Michal Postava is wasting no time making another statement in the AHL.
Two weeks into the 2026-27 season, the Grand Rapids Griffins goalie was named AHL Player of the Week on Monday after backing up the strong first impression he made as a rookie. Postava went 2-0 over the last week with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage, and he also picked up his first AHL regular-season assist.
Through three games this season, he’s sitting at 3-0 with a 1.34 GAA and a .950 save percentage. Even more striking: the fifth-year pro still hasn’t allowed more than three goals in any of his 28 regular-season AHL appearances.
While Postava keeps rolling, Trey Augustine is running into a tougher patch in his first full AHL season. Detroit’s 2023 second-round pick has gone 0-1-1 in two games with Grand Rapids and has already given up eight goals.
His numbers through those outings sit at an .875 save percentage and a 3.90 GAA. Since turning pro late last season, Augustine is still looking for his first AHL win, now 0-3-1.
At the NHL level, Daniil Tarasov gave the Red Wings exactly what they needed in his first start. He stopped every shot he saw in regulation and overtime before Montreal finally won 1-0 when Canadiens forward Zachary Bolduc scored on the sixth shot of the shootout. Todd McLellan didn’t hide his satisfaction afterward: “The goaltending was outstanding,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said.
Tarasov sounded just as upbeat about how he felt in net. “I feel really confident, enjoyed that game,” Tarasov said. “Just being in a good spot all the time, getting to the top of the crease, seeing pretty much all the shots.”
Whether that earns him another turn Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils at Little Caesars Arena remains to be seen. Tarasov wasn’t offering any hints.
“We’re gonna see tomorrow what’s gonna be the plan,” Tarasov said. “So we’ll see.”
In Other News...
Red Wings Suddenly Have A Goalie Question They Did Not Expect
A year after arriving from Czechia as an undrafted free agent, Michal Postava is suddenly looking like more than organizational depth for the Red Wings. Signed in June 2025 after his time with HC Kometa Brno, the 24-year-old spent the 2025-26 season backing up Sebastian Cossa in Grand Rapids, but he has opened the new season strong enough to move into the starters net for the Griffins, who sit atop the Central Division.
For Detroit, that kind of development is exactly the sort of surprise that can reshape the goalie picture quickly. Postavas rise gives the organization another young option to track closely, especially with Grand Rapids playing well and the crease becoming a more interesting part of the pipeline than it seemed just a few months ago. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Face A Franchise-Altering Dylan Larkin Question
The Dylan Larkin chatter around Detroit has taken on a different tone with Florida suddenly carrying more flexibility under the salary cap, and that alone has been enough to push the conversation from idle rumor to something that feels at least worth monitoring. For the Red Wings, any talk involving their captain lands differently, because it is not just about a good player changing teams - it would signal a major shift in how the organization views its timeline and its next move.
What makes the speculation especially notable is the kind of framework being discussed, with the Panthers current roster situation creating room for a bigger swing than they might otherwise consider. The names floating through the conversation are the sort that would make Detroit pause, since any deal built around Anton Lundell or Eetu Luostarinen and extra draft capital would force the Red Wings to weigh immediate leadership against future value, and that is the kind of decision that rarely comes easy. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings May Be Stalling Two Young Players They Need Most
Detroits pipeline has looked encouraging in spots this season, with five Griffins prospects getting NHL looks and a few of them quickly finding their footing. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, William Wallinder and Anton Johansson have each managed to turn opportunity into something more meaningful, which is exactly the kind of progress the organization wants to see as it keeps trying to build a stronger next wave of talent.
The trickier part is figuring out what to do with Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Nate Danielson, two young players the Red Wings need to become more than just depth options. Both have had a harder time carving out real NHL influence, and the development case for each could point back to Grand Rapids for more seasoning before Detroit asks them to carry more of the load. [Read more 🡒]