Steve Yzerman’s current ask in the Dylan Larkin trade mess is simple enough: if the Detroit Red Wings move on, they want NHL-ready players coming back.
On paper, that makes sense. In practice, it may not line up with where this roster actually sits in the Atlantic Division.
The teams at the top of the division didn’t stand still. The Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning all improved in some way after finishing as the three top playoff teams last season.
The Florida Panthers, fresh off back-to-back Stanley Cups, are rested and have Brady Tkachuk in the lineup. Even the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators made additions, with the Bruins bringing in JJ Peterka and the Senators landing William Eklund.
Detroit’s answer was Viktor Arvidsson and Keegan Kolesar.
Those moves are better than what the Red Wings got from last season’s free agency class, but they still don’t make Detroit a real threat to the Habs or the Lightning. The Senators even pushed to get better after losing Brady Tkachuk. That’s the backdrop here, and it points in one direction: the Red Wings may be better off embracing a step back and settling into the bottom of the Atlantic.
That’s not a fun place to land, but it may be the clearest path forward. Detroit is not built to chase a playoff spot in a division this loaded.
If the Red Wings were in the Pacific, the conversation would look very different. Instead, the more likely outcome is another missed postseason, which would make it 11 straight seasons without a playoff berth.
That reality brings some uncomfortable decisions with it, starting with Alex DeBrincat. If the 40-goal scorer sees himself as part of the future, there’s room for a longer-term deal. If he wants to chase a playoff team, Steve Yzerman will have to figure out what kind of return he can get.
DeBrincat isn’t the only name in that lane. Recent acquisition Justin Faulk is an unrestricted free agent after next season. Andrew Copp and Mason Appleton could also appeal to contenders looking for depth, and Detroit could even hold salary to help make deals work.
The key, though, is what the Red Wings should want back. This shouldn’t be about stockpiling draft picks.
If Detroit is serious about bottoming out, the focus should be on younger players who are close to NHL ready. A team like the Utah Mammoth, for example, could have interest in a player like DeBrincat.
Defensive help, especially in a deal involving someone like Faulk, can bring a strong return, and Red Wings fans know that better than most.
There’s still a foundation here. Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson give the roster a strong young core, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard are right there behind them.
This season should be about letting that next wave take over. Last year, Emmitt Finnie, Brandsegg-Nygard and Sandin-Pellikka all cracked the opening lineup early.
This time, the expectation should be that more young players force their way in. They’ll make mistakes.
That comes with the territory. But until they’re tested over the grind of an NHL season, nobody really knows what they can become.
If Detroit does keep its pick and the season goes sideways, there’s at least a shot at landing a major prize in the draft lottery. Landon DuPont, a University of Michigan defenseman, is the headliner with elite potential. Alexis Joseph of the QMJHL and Milan Sunderstrom are also in the mix as high-end center options who could give the Red Wings a long-term answer down the middle.
And the upside doesn’t stop there.
Next year’s free-agent class could be a major swing point, too. Yes, there are older names like Nikita Kucherov, Drew Doughty and Tyler Seguin, but Quinn Hughes stands out above the rest.
Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin is under heavy pressure to keep the American defenseman happy and get an extension done. If that doesn’t happen, Hughes would most likely leave. Detroit was one of the teams he considered joining, and if he doesn’t end up with the New Jersey Devils to reunite with his brothers, his hometown team would likely be near the top of his list.
If Hughes stays in Minnesota or signs elsewhere, the Red Wings would still have options. Drake Batherson would give them a clear boost at center, while players like Kucherov and Mark Stone would bring proven, championship-level veteran talent.
There’s also the possibility of an offer sheet. If Detroit were able to land Macklin Celebrini or Will Smith that way, the payoff would be immediate: young, top-line talent in exchange for a handful of draft picks.
However it plays out, the Red Wings are going to have to decide what this team is supposed to be. That choice is coming, whether they want it now or not.
In Other News...
Red Wings Still Have One Franchise Defining Larkin Decision Looming
The Red Wings have spent the offseason reshaping the roster with three new NHL additions, but the biggest roster question still hanging over 2026-27 is far less about the newcomers than about the captain. Detroit is looking at multiple lineup paths as it tries to map out what the next version of the team could look like, and Dylan Larkin sits at the center of every one of them.
If Larkin stays, the club can keep building around a familiar core and sort through how the rest of the forward group fits around him. If the situation turns in a different direction, the conversation shifts from lineup construction to asset management, with management signaling it would want NHL players back rather than a package built mostly on futures. Either way, this is the kind of decision that can define not just a season, but the shape of the franchise itself. [Read more 🡒]
Patrick Kane Could Shape Everything About Detroits Offseason
Patrick Kanes future has become one of the quieter but more important storylines hanging over Detroits offseason. The 37-year-old winger is still without a contract for next season even though the Red Wings have a standing offer out there, and his situation carries more weight than a typical free-agent decision because of how much scoring touch he brought to the lineup and how thin the margin already is for a team trying to keep its core intact.
The uncertainty around Kane also feeds into bigger questions about how Detroit wants to manage its roster from here. If he moves on, the conversation does not stop with one veteran scorer, because Alex DeBrincats place in the long-term picture could be affected as well, and the Red Wings are already trying to balance retention, depth and stability while building toward next season. For a team that needs answers, Kanes decision may end up shaping several of them. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Pressure Is Building As Edvinsson Wait Drags On
As other young defensemen around the league lock in long-term extensions, Simon Edvinssons contract talks have become one of the quieter but more important storylines hanging over Detroit. The Red Wings have not made a significant roster move since the start of free agency, which has only sharpened the focus on what comes next for a team still trying to sort out its blue line and overall direction.
Patrick Kane remains unsigned, Claude Giroux is reportedly staying in Ottawa, and the Flyers record offer sheet for Leo Carlsson has added another layer of noise to an already restless market. For Detroit, the Edvinsson situation is now part of a larger offseason picture that still feels unfinished, with the club waiting on several fronts before the roster starts to look settled. [Read more 🡒]