Author: George Malik

Bleacher Report’s Lyle Richardson looks toward the 2026-2027 trade deadline this morning, making predictions as to whether 5 players might find new homes.

I’m a little confused about this predictive trade involving the Red Wings’ Alex DeBrincat:

Alex DeBrincat to the Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres ended a 14-year playoff drought last season, finishing first in the Atlantic Division and reaching the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. That performance will put them under pressure this season to do even better and take the next step toward Stanley Cup contention.

Having traded Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals, the Sabres could be in the market for a top-six winger by the trade deadline if they haven’t addressed that need by then. If the Detroit Red Wings are out of playoff contention again, winger Alex DeBrincat could be available.

Red Wings prospect and University of Minnesota-Duluth forward Max Plante appeared on the “Crazy Hockey Dads Podcast” recently, appearing from the 34-minute mark until the 1 hour and 48 minute mark, which is a very long interview!

To quote the podcast webpage:

The 2026 Hobey Baker winner on late growth, betting on himself, and chasing big dreams. Scott and Jamie sit down with Max Plante for a conversation that has surprisingly little to do with trophies and everything to do with development.

Max shares how he was just 5’4″, 120 pounds when he left Minnesota high school hockey for the NTDP, why many people questioned the decision, and how learning to compete as one of the smallest players on the ice ultimately became one of his biggest advantages.

He also talks about growing up in Hermantown, playing every sport he could, the influence of his hockey family, battling through injuries, winning World Juniors gold, and why pushing yourself into uncomfortable situations is often the fastest path to growth.

Give ‘er a listen/watch if you wish.

Hockeynews.se’s Linnea Andersson reports that Red Wings prospect defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka felt some pangs of missing home as he kept up with his hometown team, Skelleftea AIK, as Skelleftea battled its way to a SHL Championship this past spring…

And ASP suggested that he may end up returning home to play for Skelleftea again…maybe…in 15 years:

The words about Skelleftea AIK: “In 15 years hopefully it will attract me”

Axel Sandin Pellikka played in 68 NHL games during his rookie season in Detroit. But when Skellefteå AIK won the SM-gold, ASP sat in front of his TV in North America – and couldn’t help but feel that he wanted to be there.

Axel Sandin Pellikka experienced a dream season in North America.

The NHL debuted for the Detroit Red Wings, played 68 games and scored seven goals in his first season in the world’s best league.

At the same time, he followed every step of Skellefteå AIK’s path towards the Swedish Championship.

“I sat in a hotel room during the AHL playoffs for Grand Rapids and watched. There were big smiles and many congratulations that I sent away,” he says to Norran.

“You would have liked to join.”

Sandin Pellikka himself was involved in winning SM gold with Skellefteå in 2024, and admits that it roused special feelings to see the former teammates lift the SHL’s Le Mat Trophy again.

“I felt a little little “fomo” (fear of missing out). But it was fun to see too,” he told Norran[‘s Mille Dybro].

The defenseman said he followed Skellefteå’s matches as often as he could, and was never particularly worried about the outcome of the playoffs.

He describes the team’s performance as a total dominance, and believes that he felt that gold would end up with Skellefteå early on.

“Would be the best option.”

Despite the fact that his NHL career has just taken off, there are already thoughts of a return to the SHL later on.

“Maybe in 15 years, of course, it will be time to come home, and Skellefteå AIK would be the best option,” he told Norran.

After a promising debut season, a new season awaits with Detroit – but the feelings for his “parent club” are still strong.

So Dylan Larkin either has or has not expanded his list of approved teams to which he would accept a trade from Florida, Vegas and Minnesota to Dallas as well, or Larkin has not done so, depending on whether you believe MLive’s Ansar Khan or the Free Press’s Helene St. James, both of whom I believe are well-meaning here.

We know this isn’t coming from Steve Yzerman or the Red Wings’ management team, because they don’t interact with the media save for press conferences, and we know that this isn’t coming from the player, because Dylan Larkin has posted two Instagram stories about attending hockey games, and one July 4th post consisting of a photo of Larkin and Zach Werenski celebrating Olympic gold.

Logically, the news regarding the player’s trade list has to be coming from the player’s representation, and that’s mega-agent Pat Brisson in this instance.

And yes, we all know by now that Brisson also steered Sergei Fedorov’s divorce from the Red Wings some 23 years ago, and that, somewhat ironically, Brisson happens to be Patrick Kane’s agent.

