The Detroit Red Wings got the opening-night look they wanted in one sense: the New York Rangers were on the second night of a back-to-back, and their goalie was a minor-league recall making just his fourth NHL start. None of it mattered.
Dylan Garand shut out Detroit with 23 saves Friday at Little Caesars Arena, turning in the first clean sheet of his young NHL career in a 2-0 Rangers win. Recalled Thursday from the AHL Hartford Wolfpack, Garand moved to 3-0-1 in his NHL career and still hasn’t given up more than two goals in any appearance.
New York struck first on a power-play goal by defenseman Sean Durzi in the opening period, and that single tally ended up carrying the night for a long stretch. Durzi appeared to add another power-play goal a few minutes later, but Detroit challenged for offside on the entry. The replay backed the Red Wings, showing that Oliver Bjorkstrand had entered the zone too early.
The Rangers eventually put the game away with an empty-net goal by Eeli Tolvanen, who had been available to sign with Detroit as a UFA in the summer.
Detroit had its moments, especially after the first intermission. The Rangers, playing for the third time in four nights, started to fade in the second period and went 14 minutes without a shot on goal. Even with that lull, the Red Wings couldn’t cash in, sending 20 shots at Garand over the first 40 minutes and coming up empty.
Marco Kasper also had a spirited second-period fight with Durzi, his third NHL fight. Kasper’s previous scraps came against Tony DeAngelo of the New York Islanders and former Red Wings forward Anthony Mantha, then with the Washington Capitals.
Former Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, who is injured and has requested a trade, was booed when introduced with the scratches before the game. He quickly headed back down the tunnel toward the Detroit dressing room.
One odd number stood out for Detroit: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard had the team’s most shots on goal through two periods with three, while playing just 5:23. For a club that figures to need offense wherever it can find it, that was a hard one to miss.
The Red Wings host the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena. Connor Hellebuyck will not be in the Winnipeg net.
In Other News...
Red Wings Suddenly Have A Marco Kasper Concern After Opening Night
Marco Kaspers opening night with the Red Wings already came with a jolt, and now Detroit has a little more reason to keep an eye on its young center. Kasper is dealing with an upper-body injury, which is the kind of early-season issue that can quickly alter a teams plans, especially for a player still trying to carve out a bigger role.
The concern is not just the absence itself, but how it arrived in a game where Kasper was involved physically and left the kind of impression that tends to linger beyond the final buzzer. Detroit is still sorting through its lineup options, and with the schedule moving fast, the Red Wings are already facing an immediate question about how long they may have to manage without him. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Suddenly Have Another Core Player Standoff To Solve
The Red Wings are already juggling enough uncertainty, and now another young piece of their future has become part of the picture. Simon Edvinsson, a restricted free agent on the back end, is in a standoff with Detroit as the club continues to push for an extension while the players side is not engaged in talks. With Dylan Larkins trade request still hanging over the roster and no permanent general manager in place, the organization suddenly has another core decision to navigate.
Edvinssons situation is especially notable because he has already returned to Sweden and is back with Frolunda HC after training camp. For Detroit, that only adds to the awkward timing of a negotiation that is supposed to help settle the blue lines future, not cloud it further. Instead, the Wings are left trying to sort out whether one of their promising defensemen will eventually be part of the long-term plan or become the next unresolved issue on a team that cant afford many more. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Face One Costly Question In Any Lucas Raymond Pursuit
Detroits summer has already carried enough turbulence to make any new trade rumor land with extra force. With captain Dylan Larkin already having asked out and defenseman Simon Edvinsson still unsigned while reportedly preferring a move, the Red Wings are staring at a messy stretch in which almost anything feels possible as the organization tries to sort out its next direction.
That is why the Lucas Raymond chatter has drawn so much attention, especially with Edmonton floated as a possible partner if Detroit ever decides to take a bigger swing at a rebuild. Any pursuit would have to clear a steep price, and the kind of return being discussed would be the sort of package that forces both sides to think hard about timing, fit, and how much pain they are willing to absorb for a player with Raymonds upside. [Read more 🡒]