The Detroit Red Wings may be resting up for a four-game road swing, but their pipeline has been putting in real work.
Grand Rapids kept rolling over the weekend, completing a sweep of the Rockford IceHogs and staying perched at the top of the Central Division. The Griffins won a 5-1 game on Sunday behind veteran forward John Leonard’s hat trick, and they got another strong outing from Michal Postava, who stopped 27 of 28 shots. Postava has yet to lose in net for Grand Rapids, and the Griffins have opened the season at 5-1-1 to sit atop the AHL standings.
Saturday brought another milestone for Trey Augustine, who picked up his first professional win as the Griffins handled Rockford in the opening game of the series.
Leonard’s weekend was the loudest individual showing in Grand Rapids. The free-agent addition signed with Detroit last year, spent much of the previous season near the top of the AHL scoring race, and has picked right back up with five goals and six points through just three games this season.
Elsewhere, 2026 first-round pick JP Hurlbert helped the University of Michigan knock off No. 1-ranked Denver in a weekend sweep at Magness Arena. Hurlbert recorded his first assist of the season and now has two points in six games as a freshman, mostly working on Michigan’s fourth line in a limited role.
Detroit could use a little of that production right about now as the club heads out looking for payback. The Red Wings open their trip tomorrow in Seattle against a Kraken team that scored six at home against them earlier this month, then head to face an Edmonton Oilers club led by Connor McDavid and coached by former Red Wings bench boss Mike Babcock later in the week.
In Other News...
Dylan Larkin Trade Talk Just Hit Another Complication
Dylan Larkins future has become one of the bigger side stories around the Red Wings this summer after the former captain requested a trade, and Montreal has already surfaced as a possible landing spot. Any chatter around a deal has naturally turned toward what the Canadiens might be willing to part with, including the kind of package that could center on top prospect Michael Hage, though nothing formal has been put on the table.
Montreals interest, however, is not a simple matter of hockey fit or assets. The deeper question is whether Larkin and his family would even want to make that move, which is the kind of complication that can stall speculation before it ever becomes real. For now, the Canadiens remain connected to the story, but the path to a deal is anything but straightforward. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Blue-Line Move Puts More Focus On Simon Edvinsson
The Red Wings crowded blue line forced a roster decision this week, with Jacob Bernard-Docker going on waivers, clearing, and heading to Grand Rapids as Detroit trims down a defense group that has become difficult to sort out. Because his contract is a one-way deal, the move does not close the door on a return, and he remains a sensible call-up option if injuries hit the back end and the club needs another body in a hurry.
For now, though, the bigger picture keeps circling back to Simon Edvinsson and what Detroit wants its defense to look like going forward. Interim GM Shawn Horcoff said the team is working to re-sign Edvinsson and has no intention of moving him, a useful sign for a player whose role only grows more important as the Red Wings continue to manage a roster that is getting tight on the blue line. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Roster Crunch Is Putting Several Fringe Spots In Danger
The Red Wings are starting to feel the squeeze of a roster that is close to full and only getting tighter as injured players near a return. With 25 players already on the books, Detroit does not have much room to maneuver, and any upcoming health-related changes or potential signings are likely to force the front office into some uncomfortable decisions.
For the fringe group, that means every shift and every stretch of availability matters more than usual. Limited ice time, injuries and uneven play have all made several spots feel less secure, and the next roster move could easily send someone to waivers or back to Grand Rapids as the team sorts out its depth chart. [Read more 🡒]