The calendar is about to get a lot less forgiving for the Detroit Red Wings.
October may not have shown it in the standings, but the Wings came out of the month looking like a tougher, more stubborn team than the one fans have seen in recent years. They’ve flashed upset potential, gotten strong rookie contributions and, even in losses like Halloween’s game against the St. Louis Blues, kept battling right up to the final horn.
November, though, is a different kind of challenge.
The Red Wings’ schedule over the next few weeks is packed with opponents that can make life miserable. Here’s the slate:
November 5 - vs. Vegas Golden Knights
November 7 - @ Colorado Avalanche
November 10 - @ St.
Louis Blues
November 12 - @ Florida Panthers
November 14 - @ Tampa Bay Lightning
November 18 - vs.
Boston Bruins
November 21 - vs.
New York Islanders
November 25 - vs.
Vancouver Canucks
November 27 - @ Columbus Blue Jackets
November 28 - vs. Nashville Predators
That’s a heavy list by any measure. Of the 10 remaining opponents on the month’s schedule, eight are sitting above .500 and six are in a playoff spot.
The stretch gets even rougher with a four-game road trip from November 7 through November 14, a week that asks a lot from any team. For Detroit, it comes with the added complication of John Gibson’s injury and Albert Johansson’s move to injured reserve.
So yes, this is the first real test of what kind of team the Red Wings actually are.
It would be no surprise if a few of these games turn into losses. But if Detroit’s October was telling the truth about this group, there should also be nights when they steal one. They already showed that kind of punch with a 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers just a few days ago.
A lot of that identity is being driven by the younger players, especially the ones who bring edge and energy every shift.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, who as of the afternoon of November 5 is tied for fourth in the NHL in hits, has become a major part of that new look. His style fits right in with the relentless work of Emmitt Finnie, Moritz Seider and, often, Alex DeBrincat. Together, they’ve given Detroit a harder, meaner feel across the top of the lineup and on the blue line.
There is still a real question about depth, but help is coming.
Head coach Todd McLellan said today that center Marco Kasper will rejoin the Wings at some point during the road trip. Last season, Kasper led all Red Wings skaters with 186 hits in 81 games, and his return gives Detroit another physical presence. He could slide into the top six and add some bite there, or he could deepen the lineup and create more room for the team’s scorers.
One option would be to use Kasper on the second line and move Andrew Copp down to the third, where his defensive game fits better. Put Copp with Michael Rasmussen, and Detroit has the makings of a shutdown line that can make life miserable for opponents. It may not be flashy, but it would matter.
There are other possible answers, too, both inside and outside the organization.
Eventually, the Red Wings should get a return on Dylan Larkin or even Simon Edvinsson, and those pieces could help fill depth roles or push others into more natural spots. The organization also has a couple of intriguing young names in the pipeline.
Carter Bear, Detroit’s 2025 first-round pick, has 10 points in 10 AHL games. Jesse Kiiskinen has 11 points in as many games, which puts him second in scoring among AHL rookies.
Both players have shown they can produce at that level, and both could end up being useful additions for a team that could use more reliable depth threats.
In Other News...
Red Wings Keep Running Into The Same Costly Problem
The Red Wings came up short again in a 2-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, a game that looked like it might turn on a timely breakthrough but instead reinforced the same issue hanging over Detroit. Carter Mazur and Anton Johansson provided the offense, but the broader problem has been hard to miss all season: the scoring has been spread thin, with 15 players sitting at two goals or fewer.
Detroit still had a chance to tilt the night in its favor late, but the third period did not produce the kind of special-teams lift the club needed. Those missed opportunities loomed especially large in a one-goal game, and they left the Red Wings searching for answers as they head into Saturdays meeting with the Colorado Avalanche. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Emerge In Trade Talks That Could Get Very Expensive
Trade chatter around the Red Wings has picked up with San Jose and Detroit reportedly discussing restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson, a name that immediately changes the temperature of any negotiation. The Sharks are said to be looking for a puck-moving defenseman, while also working with limited salary cap space as they try to reshape their roster, which helps explain why this conversation has gotten serious enough to draw in multiple pieces.
Michael Misa is part of the framework being discussed, but Detroit is not treating this as a one-for-one type of deal. The Red Wings are seeking a larger package, which is where the talks get complicated and, potentially, expensive for San Jose if it wants to land the kind of defense help it is chasing. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Want Dylan Larkin But Red Wings Fans Know The Catch
The Bruins have reportedly shown interest in Dylan Larkin, which is enough to get attention around the league whenever a player of his caliber comes up in trade chatter. For Detroit fans, though, the important part is the fine print: Boston is not among the destinations Larkin has put on his preferred list, a detail that immediately changes the temperature of any potential pursuit.
Even with interest from a contender, this is not the kind of situation where a team can simply force its way to the front of the line. Larkin still controls where things go from here, and until that changes, the Red Wings can at least take some comfort in knowing the conversation has a built-in obstacle. [Read more 🡒]