The Red Wings got through the NHL’s final cut-down weekend without touching their roster, and that means their preseason finale group is still intact for now. No waiver claims, no surprise exits - just a hold pattern as Detroit keeps the players from that last exhibition game in the fold, including Andreas Englund, who arrived on Thursday.
That stability is tied directly to the injury and contract situations hanging over the club. Simon Edvinsson remains unsigned, while Dylan Larkin and Jacob Bernard-Docker are both dealing with injuries.
The timelines for Bernard-Docker and Larkin are still unclear, and Larkin has been seen at practice over the past week without taking part in full contact drills. With Todd McLellan stressing the kind of intensity and “heaviness” he wants from his team to begin the season, it could still be some time before the former captain is ready for that step.
Edvinsson, for his part, has been around the team and active in practice, but he has stayed out of scrimmages and preseason games while he waits on a new deal. According to reports, Detroit is looking at a bridge contract for the big defenseman, a stance that leaves room for prospects such as William Wallinder, Anton Johansson, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka to get minutes with the NHL club.
That opening comes with a cost, though. For a Red Wings team that already struggles to score, being without the second half of its shutdown top pair and a defenseman who can chip in 25-plus points is no small thing.
The longer Detroit waits, the more expensive Edvinsson is likely to become. And the bigger question may be why the organization would hesitate to lock in a player of his size and ability for the long haul.
Edvinsson already has more NHL games - and more points - than some other young defensemen who have gotten paid this offseason. It would be tough to make a strong case that many, if any, of them are better players.
Elsewhere in the system, Trey Augustine made his first preseason start in goal for the Grand Rapids Griffins. The former Michigan State standout is set for his first full professional season with Grand Rapids after spending the past few years with the Spartans.
He’s expected to back up Michal Postava, who handled the Griffins’ net throughout their postseason run last year, but Augustine is still a name Red Wings fans should keep on the radar. He also won two Mike Richter awards during his time in East Lansing.
In Other News...
Red Wings Blue Line Suddenly Carries A Bigger Question Than Fans Expected
The defense picture in Detroit got a little more crowded when the Red Wings claimed Andreas Englund off waivers, a move that adds another layer to a blue line already packed with young names trying to make their case. Englund arrives with some recent NHL turbulence behind him, having bounced around enough to remind everyone how quickly a depth chart can change at this time of year.
For the Red Wings, the more interesting part is what this means for the group below the surface, where Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Anton Johansson are still trying to carve out room in a system that has made prospect development a real priority. With Simon Edvinsson's contract situation still unresolved, Detroit suddenly has a more complicated decision in front of it, and the next few steps on defense may say as much about timing as talent. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Just Sent A Clear Opening Night Message To Fans
The Red Wings used Wednesdays practice to send a fairly clear preview of how they may want to open the season, and it came with a few notable wrinkles. Detroit ran a potential opening night lineup that leaned on several younger players in important spots, along with some new line combinations as the club continues trimming the roster ahead of Fridays deadline.
One of the more interesting pieces was in net, where Daniil Tarasov was the goaltender in the drill instead of John Gibson. The blue line also had a different look with Albert Johansson on the top pair next to Moritz Seider, while the team works toward settling its final group before facing the Rangers on opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkins Red Wings Exit Now Feels Like A Matter Of Time
Dylan Larkins situation has gone from a simmer to a full-blown storyline around the Red Wings as the season opens without him in the lineup. The captain has been sidelined by an upper-body injury since preseason, and even before the first puck dropped, the uncertainty around his future only grew after he requested a trade from Detroit.
Larkin has said he is trying to stay professional and win back the trust of his teammates, while also acknowledging the frustration on both sides with how this has played out. The list of teams he would accept a deal to has grown, which only adds to the sense that his time in Detroit is becoming harder to picture, even if the final step still hasnt happened. [Read more 🡒]