Category: Uncategorized

Some final comments from Alex DeBrincat’s participation in the NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour

The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus filed a column full of notes from the NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour in Las Vegas, discussing the Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets’ situations as Dylan Larkin and Connor Hellebuyck want “out” of their respective cities:

DeBrincat, meanwhile, bristled at the idea that Larkin’s trade request and the front-office turmoil has stunted the long-brewing momentum of a rebuild nearly a decade in the making.

“I honestly wouldn’t even call it derailed,” he said. “I think we have a majority of our team coming back. Obviously, (Patrick Kane’s) gone, but we got a couple of additions that are really going to help us out. So going into the year, we’re looking essentially the same as we were last year. … I think it’s a fresh start. We can get our minds set and get confident again and learn from our mistakes last year.”

Still, that doesn’t take away the hurt when a friend and teammate wants out.

“It sucks,” DeBrincat said. “Doesn’t really change what we think of him. 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.”

DeBrincat also addressed his own situation as awaiting a contract extension:

“Winning is very important to me,” he said. “I think we’re a lot closer than people are giving us credit for. For being in Detroit, I’ve said it all along, I love it here. Ultimately, that’s where I want to end up. But there’s a lot of things that go into that, so we’ll see what happens when a new GM comes in. But overall, I love the guys, I love the team, love playing for the Red Wings.”

Continued (paywall)

Roughly translated: Expressen’s Nordstrom offers some ‘quick quips’ confirming that Simon Edvinsson’s in Detroit, waiting for his next contract to be negotiated

Expressen’s Gunnar Nordstrom offers a few quips and quotes from the principals around Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson this morning. This one isn’t exactly a blockbuster article, but I’m posting it for context’s sake. As per usual, this is roughly translated from Swedish:

Simon Edvinsson on his way to a new monster contract

LOS ANGELES. He’s going and waiting for a big pay rise.

But instead of sitting at home in Gothenburg and being depressed, NHL defender Simon Edvinsson, 23, has set off to the United States.

“Yes, I’m in Detroit now,” he told Expressen.

Continue reading Roughly translated: Expressen’s Nordstrom offers some ‘quick quips’ confirming that Simon Edvinsson’s in Detroit, waiting for his next contract to be negotiated

Reminder Tweet: The Red Wings’ 2026 prospect tournament starts tomorrow at the BELFOR Training Center

The Detroit Red Wings’ 2026 prospect tournament gets underway tomorrow at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center, and the games will be streamed on DetroitRedWings.com for viewers in Michigan and northwest Ohio. The Wings posted a “reminder Tweet” this evening:

In the ‘Red Wings’ next captain’ discussion, I’d suggest that Moritz Seider’s the one

The Hockey News’s Adam Proteau suggests that one of Moritz Seider, Alex DeBrincat or Luca Raymond should be the Red Wings’ next captain. Here’s his argument as to why Seider earns the “most likely” nod:

Moritz Seider

There are many reasons to name Seider captain. Here are a few: firstly, he’s contractually committed to the Red Wings for the next five seasons. Larkin has shown a player can still want out even if they’re signed long-term, but there’s never been any sense Seider wants out. 

Another reason Seider is the right call to replace Larkin is because he has the experience as a leader that has groomed him to be an NHL captain.

Seider was captain for Team Germany at the IIHF World Junior Championship, and he’s been an alternate captain for the Wings as well as an assistant captain for Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics. This isn’t someone who shies away from a leadership role.

Seider is now 25 years old, and he’s signed to a bargain contract paying him only $8.5 million per season. Giving him the captaincy is the right move for the Red Wings. He’s Detroit’s best player, and while that shouldn’t always be the biggest reason, in this case it’s the right choice to get the franchise back on the right path to success.

Continued; I happen to believe that Seider is the slam-dunk choice for the Red Wings’ captaincy, even over hometown boy Alex DeBrincat and the promising Lucas Raymond.

