Red Wings Face Real Pressure As Simon Edvinsson Standoff Drags On

As negotiations with the Detroit Red Wings stall, Simon Edvinsson garners attention from the Utah Mammoth and other NHL contenders eager to snap up the star defenseman.

Simon Edvinsson’s future in Detroit remains unsettled, and the list of interested teams is already starting to take shape.

Frank Seravalli reported on an episode of Frankly Hockey that Utah has emerged as the club showing the strongest push so far for the disgruntled Red Wings defenseman. As Seravalli put it:

“I’m told that the team that has shown the most interest both internally and externally is the Utah Mammoth.”

Edvinsson’s contract with the Red Wings expired earlier this year, leaving him as a restricted free agent. Detroit tried to work out a new deal with him after the season, but the sides have not been able to get it done, and that has reportedly pushed Edvinsson toward wanting out.

The 2025-26 season gave a clear snapshot of what Edvinsson brought on the ice. He played 72 games for Detroit and finished with 25 points, including 9 goals and 16 assists.

The Red Wings have tried to keep him in the fold. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that Detroit boosted its offer to six years at an $8.5 million AAV, while Edvinsson is said to be asking for $11 million per season on a long-term contract.

Pagnotta also said the interest goes beyond Utah. Toronto and Boston are among the teams that have shown interest, along with St.

Louis and Nashville. He added that Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff still wants to sign him, and that contract talks are expected to continue this week.

Edvinsson’s situation has been lingering for a while. He attended Red Wings training camp before the season started, but later left the United States and returned to Sweden while his status with the team remained unresolved.

In Other News...

Red Wings Make Two Changes As Pressure Builds Early

The Red Wings are heading into their home game against Ottawa still searching for that first win, with Dylan Larkin and Marco Kasper expected back in the lineup after the team has already been tinkering with its forward combinations. Alex DeBrincat has been part of those recent line changes, a sign that coach Derek Lalonde is trying to find a spark early before the seasons frustration starts to snowball.

Off the ice, Detroit has also been reshaping the front office in ways that could matter down the road. Kris Draper is stepping into the director of pro scouting job, while Jesse Wallin is set to lead amateur scouting, and the club added Mark Leach from the Maple Leafs to the scouting staff. It is a reminder that while the immediate pressure is about ending the skid, the Red Wings are also making changes with an eye on how the organization evaluates and builds its roster moving forward. [Read more 🡒]

Red Wings Quietly Made A Front Office Change That Could Matter

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It is also one of the first notable personnel decisions made under interim general manager Shawn Horcoff, which gives the change a little more weight than a standard staffing tweak. In a league where the line between drafting well and building the right support structure can be thin, the Red Wings are clearly adjusting who handles which part of the evaluation process, even if the full ripple effect will take a while to show. [Read more 🡒]

Red Wings Face A Real Simon Edvinsson Contract Standoff

Simon Edvinssons next contract has become one of the more interesting early tests for Detroits front office, and the gap is real enough to keep the conversation moving. The Red Wings have been working from a long-term framework with one of their most important young defensemen, but the two sides have not landed on the same number, which is exactly the kind of wrinkle that can complicate a deal even when both sides still have time to sort it out.

Edvinssons camp is believed to be pushing for a richer, longer commitment, while the Red Wings are trying to balance upside, age and cap planning as they build around their core. The talks are still open, but the fact that other clubs have taken notice only adds to the pressure, and this one feels like it could linger until Detroit decides how far it is willing to go to lock in a player it clearly values. [Read more 🡒]