Kulfan’s takes on the Red Wings’ roster players

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan has kicked off the News’s 2025-2026 NHL season preview with “character sketches” of the Red Wings’ opening-night roster players:

Axel Sandin-Pellikka

▶ Age: 20

▶ Height: 6-0

▶ Weight: 186

▶ 2024-25 stats: (Skelleftea, Sweden) 46 games, 12 goals, 17 assists, 29 points

▶ Analysis: Was expected to spend some time in Grand Rapids but simply showed too much potential and skill not to go directly into the NHL. Sandin-Pellikka is as an exciting offensive defenseman prospect the Wings have had in a long time.

Michael Brandsegg-Nygard

▶ Age: 19

▶ Height: 6-1

▶ Weight: 204 

▶ 2024-25 stats: (Skelleftea, Sweden) 42 games, five goals, six assists, 11 points 

▶ Analysis: A young player who plays and carries himself as if he’s been a pro for many years, Brandsegg-Nygard made the Wings’ roster after an outstanding exhibition season. He has a powerful shot, but it’s the ability to play a hard-nosed physical game, at age 19, that’s eye-opening.

Continue reading Kulfan’s takes on the Red Wings’ roster players

Tweets of note: Red Wings fans attending home opener encouraged to be in their seats by 6:35 PM

The Detroit Red Wings have posted a few instructions as to how one may attend Thursday’s home opener festivities:

Talking about a Simon Edvinsson extension

The Hockey News’s Jake Tye argues that the Red Wings need to re-sign Simon Edvinsson, who will be a restricted free agent next summer, as soon as possible, especially given that the Anaheim Ducks signed young defenseman Jackson LaCombe to a massive contract recently:

The young blueliner has been steadily improving with 43 points in 75 games last season. LaCombe’s eight-year, $72 million contract with a cap hit at $9 million has reset the market in terms of what others defenders are asking for as Montreal is currently in a dispute with 2024-25 breakout Lane Hutson. This could also have an effect on the Detroit Red Wings as they too have a young defenseman that finished with 12 points less than LaCombe last season and is due for a new deal in Simon Edvinsson. 

The 22-year-old pending restricted free agent is younger than LaCombe but has shown to be a solid top four defenseman at the NHL level for at least one season and the longer that the Red Wings management staff waits to extend him, it could mean the dollar amount climbs. 

Continue reading Talking about a Simon Edvinsson extension

Bultman discusses the Red Wings’ trio of rookie roster players

The Athletic’s Max Bultman discusses the reasons why Emmitt Finnie, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Axel Sandin Pellikka have earned their places on the Red Wings’ opening-night roster:

When the Red Wings hit the ice for practice Monday with 23 skaters, 20-year-old seventh-round pick Emmitt Finnie was still skating on the top line next to Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. 2024 first-round pick Michael Brandsegg-Nygård was on the third line with Andrew Copp and J.T. Compher. And 2023 first-round pick Axel Sandin-Pellikka was running the second power-play unit from the point, and looked to be skating with Simon Edvinsson on what could be the second defense pairing.

At the time of head coach Todd McLellan’s press conference, nobody was quite ready to say whether the three rookies had formally “made” the Red Wings. But the writing sure seemed to be on the wall.

“Well, they were here at practice today, so that’s a real good sign for them,” McLellan said. “We skated with 23 players. Obviously, we’re allowed to submit our opening roster with as many as 23, so that’s obviously a real good sign for them. Everything they’ve done to this point has led to them getting this day, and we’ll just take it day by day.”

Another strong indication came later Monday afternoon, when Detroit released its initial 23-man roster with all three rookies listed. A day earlier, the Red Wings had waived defensemen Justin Holl and Erik Gustafsson, and on Monday they assigned Holl to Grand Rapids.

So while we don’t yet know the Red Wings’ precise lineup for their season-opener Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens, all the signs right now are pointing in the same direction.

“They’re really good kids, and I’m really excited for them,” Larkin said. “And I’m excited for our team because of them.”

Finnie, Brandsegg-Nygård and Sandin-Pellikka have indeed been a jolt of excitement, both in the Red Wings locker room and throughout the fan base. This is an organization that for years has operated with an abundance of patience in promoting its prospects, and so for three rookies to all come in and make the initial 23-man roster speaks volumes about what they were able to accomplish over the last three weeks.

