The Detroit Red Wings got their first win last Wednesday night, knocking off the Ottawa Senators 5-3. That result brought its own strange moment, with Dylan Larkin scoring after being booed out of the building. But the bigger problem in Detroit goes far beyond one awkward night.
Missing the playoffs again isn’t the end of the world. Finishing last overall wouldn’t be either. The real danger is something uglier: an organization so visibly broken that players want nothing to do with it.
That’s where the Red Wings are flirting with trouble. Around the league, players are drawn to teams that have a reputation for structure and for treating people well.
Florida, Dallas, Colorado, Vegas and Carolina fit that mold now, and all of them are contenders. Florida, in fact, used to be on the other end of that spectrum.
At one point, players tried to block trades to the Panthers because they didn’t want any part of the organization. The Panthers changed that image and turned themselves into a destination.
Detroit is nowhere near that point, and the Simon Edvinsson situation says plenty. What should have been a straightforward re-signing has turned into a mess, with Edvinsson now practicing in Sweden and hoping someone puts him out of his misery.
The Red Wings need to repair that reputation, fast. They have to show players that this is a place where they can develop and succeed. That matters now, and it matters even more when the trade deadline rolls around.
If Detroit ends up trying to move veterans like Justin Faulk, the team’s reputation could drag down the return. A high-end prospect would be tough to land if that player has doubts about signing in Detroit. Even some established players might fight off a move to the Red Wings.
Free agency brings the same problem into sharper focus. After watching this kind of dysfunction, who would sign a seven-year deal to play for Detroit?
Could Connor McDavid leave Edmonton for Detroit? Would Quinn Hughes choose Detroit over Minnesota?
The Red Wings will still be able to find players to fill out the roster. But that won’t make them competitive any time soon. That’s why the image problem has to be addressed, and it has to start with hiring a full-time GM, whether that’s Shawn Horcoff or someone else.
After that comes the hard part: sorting out the Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson situations once and for all. Easy to say. Much harder to pull off.
In Other News...
Red Wings Suddenly Have A Goalie Question They Did Not Expect
A year after arriving from Czechia as an undrafted free agent, Michal Postava is suddenly looking like more than organizational depth for the Red Wings. Signed in June 2025 after his time with HC Kometa Brno, the 24-year-old spent the 2025-26 season backing up Sebastian Cossa in Grand Rapids, but he has opened the new season strong enough to move into the starters net for the Griffins, who sit atop the Central Division.
For Detroit, that kind of development is exactly the sort of surprise that can reshape the goalie picture quickly. Postavas rise gives the organization another young option to track closely, especially with Grand Rapids playing well and the crease becoming a more interesting part of the pipeline than it seemed just a few months ago. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Face A Franchise-Altering Dylan Larkin Question
The Dylan Larkin chatter around Detroit has taken on a different tone with Florida suddenly carrying more flexibility under the salary cap, and that alone has been enough to push the conversation from idle rumor to something that feels at least worth monitoring. For the Red Wings, any talk involving their captain lands differently, because it is not just about a good player changing teams - it would signal a major shift in how the organization views its timeline and its next move.
What makes the speculation especially notable is the kind of framework being discussed, with the Panthers current roster situation creating room for a bigger swing than they might otherwise consider. The names floating through the conversation are the sort that would make Detroit pause, since any deal built around Anton Lundell or Eetu Luostarinen and extra draft capital would force the Red Wings to weigh immediate leadership against future value, and that is the kind of decision that rarely comes easy. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings May Be Stalling Two Young Players They Need Most
Detroits pipeline has looked encouraging in spots this season, with five Griffins prospects getting NHL looks and a few of them quickly finding their footing. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, William Wallinder and Anton Johansson have each managed to turn opportunity into something more meaningful, which is exactly the kind of progress the organization wants to see as it keeps trying to build a stronger next wave of talent.
The trickier part is figuring out what to do with Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Nate Danielson, two young players the Red Wings need to become more than just depth options. Both have had a harder time carving out real NHL influence, and the development case for each could point back to Grand Rapids for more seasoning before Detroit asks them to carry more of the load. [Read more 🡒]