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Red Wings Rumblings: Johansson’s SHL Reality, Määttä’s Struggles, Fabbri Skating Again, Gallant on the Hot Seat
As the Red Wings continue to navigate a season full of promise and pressure, a few familiar names are making headlines-some overseas, others closer to home. From Anton Johansson’s development path in Sweden to Robby Fabbri’s potential return, here’s what we’re hearing around Hockeytown and beyond.
Anton Johansson’s SHL Season: A Tough Climb, But Valuable Lessons
When Detroit signed Anton Johansson to an entry-level deal last summer, the plan was clear: let the young blueliner get another full season of top-flight European experience before bringing him over. That meant one more year with Leksands IF in the SHL. What no one could’ve predicted was just how rough that ride would be.
Leksand is mired at the bottom of the SHL table, with just 22 points through 25 games. They’ve dropped 14 of their last 18, and the specter of relegation is looming large. Johansson, for his part, isn’t sugarcoating the situation.
“I think we’re going down,” he told Sweden’s TV4 in a recent interview.
It’s a brutal reality, but one that might actually serve Johansson well in the long run. Playing heavy minutes in a high-pressure, high-stakes environment-even if it’s on a struggling team-can be a crash course in resilience. For a young defenseman with NHL aspirations, learning how to battle through adversity could be just as valuable as racking up points on a contender.
Olli Määttä’s Rocky Road in Utah
When the Utah Mammoth roll into Little Caesars Arena on December 17, there’s a good chance fans won’t see a familiar face on the visiting blue line. Olli Määttä, who spent parts of the last few seasons in Detroit, is currently sidelined with an upper-body injury and has missed Utah’s last two games.
But even before the injury, Määttä’s season wasn’t exactly trending in the right direction. He’d been a healthy scratch in eight of Utah’s previous nine contests, and when he did suit up, the production was minimal-just one assist in 16 games, along with a minus-two rating. Not exactly what Utah was hoping for after inking the 31-year-old to a three-year deal worth $3.5 million annually.
There’s still hope Määttä can bounce back-he’s expected to represent Finland in the upcoming Winter Olympics-but for now, it’s been a tough stretch for the veteran defenseman. Whether he’s back in the lineup by the time Utah visits Detroit remains to be seen, but even if he is, there’s no guarantee he’ll dress.
Robby Fabbri Skating Again-Could a Detroit Reunion Be on the Table?
Robby Fabbri is back on the ice, and he’s doing it just across the river from Detroit. The 27-year-old winger, who notched 18 goals for the Red Wings during the 2023-24 season, is currently skating with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires as he works his way back into NHL shape.
Fabbri had a preseason PTO with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but didn’t stick. Still, he’s not far removed from being a reliable secondary scorer, and with Detroit in need of depth scoring, the question has to be asked: could a reunion make sense?
The Red Wings have struggled to find consistent offense beyond their top six, and while Fabbri’s injury history is well-documented, his nose for the net never really went away. If he’s healthy-and that’s always the big if-he could be a low-risk, high-reward addition for a team that needs a little extra punch.
Gerard Gallant’s Shanghai Stumble
Gerard Gallant’s coaching journey took a surprising turn this summer when he took the reins of the KHL’s Shanghai Dragons. Early returns were promising-Shanghai jumped out to a 9-4-1 start and looked like a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.
But the hot start has cooled dramatically. Since that early surge, the Dragons have gone 4-12-1, slipping down the standings and raising questions about Gallant’s future with the club. There’s already chatter that Shanghai’s management could be eyeing a coaching change.
Gallant, a former Red Wings forward and veteran NHL bench boss, has built a reputation as a coach who can spark immediate turnarounds-but also one whose message can wear thin over time. Whether that’s happening already in Shanghai is uncertain, but the pressure is clearly mounting.
Final Takeaway
From young prospects grinding through tough seasons overseas to former Wings trying to find their footing again, the Red Wings’ orbit is full of storylines worth watching. Johansson’s SHL struggles might be laying the groundwork for a stronger NHL debut.
Määttä’s time in Utah is raising questions. Fabbri’s skating again-and that alone is worth keeping tabs on.
And Gallant? Well, his latest coaching chapter may be shorter than anyone expected.
In a season where every edge matters, Detroit’s front office will be watching all of it closely.