The Red Wings appear to have found their emergency backup goalie.
Mason Kucenski was on the ice during the public portion of yesterday’s training camp practice, and while the team has not made an official announcement yet, the signs point to the 24-year-old netminder becoming Detroit’s EBUG. The giveaway wasn’t subtle: team equipment was provided, along with a spot in the locker room to keep it.
That addition fits into a broader wave of changes tied to the NHL’s newest collective bargaining agreement. The league’s condensed training camp schedule and some updated preseason participation rules are part of the shift, and Detroit is already feeling the effects as camp moves toward game action.
The first preseason test arrives tonight, when the Red Wings head to Columbus for a 7:00 P.M. matchup with the Blue Jackets. Todd McLellan said he wants the younger players on the roster to get plenty of chances to prove they belong as full-time NHLers, and Sunday’s practice decisions backed that up. Nate Danielson, Carter Bear and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard all sat out, a move that should leave them available for most of Detroit’s preseason slate.
That approach makes sense for a roster with plenty of uncertainty around the edges after a turbulent offseason. If some of the organization’s top prospects can seize those jobs, it would give Red Wings fans something real to watch as opening night approaches.
Elsewhere in the hockey world, the PWHL is starting to build momentum of its own. Detroit was added to the league earlier this year, with Ilitch Sports and Entertainment becoming one of the first outside investors in the young pro circuit. The league has now apparently taken another step forward with one of sports broadcasting’s staples: an All-Star Matchup.
PWHL Detroit has already signed several talented forwards, including Jesse Compher, the sister of Red Wings forward JT Compher. If things break right, Detroit may get to send her, along with one or two teammates, to Toronto this year.
In Other News...
Dylan Larkin Drama Just Got More Complicated For The Red Wings
Dylan Larkins situation with the Red Wings has lingered deep into the offseason, and now theres another layer to monitor as camp approaches. Nearly three months after submitting a trade request, the Detroit captain remains on the roster, leaving the club to balance a delicate offseason storyline around one of its most important players while trying to keep attention on the start of training camp.
Interim GM Shawn Horcoff confirmed Larkin is dealing with an upper-body injury suffered during off-ice training, and the team plans to update his recovery timeline. Meanwhile, the trade chatter around Larkin has only grown more complicated, with Pierre McGuire saying Detroit would seek Michael Hage in any deal for him, a steep ask that some around the league view as a non-starter. [Read more 🡒]
Theo Rochette Is Giving The Red Wings A Center Decision To Make
Theo Rochette arrived in Detroit as a European free agent after four seasons in Switzerland, bringing with him some real pedigree and a fresh layer of intrigue for a club still sorting out its center depth. The Red Wings have taken a long look at the 25-year-old after his silver-medal run at the IIHF World Championship, and his early path through camp has been enough to move him from the AHL side into the conversation with the NHL group.
Todd McLellan has already shown plenty of trust in Rochette, and the early buzz around camp has been about more than just a player getting a trial run. His skating and hockey sense have helped him stand out at a position where Detroit could use more answers, and the fact that he has been skating with the NHL players in camp suggests this is more than a courtesy look. If he keeps pushing, the Red Wings may have a real roster decision to make before the season opens. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Camp Is Already Exposing One Opening Night Concern
The Red Wings are edging toward their first preseason game of the 2026-27 season against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the early camp lineup chatter is already giving a pretty clear picture of where the pressure points might be. A practice group shared by Ansar Khan of MLive pointed to a roster mix that leans on several young players, which is hardly surprising with the NHLs new CBA limiting experienced veterans to just two preseason games and opening the door for prospects to grab real attention.
What stands out most for Detroit is the center picture, especially with Dylan Larkin still out injured. The alignment at practice suggested Andrew Copp as the top-line center, which is a reminder that the Wings may have to lean on depth in the middle more than they expected this early in camp, and that makes the coming exhibition stretch a key test for how ready the roster really is. [Read more 🡒]