Sooner or later, the Detroit Red Wings are going to have to figure out life without Dylan Larkin.
Whether the captain widens his trade list or not is still up in the air, but the reality hanging over the franchise is simple: at some point, they need a new answer at center. The options inside the organization are thin. Andrew Copp is about as close as it gets to a second-line center, and Marco Kasper is coming off what the source described as one of the worst sophomore slumps in recent memory.
The outside market does not offer much comfort, either. It is tough to see the next general manager making a serious run at Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks, who has not played anywhere near a 1C in years.
That leaves the Red Wings with a familiar-looking solution: share the load. Instead of replacing everything Larkin gives them with one player, the team may have to spread that responsibility across several.
One name that could factor into that mix is newly acquired Theo Rochette.
Rochette, a former QMJHL product, just put together a strong season with Lausanne HC in the Swiss League, finishing with 43 points in 46 games. That total put him eighth in league scoring, ahead of former NHL players such as Jesse Puljujarvi and Austin Czarnik. He is 24 and still has not made his NHL debut, but late bloomers can still force their way into the picture.
That does not make Rochette a sure thing, and it does not mean he is destined to become a difference-maker. But this season is clearly one of opportunity, especially for younger players trying to carve out NHL roles. If Larkin is gone when the season begins, Detroit will need every possible option at center.
Rochette could be part of that answer.
The broader issue is even harder to ignore: without a legitimate first-line center, the Red Wings are not likely to be a very good team. And the Atlantic Division is loaded.
The Florida Panthers have healed up and added Brady Tkachuk. The Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres are almost inevitably playoff locks.
Even teams that were on the fringe last season, like the Toronto Maple Leafs, made upgrades with first overall pick Gavin McKenna. Detroit’s own additions do not come close to matching that kind of impact. Viktor Arvidsson might chip in a few nice goals, but he is not the sort of player who shifts the balance the way McKenna or Tkachuk can.
At some point, the Red Wings may need to step back for a season or two and take a hard look at where the franchise is headed. For better or worse, the next general manager has a major job in front of him.
In Other News...
Red Wings Fans May Hate What A Real McDavid Deal Would Cost
Connor McDavid trade talk is the kind of summer speculation that can light up a fan base and also force a hard look at what a deal would really require. For the Red Wings, the idea is easy to dream on because of the franchise's need to accelerate its rise, but the reality is that any team chasing a player of McDavid's stature has to consider far more than cap space or a simple roster fit. The discussion also stretches beyond Detroit, with the Rangers and Flyers among the clubs used to illustrate just how complicated a blockbuster of this magnitude would be.
What makes the exercise so jarring is how quickly the conversation turns from star power to sacrifice. A true McDavid move would not be a one-for-one swap, and the article makes clear that the price would force a contender or hopeful contender to part with meaningful talent and future assets in a way that could reshape the organization for years. For a fan base like Detroit's, that's the uncomfortable part of the daydream: the chase for the sport's biggest name would almost certainly come with a bill that tests how badly the Red Wings want to speed up the process. [Read more 🡒]
Former Red Wings Exec Sounds Alarm As Detroit Chaos Grows
A familiar voice around the Red Wings is not sugarcoating the state of things in Detroit. Neil Smith, who once served as the clubs head scout and assistant general manager, said the franchise is looking chaotic as it heads toward a new season, a tone that reflects just how unsettled the picture has become around the organization.
The concern goes beyond ordinary offseason noise. Smith pointed to the unresolved leadership void after Steve Yzermans departure and the uncertainty surrounding Dylan Larkin, who remains at the center of the turmoil, as reasons the situation needs a clear answer soon. With training camp approaching, the Red Wings are running out of time to settle the biggest questions hanging over the room. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Search Centers On A Little-Known Candidate With Real Draft Credibility
The search for help in Detroits front office has turned to a name that carries more draft-day credibility than mainstream recognition. Jeff Kealty, now the assistant general manager of the San Jose Sharks, has emerged as a candidate in the Red Wings broader evaluation of leadership options, bringing with him a long track record from his years in Nashville as a scout and executive.
Kealtys reputation was built on identifying talent, not chasing headlines, and that background has kept him in the conversation for other top jobs before. A former player whose career was cut short by concussion issues, he has spent years around the draft process and talent evaluation, the kind of experience that can resonate in a market still measuring every move through the lens of long-term roster building. The unanswered question is how seriously Detroit is taking him compared with the more familiar names in the mix. [Read more 🡒]