Continued at length (paywall)

Tuesday morning’s ‘Season Preview’ round-up

Of NHL season preview-related note this morning:

  1. The Athletic’s Sean McIndoe posted “oddly specific predictions” for each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams:

Detroit Red Wings

Patrick Kane comes into the season only 31 points away from tying Mike Modano for most career points by a U.S.-born player, and 48 points back of Brett Hull for the most by an “American” player. He’s got a good chance to hit both marks, but we’re going to go with something far less likely. Did you know that of his 1,343 points, only one has come short-handed? That was an assist back in 2009, meaning one of the most dynamic forwards of his generation has played 18 NHL seasons without ever scoring a short-handed goal. It’s going to be tough ask for a guy who never kills penalties, but I’m saying he gets one this year. (And if that goal also breaks one of the scoring records, I’ll retire this column permanently.)

2. USA Today’s Mike Brehm mentions the Red Wings in a roundabout way in his NHL preview articles, saying this about the Wings’ situation…

The Detroit Red Wings hoped they addressed their goaltending concerns by adding John Gibson.

3. And ranking the Wings’ two 21st century Stanley Cup-winning teams fairly highly…

Continue reading Tuesday morning’s ‘Season Preview’ round-up

HSJ in the morning: Red Wings have Tigers fever, too

The Free Press’s Helene St. James reports that the break between the end of the Red Wings’ preseason and the start of the regular season affords the team the ability to attend today’s Detroit Tigers playoff game:

“The locker room is in a really good spot,” captain Dylan Larkin said after practice on Monday. “We’re going to be going to the Tigers game on (Tuesday), so do a little root for them and hopefully, you know, be ready to go Thursday night.”

The Detroit Tigers host the Seattle Mariners in Game 3 of the ALDS, with first pitch scheduled for 4:08 p.m. at Comerica Park.

The Wings weren’t able to do something similar last October because they were playing games.

“I don’t think last year we were able to go to a playoff game with our schedule and their schedule,” Larkin said. “So it will be my first ever playoff baseball game, so I’m excited about it.”

Axel Sandin Pellikka, a Swede, is looking forward to the outing, even if he may need some explainers.

“It will be fun,” he said. “I’ve been to one when they play the Mets, I think. I’m still learning about everything. I’m learning umpire, or strike – all those kinds of stuff. I’m still learning.”

Continued

Bloggy blog update: back soon!

Hey, everybody. I certainly did not intend to spend two weeks on the IR, but my physical health was not good over the course of the last two weeks.

I know today is a busy day, with Justin Holl and Erik Gustafsson clearing waivers and the Wings due to release their opening-night lineup by 5 PM today, but Aunt Annie and I received a visit from our Adult Services caseworker, and my job as Aunt Annie’s caregiver supersedes this job at times.

So I’m going to return within the next day or two, and things might sputter to life, but I’ll both try to keep up with the cascading cavalcade of stories ahead of the 2024-2025 Red Wings’ season debut, and I’m going to do my best to try and spotlight the stuff that you might want to pay attention to from my absence.

Here’s hoping that the Wings’ long-term roster includes Sandin Pellikka and Brandsegg-Nygard. Finnie, too.

Red Wings-Maple Leafs game #2 Tweetcap: Detroit rallies to end the exhibition season with a 6-5 OT win over the Laffs

The Detroit Red Wings wrapped up their 8-games-in-12-nights exhibition game season with a home affair against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena.

Toronto dressed a unit of prospects and players reflective of a road exhibition game; the Red Wings went with a game-night roster, with the exception of giving Emmitt Finnie, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Axel Sandin Pellikka one last opportunity to push for a spot on the opening-night roster.

On Saturday night, the Red Wings won a wild one via a 6-5 overtime tally. Toronto took 2-1, 3-2, 4-2, and 5-3 leads, but the Red Wings rallied with a 3rd period PPG from Dylan Larkin, a goal with 31 seconds left from Albert Johansson, and a second goal from Dylan Larkin 3:21 into OT, on the power play.