Talking about Red Wings prospect Noah Dower-Nilsson

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen profiles Red Wings prospect and 21-year-old center Noah Dower-Nilsson today, discussing the pluses and minuses of the 6,’ 185-pound center:

Three Reasons Why Dower-Nilsson Will Play in the NHL

  1. Strong offensive skills, strong shot, with quick release.
  2. Sees the ice well and that supports clever playmaking ability. .
  3. Good hands around the net, in traffic, has instincts to take advantage of the loose change arround the net.

What May Hold Him Back

The young Swede has had more than his fair share of injuries in his young career. Is he durable enough? He added pounds and strength in the past year and that should help. But part of taking the last step to the show is proving you can stay healthy over the course of a now 84-game NHL regular-season.

Also, needs to be more focused when he doesn’t have the puck. He also lacks explosiveness in his skating and needs to work on adding more power to his stride.

Continued

Niyo on the Red Wings’ situation: dysfunction junction, what’s your function

The Detroit News’s John Niyo weighs in regarding the Red Wings’ announcement that Dylan Larkin will no longer be the team’s captain, as well as the managerial mess that the team finds itself in:

Team officials have tried to push back on the building narrative of a dysfunctional front-office search in recent weeks. And to be fair, this isn’t the sort of hire a team should hastily make. Then again, it’s also not one that should begin in July, ideally. Back in April, New Jersey wasted no time in hiring Sunny Mehta, Florida’s assistant GM who was arguably the top candidate on the market. Nashville hired another in former Colorado GM Chris MacFarland in early June.

But this was the path Chris Ilitch ultimately chose back in June, when the Wings announced a leadership change and promised a “seamless transition” while a search committee led by Ilitch, with company president/CEO Ryan Gustafson running point, got to work.

Plenty of intriguing candidates are out there, and some of the names most often mentioned in league circles are assistant GMs with strong resumes: Brett Peterson (Florida), Scott White (Dallas) and Jeff Kealty (San Jose) among them. It’s not as if the Wings have any competition at the moment, either, a point that was highlighted again this week when assistant GM Shawn Horcoff represented the Wings on a league-wide virtual meeting.

They do have business that needs to get done, though. And soon. Training camp begins Sept. 17, with the Wings’ regular season opener slated for Oct. 2 at home against the New York Rangers. But the team’s annual prospect camp gets underway this weekend in Detroit.

And beyond the pivotal decision involving their No. 1 center, the Wings have other core pieces that need to be put in place. Simon Edvinsson, the team’s 23-year-old top-pair defenseman, is a restricted free agent waiting on a new contract. He reportedly plans to show up for camp, but Edvinsson must sign by Sept. 15 to get the maximum eight-year term under the current CBA. After that date, the most Detroit can offer is seven years.

Also waiting on the Wings is their leading scorer, Alex DeBrincat, who is entering the final year of his contract and coming off a career-best 41-goal, 85-point season. With the rising salary cap and all the leverage an agent would want, the 28-year-old winger could command an average salary of $12 million or more.

Continued (paywall)

Tweet of note: Statement from Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings. Larkin will attend camp, but relinquish captaincy for now

Updated 3x at 11:16 AM: Per the Detroit Red Wings, Dylan Larkin will attend training camp, but the Red Wings state that he’s going to relinquish the captain’s “C” for now.

Update: The Athletic’s Max Bultman weighs in with some background information:

Continue reading Tweet of note: Statement from Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings. Larkin will attend camp, but relinquish captaincy for now

Even more praise for Trey Augustine as a Red Wings ‘prospect to watch’ this weekend

Red Wings prospect goaltender Trey Augustine has earned his share of praise from multiple outlets over the course of the past week. This morning, Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis joins the chorus in suggesting that Augustine’s the Red Wings prospect to watch at this weekend’s prospect tournament at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center:

Detroit Red Wings: Trey Augustine, G

Event: NHL Prospect Tournament in Detroit, Sept. 12-15

Augustine is one of the top goaltending prospects in the world, and he’ll finally get to wear the red and white for the first time. The 21-year-old is coming off a strong three-year run with Michigan State, and while he failed to win a national title, he did rack up a career record of 66-25-7 with nine shutouts and a .922 save percentage in 99 games. He was a proven winner at the junior level and is easily one of the most technically sound goalies around, which helped build up the hype. Augustine tends to play better when he’s busier, and he has the lightning-quick reflexes teams absolutely crave – and never seems to slow down during a game. Augustine will have the opportunity to steal starts in the AHL before pushing for the long-time starter gig in Detroit. He’s definitely the best goaltender at any one of these prospect events, too.

Continued; again, it’s going to be very difficult to assess Augustine’s readiness for pro hockey over the course of 2 starts in 4 days at the prospect tournament. Training camp and an exhibition season game may serve as a better assessment of “where he’s at”…

And we won’t really know the level at which he’s capable of playing until he splits time with Michal Postava with the Grand Rapids Griffins this fall and winter. Augustine has a great resume, but nobody should panic if he struggles at the prospect tournament.

You’d better believe that the Red Wings’ managerial search is a ‘burning question’ heading into training camp

Sportsnet’s Michael Amato discusses four “Burning Questions” ahead of NHL training camps opening next Wednesday and Thursday, and yes, the Red Wings’ managerial search is among his topics:

Will Red Wings have a general manager in place?

It’s coming up on two months since Steve Yzerman was relieved of his duties, and the Detroit Red Wings still haven’t found his replacement. 

The Red Wings have plenty of business to conduct, and things are getting to a critical juncture. For instance, standout defenceman Simon Edvinsson is a restricted free agent and needs a new contract imminently. Edvinsson has said he plans to participate in training camp even without a deal, though he can’t suit up on opening night without one. Alex DeBrincat also recently expressed his willingness to sign an extension in Detroit after a career season, so that needs to be taken care of as well. 

Continue reading You’d better believe that the Red Wings’ managerial search is a ‘burning question’ heading into training camp

Dylan Larkin to Montreal? It’s a nice idea, but it’s BS

Montreal Canadiens fans have been abuzz with discussions as to how their team can convince Dylan Larkin to join their team over the past 10 days, but I’ve more or less ignored the rumors as they’re a waste of ink. This morning, Bleacher Report’s Lyle Richardson agrees that the rumor “is BS“:

Dylan Larkin to the Montréal Canadiens

Since his trade request was reported in early June, Dylan Larkin has been a fixture in the offseason rumor mill. The 30-year-old Detroit Red Wings center sits at No. 2 on our NHL Trade Targets Big Board for September 2026. His request is currently in limbo as the Red Wings search for a new general manager.

Larkin is signed through 2030-31 with an average annual value of $8.7 million. He has a full no-movement clause, but will waive it for the Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, and Vegas Golden Knights. The Dallas Stars are also rumored as a possible landing spot.

However, Larkin’s preferred destinations lack the salary cap space and tradeable assets to acquire him. Some observers suggest he must widen his list if he hopes to be traded before the regular season begins, assuming the Red Wings have hired a new GM by then.

On Aug. 28, NHL Network’s Mike Johnson suggested the Montréal Canadiens as a trade destination if Larkin wants to play for a Stanley Cup contender. He noted that the Canadiens are loaded with young talent to be a contender for several years. They can draw on some of it to make a tempting offer to the Red Wings.

BS Meter: It’s BS

Larkin’s list of landing spots is all American-based teams. He’s unlikely to join the Canadiens or any other Canadian franchises. If he has to widen his trade list, it probably won’t include clubs north of the border.

Continued; I don’t know whether Larkin would consider a move to a Canadian team , or Montreal at all, but we do know that he hasn’t expanded his list (unless you count the Dallas Stars), and no one expects Larkin to expand his list any time soon.

So the impasse continues.