The Red Wings are still chasing their first win of the season, and tonight’s home date with the Ottawa Senators comes with a few changes that could give Detroit a different look right away.
Through two games at Little Caesars Arena, the Red Wings have taken losses to the New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets. That leaves them trying to avoid an 0-3 start in a schedule that opened with three straight home games.
One possible boost could come down the middle. Detroit is hoping to get Dylan Larkin and Marco Kasper back in the lineup tonight to help with center depth, though no official update is expected until head coach Todd McLellan meets the media after the morning skate.
The team also adjusted its forward mix during the second half of the loss to Winnipeg, moving Alex DeBrincat onto a line with Emmitt Finnie at center and rookie Michael Brandsegg-Nygard on the other wing. That group accounted for Detroit’s only even-strength goal of the season so far, but the Red Wings still have plenty to prove before anyone can call it a real solution.
Behind the scenes, Detroit has also made a notable addition to its scouting structure. According to The Athletic’s Max Bultman, Kris Draper has taken over as the Red Wings’ director of pro scouting, filling a job that had been open for five years.
The last person to hold that title was Mark Howe, before he retired. Draper had been running amateur scouting for Detroit and has played a major role in the club’s draft work over the last decade.
That shuffle also means Jesse Wallin is moving into the amateur scouting department.
There’s another name in the mix too. Corey Pronman reported that Detroit hired former Toronto Maple Leafs director of amateur scouting Mark Leach.
A team source confirmed the details of Bultman’s reporting to DetroitHockeyNow in an off the record discussion.
Elsewhere around the organization, Bob Duff took a look at the bright side of Detroit’s slow start, while Chris Ilitch’s LinkedIn post to address fans did not land well. Kevin Allen also checked in on how the Red Wings’ top prospects are faring early in their seasons.
And a belated birthday note for Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Dan Watson. The former Kalamazoo Wings defenseman began his coaching career with the Red Wings’ ECHL affiliate Toledo Walleye and has climbed the coaching ladder over the last 15-plus years. The Griffins won’t play again until Friday, when they open at home against the Manitoba Moose.
In Other News...
Red Wings Quietly Made A Front Office Change That Could Matter
A quiet front-office shuffle is taking shape in Detroit, with Mark Leach on his way back into the organization after previous stints as an amateur scout for both the Red Wings and the Dallas Stars. The move comes with assistant general manager Kris Draper taking over pro scouting duties, while Leach is set to work alongside head of amateur scouting Jesse Wallin in some capacity connected to the amateur side.
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 🡒]
Red Wings Face A Tempting Laine Decision Before Someone Else Does
Patrik Laine is still sitting on the free-agent market as the season draws closer, and the lingering question for Detroit is whether he becomes a real option or just another name the Red Wings spent time kicking around internally. Teams such as Calgary and Detroit have had some discussions about him, but the market has not moved much, and his preference for certain locations appears to be part of why interest has not turned into something more concrete.
For the Red Wings, the appeal is obvious enough: Laine is the kind of high-end talent who can change a lineup if the fit is right. The wrinkle is that the next step may come down to how much risk a team is willing to take and whether Laine is open to a performance-based contract structure, which would give clubs more protection while leaving his destination very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]