The Detroit Red Wings have a young player in Emmitt Finnie who is forcing his way into the conversation fast enough that the front office can’t afford to get cute with his future.
If Detroit is thinking clearly, it will push to get Finnie signed once the July 1 deadline for contract extensions opens up. The team has already dealt with a season full of uncertainty, with players who have left their futures open in Detroit like Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson, and others who have made it clear they want to stay long term, like Alex DeBrincat. That kind of mixed messaging makes it even more important for the Red Wings to lock up young talent early and avoid more off-ice noise.
Finnie, for his part, doesn’t have much leverage yet. He won’t become a restricted free agent until the end of the 2027-28 season, which means Detroit has time on the calendar. But if the organization is paying attention to what he’s done over the last two seasons, there’s no real excuse to let this drag out.
Through his first eight games, Finnie has piled up five points - three goals and two assists - and the box score only tells part of the story. When he’s on the ice, the Red Wings are scoring 80% of the goals. That number usually settles back toward the league norm eventually, but the underlying production is just as encouraging: his xGF sits at 58%, a mark that would be well above average over the course of a full season.
What makes that especially notable is the team context. Detroit sits at the bottom of the Atlantic Division and carries a minus-4 goal differential, yet Finnie is still driving the kind of play that stands out on a roster looking for any real source of momentum. In an organization and fanbase hungry for something to build around, he has become that player.
There’s also a bigger picture developing around his line.
Finnie is averaging almost 10 minutes a night alongside DeBrincat and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, and that combination has real staying power on paper. DeBrincat is already tied in long term, and Brandsegg-Nygard is also eligible for extension after the 2027-28 season. That gives Detroit a chance to shape a core that could help carry the team forward beyond the Larkin era.
Brandsegg-Nygard’s start has only added to the appeal. After recording one point in 14 games last season, he has caught fire in his first full season with the club, putting up six points in eight games. The line’s early 64.8% xGF says the results have not been empty, even if no one can say whether this pace lasts over 84 games.
Still, the Red Wings now have something tangible to point to: a young, productive line with a legitimate future. And even if Larkin and Edvinsson are gone by season’s end, that at least gives Detroit something to sell. Right now, that bright future is about as much as the franchise can ask for.
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The embarrassment did not stop there, since Timra also had to acknowledge a mistake on Zetterbergs banner tied to the 2004-05 season, which it blamed on a supplier error. Bjrklven later issued an apology, and the fallout even reached the business side when a sponsor withdrew support from the clubs supporters group, a harsh reminder of how quickly a tribute can turn into a problem. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkin Trade Talks Just Got More Real For Red Wings Fans
Dylan Larkins name has stayed in the middle of the Red Wings conversation, but the latest reporting suggests the possibilities around him may be widening. With trade discussions reportedly gaining momentum and some insiders pointing to a deal in the near future, the situation has moved from background noise to something Detroit fans have to watch closely as the process develops.
One notable wrinkle is the scope of the list Larkin has reportedly expanded, which hints at a much broader market than a simple two-team discussion. It also leaves out Montreal, a detail sure to register with anyone following the rumor mill, especially with interest around the Canadiens having lingered for some time. For the Red Wings, the next stretch could determine whether this remains speculation or turns into a major roster shakeup. [Read more 🡒]