The Detroit Red Wings keep running into the same problem, and it’s one that’s been hanging over the team for three straight seasons: the depth just isn’t doing enough.
That issue has shown up again this year in the bottom six, where Detroit has cycled through a long list of names without finding much production. Michael Rasmussen, J.T.
Compher, Keegan Kolesar, Carter Mazur, John Leonard, Sheldon Dries, Mason Appleton, Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson have all gotten looks there in recent weeks. Andrew Copp and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard also filled in briefly early in the season.
The results have been thin. The eight regular players used in that group have combined for just 14 points.
Meanwhile, three top-end scorers have already topped that total on their own: Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond each have 16 points, while Viktor Arvidsson has 15. Until the supporting cast starts contributing more, the Red Wings are going to keep living with those offensive swings.
One answer is already sitting in the organization. Detroit’s AHL pipeline has some players pushing hard for a shot, and the most obvious candidates are the younger ones. 2025 first-round pick Carter Bear has 14 points in 12 games.
Jesse Kiiskinen has 12 points in 14 games and brings a gritty edge to the forward group. Dylan James, a former second-round pick, also looks capable of handling a larger role at the pro level.
The Red Wings have already dipped into the AHL with Sheldon Dries and John Leonard, but those are familiar names at this point. The more interesting question is what happens if Detroit gives a real opportunity to players like Kiiskinen or Bear. What can they bring to the NHL lineup?
Help may also be on the way from within the current roster. Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton are both expected back at some point on the road trip, and even that alone would give Detroit a little more breathing room.
Kasper is the more intriguing piece. After a strong rookie season, he hit the kind of sophomore slump that’s common around the league.
If he can get back to that earlier form, he could slide into the second line and help make the third line better too. In that setup, Andrew Copp would get a stronger center option, while Michael Brandsegg-Nygard would have more snarl beside him on the second unit.
Kasper would also give the third line a center who can defend and still chip in around half a point per game.
Appleton’s role is less clear, but he could settle in as a useful fourth-line forward with defensive awareness.
If Detroit wants to go outside the organization, the trade market is still there. It’s not the most likely route, but it remains an option.
The Red Wings would need to create room for any addition, and there have been rumors that they’ve looked into moving players such as Michael Rasmussen and J.T. Compher, though finding takers for either one would be difficult.
There’s also the possibility of a bigger move if the Red Wings were to deal Dylan Larkin or Simon Edvinsson, which could bring back a depth piece to help with cap space. It wouldn’t be a blockbuster return, but it could still address part of the problem.
Detroit probably isn’t going to land a third-line center or a fourth-line grinder through a trade, but the door is open. The team already made a move for Keegan Kolesar earlier in the offseason, and while that hasn’t paid off yet, there’s still time for the season to change.
In Other News...
Red Wings Just Sent A Chilling Message About Dylan Larkin
Dylan Larkins absence has already started to show up around Little Caesars Arena in ways fans can see before they even get to their seats. After his suspension and departure from the Red Wings, the team took down his banner and removed his cardboard likeness from the building, then shifted that spot to the Russian Five as part of the groups 30th anniversary celebration.
The move has added a sharper edge to an already awkward moment for a franchise trying to manage the fallout around one of its most recognizable players. Larkin merchandise has also been pulled from the team store, even as Patrick Kane Red Wings jerseys remain on sale despite his own departure, leaving the teams handling of the two situations looking noticeably different. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkin Standoff Is Suddenly Costing Everyone More Than Expected
Dylan Larkins situation has moved well beyond a routine trade request, and the financial cost is already adding up. The Red Wings have suspended him without pay after he refused to report to the rink, and the standoff has now cost him nearly $500,000 in salary while the sides remain stuck in place.
Detroit would like to widen the list of possible trade destinations so it can chase a stronger return, but Larkins camp has not budged. That leaves the Red Wings trying to work through a market that is still too narrow for their liking, with no clear sign yet that the impasse is about to ease. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkin Trade Buzz Leaves Bruins Fans With One Big Doubt
Dylan Larkins trade chatter has taken on a familiar NHL twist, with the Red Wings still waiting to see whether his list of acceptable destinations grows beyond the roughly ten teams already believed to be in play. Jim Biringer said on TSN Radio that Minnesota is the preferred landing spot, which has only sharpened the sense that Detroit is dealing with a very narrow market as it sorts through what comes next.
For a team trying to navigate a potentially complicated roster decision, that matters. The Red Wings are not just waiting on Larkins preferences to clarify, they are also weighing other ways to reshape the roster if the situation stays stuck, including the possibility of moving players such as Simon Edvinsson. For now, though, the bigger question is whether Detroit gets more flexibility from Larkin or has to start making its own moves without it. [Read more 🡒]