Anyway, I really don’t give a shit as to whether Larkin’s approved trade list is restricted to 3 or has opened up to 4 teams. In any case, making a trade in which the Red Wings receive commensurate value for Larkin, regardless of whether he’s really a #1 center, is going to be tough.

My “spidey sense” about this situation has always been that the Wings will have to find a third team to swap out the “future assets” they receive for present-day contributors. I just don’t believe that the teams Larkin wants to be traded to have any inclination to trade the “help now” assets which Detroit requires.

The Grand Rapids Griffins released their 2026-2027 regular season schedule today, and the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate posted a 7:38 video which presents the schedule in visual form. The video is titled, “Our AHL,” and it’s an extremely clever “nature documentary” spoofing a David Attenborough film:

The Athletic’s Scott Powers, Mark Lazerus and Matthew Fairburn discuss which teams they believe offer free agent forward Patrick Kane the “best fit” this summer…

And in doing so, they discuss only two options: Kane heading “home” to Buffalo to join his hometown Sabres, or Kane returning to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Among their arguments…

The Grand Rapids Griffins have released their 2026-2027 regular season schedule this afternoon:

Plot twist: your calendar just got a lot more exciting 🗓️‼️

MORE INFO | 🔗 https://t.co/kw1vGQRZx6 pic.twitter.com/QXPzXauMVr

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) July 9, 2026

Here’s the Griffins’ press release, which highlights important dates on the GRG schedule:

GRIFFINS ANNOUNCE 2026-27 SCHEDULE

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins on Thursday announced their schedule for the 2026-27 American Hockey League season. It will mark the franchise’s 31st campaign overall, 26th as a member of the AHL, and 25th as the primary affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings.

Under fourth-year head coach Dan Watson, the Griffins will begin a 72-game schedule when they travel to Rocket Arena to face the Cleveland Monsters on Friday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. Grand Rapids will return to Van Andel Arena for Opening Night presented by Huntington Bank on Friday, Oct. 9 when it welcomes the Manitoba Moose. Oct. 2 represents the second-earliest season opener in franchise history (Oct. 1, 1999 at Detroit), while Oct. 9 will mark the Griffins’ earliest home opener in nine years (Oct. 6, 2017 vs. Manitoba).

The Free Press’s Helene St. James counters MLive’s Ansar Khan’s report suggesting that disgruntled Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has expanded his trade list from Florida, Vegas and Minnesota to include the Dallas Stars:

In the two-plus months since Larkin’s agent, Pat Brisson, requested a trade, Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has not received an offer he believes is worth his time from the three teams on the list Larkin submitted: The Florida Panthers, the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights.

The Wing have listened to other teams – as is their right – but no trade is forthcoming.

Brisson told USA TODAY/Detroit Free Press on Wednesday, July 8, that there was nothing new to report.

Larkin, who turns 30 on July 30, has five years left on a contract carrying an $8.7 million salary cap hit.

More to the Wings’ point, they’re already paid him, in actual salary, $31 million, making his contract all the more favorable.

The Wings are not interested in future assets in this potential trade. A person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY/Detroit Free Press on condition on anonymity that Yzerman is prepared for Larkin to report to camp rather than trade him for the sake of trading him.

Yesterday, the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan profiled Red Wings goaltending prospect Michal Orsulak, a 2026 draft pick, and, this morning, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff offers more information regarding Orsulak’s pedigree:

His list of accomplishments also included helping Czechia win a silver medal at the World Junior Championships. Some teams had Orsulak ranked as high as second among the draft-eligible goalies.

The Red Wings saw him often because they were scouting defenseman Justice Christensen who was Orsulak’s Prince Albert teammate. They ended up signing Christensen for their Grand Rapids affiliate.

“We had a lot of eyes on (Orsulak) and we’re able to watch him play a lot,” Draper said. “And just watching the size, the compete, the way he moves, we just felt that, with where we were in the draft, we felt it was a real good pick.”

Orsulak is a particularly large netminder, and he catches with his right hand…

Red Wings forward Emmitt Finnie was named the team’s rookie of the year for the 2025-2026 season, as picked by the Detroit Sports Media:

EMMITT FINNIE NAMED RED WINGS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR BY DETROIT SPORTS MEDIA

  … 2023 Seventh-Round Pick Recorded 30 Points in 82 Games with Detroit in 2025-26 …

DETROIT – Detroit Red Wings forward Emmitt Finnie has been named the 2025-26 Red Wings Rookie of the Year by the Detroit Sports Media (DSM).