for us, I think it’s all the same. We’re happy to see him at the rink and happy to get started.”

And, despite Mr. Larkin’s objections, DeBrincat is optimistic about the Red Wings’ outlook for the upcoming season:

From the NHLPA:

NHLPA GOALS & DREAMS AND CLARK PARK COALITION TO CELEBRATE FORMER NHLPA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BOB GOODENOW’S LEGACY

… NHLPA Goals & Dreams to unveil a meaningful contribution supporting the next generation of hockey players at Clark Park

TORONTO (September 9, 2026) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association’s charitable arm, NHLPA Goals & Dreams, and the Clark Park Coalition will host a special community hockey event on September 15 to celebrate the enduring legacy of former longtime NHLPA Executive Director Bob Goodenow.

The event will bring together Clark Park youth hockey players and their families, members of the Goodenow family, NHLPA representatives, Clark Park leaders, former NHL players and community partners for an evening celebrating hockey’s ability to inspire, connect and create opportunity.

As part of the event, NHLPA Goals & Dreams will make a special announcement in support of Clark Park Coalition’s hockey program, a multi-season contribution to help more Detroit youth experience the game for seasons to come. The full details of the donation will be revealed during the event.

From the Grand Rapids Griffins:

GRIFFINS 2026-27 SINGLE-GAME TICKETS ON SALE NOW

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Single-game tickets for each of the Grand Rapids Griffins’ 36 regular-season home games at Van Andel Arena are on sale now through griffinshockey.com/tickets.

Under fourth-year head coach Dan Watson, the Griffins will begin the home portion of their 72-game slate on Friday, Oct. 9 against the Manitoba Moose with the Home Opener presented by Huntington Bank.

Griffins tickets can be purchased through the following methods (all purchases subject to a convenience charge):

• Online through griffinshockey.com/tickets;
• On the Griffins app, available for iPhone and Android;
• In person at The Zone at Van Andel Arena, beginning Oct. 1 (open 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday);
• By phone at (616) 774-4585 or (800) 2-HOCKEY.

Daily Faceoff’s Paul Pidutti posted a list of his “High Noon” rankings of the NHL’s top 40 defensemen, which includes data from the last three seasons of NHL activity in order to rank defensemen proportionally. Here’s what he has to say about Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider, who he ranks #20th…

Moritz Seider (#20), Detroit: Seider was exceptional last season by any measure, earning his fifth place finish in Norris voting and a handful of down-ballot Hart votes. If his ranking was based on 2025-26 alone, he’d be #9 in High Noon. But that was the first season the now 25-year-old topped 50 points or garnered Norris votes. While his special teams play is still shaky, Seider’s a great bet to shoot into the top 10 in 2027. He’s the real deal.

It’s worth noting that Simon Edvinsson also cracks Pidutti’s top 40 at #38, though there’s no comment about his ranking.

According to WXYZ’s Max White, “The Spot” Detroit 20 will air the Detroit PWHL franchise’s games this upcoming season:

The Spot Detroit – Detroit 20 will be the official broadcast partner of PWHL Detroit during its inaugural season, bringing the team’s games to free, over-the-air television in Detroit.

The partnership is part of a larger partnership between the PWHL and Scripps Sports, which is part of The Spot – Detroit 20’s parent company, E.W.Scripps. The Spot – Detroit 20 is also the broadcast partner of the Detroit Pistons.

Under the partnership between Scripps Sports and the PWHL, Scripps Sports will produce and televise a featured Saturday “Game of the Week” that will air exclusively in the U.S. on ION.

ION will also return as the exclusive home of the league’s Walter Cup Finals.

Continued

The Free Press’s Carlos Monarrez suggests that it’s a good thing that Jeff Greenberg exited the Red Wings’ GM search on Monday, and Monarrez’ second reason behind his reasoning is pertinent:

Let’s hope this indicates Ilitch will hire a true hockey person, meaning an NHL executive with extensive experience in a winning organization.

Those qualifications should be table stakes. But what I hope distinguishes a new GM with championship-caliber bona fides is having enough power and respect from Ilitch and his top aides to be left alone to do their job.

Even if that comes to fruition, I suspect the new GM will have to do things differently than Yzerman by keeping Ilitch in the loop better, explaining personnel strategy more clearly and embracing analytics.

In business parlance, it’s called managing up. In the vulgate of normal folk, it’s called smooching.

It’s an important skill for every working person with a boss. If the Wings’ next GM deploys this skill effectively, he may not only get Ilitch on his side a lot faster, but he might do something even far more impressive, like getting his owner to regularly attend games.

Continued (paywall);

I’m not expecting a miracle in terms of Christopher Ilitch spending as much time with the Red Wings as he spends time with the Detroit Tigers, but I do agree that aligning the front office with Ilitch’s sports practices is a logical course of action.

It’s not “managing up” or “smooching” as much as it is simplifying the managerial process, and that makes sense.

The rest of Monarrez’ rationale is worth reading, but this portion of his column is truly pertinent to the GM search.

On Monday, MLive’s Ansar Khan suggested that the Red Wings should simply hire interim GM Shawn Horcoff full-time to get their search process done and over with as training camp and the preseason are rapidly approaching.

This morning, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff suggests the same thing:

At this juncture, that might be the wisest course of action. The Wings could even give it to Horcoff on an interim basis for one year, and then begin the search for a GM anew next offseason.

If the Wings were planning on putting someone new in charge this close to the season, wouldn’t they have done it by now? Then again, if Horcoff were their first choice, wouldn’t he have been appointed by now?

In their summer of discontent, the Red Wings have managed to alienate their captain, remove a franchise icon as GM, and then not come up with a plan to replace him.

And now, time has just about run out.

Even if it is the default option, going with Horcoff might be their only option.

Continued at length…To me, the team’s got a couple more weeks before not having a GM hurts, and I’d like to see them get the “right guy.” But that’s just me.