Bleacher Report’s Lyle Richardson discusses 5 trade rumors as “BS or not BS” (assume that the abbreviation means what you think it does) this morning, and he’s got the right idea regarding the Minnesota Wild’s pursuit of disgruntled Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin:

Minnesota Wild Can’t Afford to Acquire Dylan Larkin

In early June, it was first reported that Dylan Larkin requested a trade. That made the 30-year-old Detroit Red Wings center a fixture in the rumor mill and earned him a spot on our August NHL Trade Targets list.

Larkin has a full no-movement clause, but is reportedly willing to waive it for the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, and Dallas Stars. According to MLive.com’s Ansar Khan, the Wild were his preferred landing spot, but they might be unable to meet the Wings’ asking price.

Khan stated the Red Wings sought, at minimum, a top-six forward (preferably a center) in return for Larkin. However, the Wild aren’t parting with that type of asset, and Khan indicated the Red Wings aren’t interested in a return of futures such as draft picks and prospects.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff wonders aloud whether Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Marco Kasper or Albert Johansson can “break out” offensively over the course of the upcoming season. We’ll examine his take on Johansson as more production from #20 may push him up the Wings’ depth chart:

Does Albert Johansson Have More Offense in Him?

As a third-pairing defender, Albert Johansson has proven to be a steadying presence. He’s not spectacular at anything, but the fact that he recognizes his limitations and plays within himself has helped to make Johansson effective in his role.

On those rare occasions when he goes on offensive forays, Johansson has produced some highlight-reel goals.

He’s scored three goals in each of the past two seasons. Does Johansson have more to give in attack? He thinks so.

“I would say I was maybe a little bit more offensive defenseman back home in Sweden when I played there,” Johansson said. “And then since I came over here, I focus a lot on my defensive game. I think I’ve been taking steps in that way, and now I feel like my offensive game kind of shows up a little bit more over here, too.”

Continued; Johansson could propel the Red Wings’ defensive depth forward even if he’s only able to push himself to producing offense at a semi-regular pace.

The Red Wings signed 19-year-old winger Eddie Genborg to an entry level contract this past spring, but it’s expected that the Wings will allow Genborg to remain with Timra IK of the SHL this upcoming season.

This morning, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff profiles the 6’2,” 198-pound Genborg:

Three Reasons Why Genborg Will Play in the NHL

1. He’s an agitating presence. Genborg is a going concern. He will antagonize other teams.
2. The kid can score. No, Genborg won’t be a 30-40 goal scorer as an NHLer. But 13-15 goals per year and being hard to play against will keep you in the league for a long time.
3. His physical play. Genborg isn’t merely a rat. He delivers massive body checks that can change the momentum of a game.

What May Hold Him Back

Genborg faces the same question that dogs many up-and-comers. Can he score enough at the NHL level? There’s also the worry whether his energetic, fearless style of play will make him more susceptible to injury.

Continued; Genborg may end up being another Tomas Holmstrom-like player, and the Red Wings need that kind of player very badly.

In the Alanis Morissette sense of the term, this is truly “ironic.” It’s bemusingly funny in the “darkly humorous” sense of the term that the NHL Network named disgruntled Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin its 20th-best center on Sunday evening:

20. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings captain had 67 points (34 goals, 33 assists) in 74 games last season, including 24 power-play points. He has at least 30 goals in each of his past five seasons, one of seven players to have done so (Kyle Connor, Leon Draisaitl, Jake Guentzel, Nathan MacKinnon, William Nylander, Alex Ovechkin). Larkin has at least 13 power-play goals in each of his past four seasons and has won at least 52 percent of his face-offs in that time. He also had three points (two goals, one assist) in six games to help Team USA win the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Continued; somebody tell Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin that Larkin was named one of the NHL Network’s Top 20 centers for the past two years running (he was 15th last year).

We’re grinding it out here in South Lyon. Aunt Annie remains bed-bound, and she’s battling significant side effects from a heavy antibiotic being used to rid her of chronic UTI’s.

I worked myself ill this past week, and I’ve tried to recover via some actual rest and recuperation on Saturday, but it’s difficult when I’m “on call” so very regularly.

We’re pretty tired and burnt out right now…

But we’re also feeling incredibly grateful and humbled by your generosity in terms of our dual fundraisers.

Aunt Annie’s about $400 from her goal on the GoFundMe, and I’m about $200 from my goal for the server fees. It’s going to be difficult to push through those numbers, but they’re entirely possible to meet over the course of the next week.

If you’re willing to lend a hand, here are the details:

WXYZ’s Brad Galli posted an interview with Red Wings TV play-by-play broadcaster Ken Daniels this morning, conducting a 21-minute interview in which Daniels discusses the Red Wings, the Jamie Daniels Foundation and the imminent Roast of Chris Osgood:

Red Wings TV play-by-play broadcaster Ken Daniels joins me on the newest episode of The Brad Galli Show.

We sat down in his backyard to discuss the tumultuous Red Wings offseason. He also spoke extensively on the Jamie Daniels Foundation.