Detroit’s John Gibson did not have his best night, surrendering 5 goals on 25 shots, but the Red Wings’ 1st and 2nd period malaise gave way to a scintillating 3rd period, with the Red Wings being awarded 4 3rd period PP’s and 1 OT PP, upon which they capitalized. Detroit went 1-for-1 in 5-on-3 and 4-on-3 PP’s, going 2-for-7 overall.

Otherwise, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard had 2 goals, Axel Sandin Pellikka had 2 assists, Emmitt Finnie faded a bit, Larkin scored 2, Edvinsson had 2 assists, Raymond had 2 assists, Kane went 1G, 2A, 3 PT and Moritz Seider played a tremendous 28:38 of ice time.

1ST PERIOD: The Red Wings and Maple Leafs dressed the following starters and lineups:

Continue reading Red Wings-Maple Leafs game #2 Tweetcap: Detroit rallies to end the exhibition season with a 6-5 OT win over the Laffs

Red Wings-Maple Leafs game #1 Tweeetcap: Wings win 3-1 despite 0-7 power play and Stolarz’s saves

The Detroit Red Wings and an NHL-level Toronto Maple Leafs team took to the ice at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night for the first of 2 exhibition games to close out the teams’ respective preseason slates.

The Red Wings dressed a roster combining NHL’ers and prospects who’ve made a good impression over the course of the first 6 exhibition games, while the Leafs dressed their NHL roster…

On Thursday night, the Red Wings won a strange game. Toronto opened the scoring only 2:08 into the 1st, with Auston Matthews scoring a power play goal…

But Detroit was awarded a total of 7 power plays, including 52 seconds of 5-on-3 time and a 4:00 double-minor for high-sticking to Brandon Carlo. Detroit did not score on any of their power plays…

But the Red Wings stuck with it, in no small part due to a superb performance by Cam Talbot, and the Red Wings scored 3 3rd period goals–Dylan Larkin (from Chiarot and Finnie) scored at 5:04, Alex DeBrincat scored (from Brandsegg-Nygard) at 12:28, and Emmitt Finnie scored an empty-netter on a stretch pass from Moritz Seider at 18:37…

Affording Detroit a 3-1 victory. Detroit out-shot Toronto 43-20, but Anthony Stolarz was excellent, preventing the Wings from scorching Toronto with power play markers.

1ST PERIOD: Here are the starters and official rosters, with Andrew Copp earning a turn on the Larkin-Raymond pairing, and Simon Edvinsson returning from injury:

Continue reading Red Wings-Maple Leafs game #1 Tweeetcap: Wings win 3-1 despite 0-7 power play and Stolarz’s saves

Red Wings-Blackhawks Game #2 Tweetcap: Wings’ penalty-kill stars in 3-1 victory over Chicago

The Detroit Red Wings hoped to snap a 2-game losing streak as they battled a stacked Chicago Blackhawks lineup on Tuesday evening, with the Wings dressing 2 NHL forward lines and a mostly prospect-heavy lineup.

On Tuesday night, the Red Wings were not necessarily on their best behavior, so Detroit was out-penalized 6 to 1, but J.T. Compher opened the scoring (from Soderblom) only 3:36 in, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard scored (from Larkin and ASP) at 9:16 of the 1st, and Lucas Raymond scored on a slick play from a coming-out-of-the-penalty-box Jonatan Berggren at 16:24 of the 2nd, and while Colton Dach broke Cam Talbot’s shutout 2:53 into the 3rd, Talbot stopped 27 more shots…

Affording Detroit a 3-1 victory, and snapping a 3-game losing streak.

Detroit killed all 6 Blackhawks power plays, and Dylan Larkin did exit the game for a period of time in the 3rd (as per Darren Pang of CHSN), but he returned during the Wings’ sixth penalty-kill and looked really good overall.

This was perhaps Axel Sandin Pellikka’s best game, Mason Appleton looked really solid, Jacob Bernard-Docker was strong, and Elmer Soderblom was a force to be reckoned with. That, and Talbot played like he knows his job is on the line, as did Berggren.

1ST PERIOD: The teams dressed the following rosters, starters included:

Continue reading Red Wings-Blackhawks Game #2 Tweetcap: Wings’ penalty-kill stars in 3-1 victory over Chicago