▶️ Watch: https://t.co/6jiQQaNFB8

The… pic.twitter.com/BMG4pWpLbQ

— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) August 23, 2026

Detroit Hockey Now’s Max Smith profiles Red Wings 2026 first round draft pick JP Hurlbert this morning, discussing the 6,’ 190-pound forward’s pluses and minuses.

Hurlbert scored 42 goals in 68 games with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers last season, and he’s going to enter his freshman season with the University of Michigan Wolverines this fall:

Three Reasons Why Hurlbert Will Play in the NHL

1. Hurlbert’s a scorer, plain and simple. If he gets the puck on his stick and he thinks he has a shot, he’ll take it. With 42 goals on 294 shots on goal, he’s good for a point on about 14.5% of his
2. Hurlbert is a high character, high motivation player. While he faces some physical limitations in the checking and defensive game, there’s no question about him trying.
3. He’s got plenty of runway to develop more dimensions to his game. Hurlbert wasn’t commonly viewed as a first round pick going into the year, and found himself going in the Top 25 on actual draft day.

What May Hold Hurlbert Back

The biggest problem Hurlbert faces as a hockey player is his ability to find a second gear. Hurlbert’s speed isn’t one of his greatest strengths, and with a lack of size at the moment to make up for that missing speed, he can sometimes find it hard to get separation from opposing skaters. Shooting from anywhere is one thing, but he has to actually get to those spots somewhat cleanly if he wants to make an impact on the scoresheet.

Continued; Hurlbert’s got issues to fix in terms of his skating and “compete level,” but he’s only 18, and he’ll be playing for coach Brandon Naurato and the Wolverines’ hockey machine this upcoming season. That should provide Hurlbert with a “learning environment” both on and off the ice.

The Hockey News’s Michael Whitaker reports that disgruntled Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin was spotted golfing with Detroit Lions players Aidan Hutchinson and Amon-Ra St. Brown as part of a promotion for “4th And Fore,” a clothing company owned by Hutchinson. Here are the two Instagram videos of Larkin, Hutchinson and St. Brown facing off in a “2 vs. 2,” with Larkin and Cam Kostus battling Hutchinson and St. Brown.

There are some Instagram highlights from the event…

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen describes defenseman Shai Buium, center Ondrej Becher and left wing John Leonard as “on the clock” to make the Red Wings’ NHL roster.

Buium, 23, needs to get back into the conversation about the Red Wings’ depth defenders with NHL potential, and Becher, 22, could very well impress as a center in an organization with not-so-much depth at the position…Leonard is the oldest of the three, but the stakes may be highest for the 28-year-old:

Left Wing John Leonard, signed as free agent

At 28, Leonard isn’t truly a prospect. He’s a journeyman who has played 81 NHL games. But the former UMass-Amherst player is also a late bloomer.

Counting playoff games, Leonard has netted 78 goals and registered 134 points in his last 145 AHL games.

This could be both his best and last time to show an NHL team he can score at the NHL level. The Red Wings are among the NHL’s weakest scoring teams and there will be a new director of hockey operations in charge. This will be a man looking for solutions. If he watches Leonard light up the AHL, he may give Leonard the real shot that GM Steve Yzerman did not.

Leonard did not look out of place in the first nine-game call-up he had to Detroit last season. He had two goals and two assists. Leonard can get open around the net.

Allen continues, and I’m very curious what happens to the 5’11,” 190-pound winger. He possesses a scoring punch that the Red Wings lack from their “bottom six,” and while he doesn’t have James van Riemsdyk’s size or Patrick Kane’s hands, he could be utilized as a stop-gap solution for the Wings’ third and fourth lines.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff adds interesting quotes from Moritz Seider to the mix this morning, as made by the Red Wings defenseman during the NHL/NHLPA European Player Media Tour, per Eishockeynews.de’s Michael Bauer:

As to the departure of GM Steve Yzerman and the ongoing search for his successor as training camp nears, Seider figures that element is out of his control.

“I’m stumped on that one,” Seider said. “I’m glad our owner (Chris Ilitch) can handle that.”

He readily admits to being completely caught off guard by Larkin’s early summer request for a trade.

“That wasn’t exactly something you saw coming,” Seider said. He may be in the minority, but Seider won’t criticize Larkin’s choice to leave. “Everyone certainly has their reasons for making certain decisions. Whether I or we approve of it is not for us to answer. But it’s clear that we’re a better team when Dylan Larkin is on the roster and playing than when he isn’t.”

Unable to solve either crisis, Seider instead focuses on what’s within his control.

“My summer training, my diet, my sleep, and how I prepare for the season,” Seider set as his offseason focus.

Seider readily admits to Bauer that the Red Wings’ annual March slide has doomed their playoff chances over the last couple of seasons, but #53 also suggests that the Wings must come out strong in order to battle against a difficult second-half-of-the-season performance:

“This season, it’s more important that we can block out the surrounding noise,” Seider said. “Therefore, the start of the season is much more important than in March or around the trade deadline.”

Duff and Bauer continue…