Three names keep circling the rumor board, but the common thread in Detroit, Washington and Buffalo is pretty simple: teams are talking, and nobody is rushing.
In Detroit, the conversation centers on Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the Red Wings are still taking calls on both players, but the situation remains unchanged for now. The piece that stands out is what Detroit is asking for in return.
“So the other one everyone’s kind of focused on is Detroit. In the back end of our doubleheader tonight in Calgary.
Dylan Larkin, Simon Edvinsson, we’re told status quo in that situation. Red Wings continue to take calls on both players, and the one thing we have heard is that they have been asking about young centers, either in the NHL or not yet.
There, we’ll see how that situation develops.”
Washington’s name entered the mix through Ivan Miroshnichenko, a young forward who has been given permission by the Capitals to seek a trade. Friedman said the 20th overall pick in 2022 has talent, but simply hasn’t found enough runway in the lineup.
“And there’s one other name potentially to add to trade boards here, and that is Washington’s young forward Ivan Miroshnichenko. He was the 20th overall pick in 2022.
He’s a talented young guy. Played three games this year.
Scored against Montreal, but he just can’t get in the lineup.
He’s been given permission to talk to other teams by the Capitals. Now, what the Capitals have said here is, they have to get a legit return.
They’re not going to put him on waivers. They know he won’t clear.
They will trade him, but the return has to be legitimate. They won’t just do it, Ron, for the sake of doing it.”
In Buffalo, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen said he’s heard the trade chatter, but GM Jarmo Kekalainen told him not to dwell on it. Luukkonen said the message was to stay locked in on what he can control.
“Jarmo came to talk to me and it’s great that he found me and we talked about it,” Luukkonen told The News. “It’s a business and for me, it’s just about playing as well as I can.
It’s great that he acknowledges that he has trust in the goaltending. He was mentioning how good the goaltending was last year, and how you have to keep trying to turn the corner.
Just focus on my own stuff and what is in your control.”
Kekalainen also addressed the situation on WGR Radio on Tuesday, saying Luukkonen was part of the Sabres’ future.
In Other News...
Red Wings Face A Real Simon Edvinsson Deadline Problem
Alexander Nikishins one-year deal with Carolina took another name off the restricted free-agent board, and it left Simon Edvinsson in an increasingly awkward spot for Detroit. The 21-year-old defenseman remains in contract talks with the Red Wings, who are trying to get something done before the calendar turns to December and the window closes on his season.
Edvinsson has already made clear he would prefer a trade, even if he has not formally asked for one, which only adds another layer to a situation Detroit would rather settle cleanly. Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff is still working toward a deal, but the clock is no longer just a background detail, and the Red Wings know what is at stake if this drags on much longer. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Face One Huge Horcoff Question At A Crossroads
Shawn Horcoff is in a tough spot as the Red Wings interim general manager, because every meaningful decision he makes carries the shadow of not knowing how long he will be in charge. Detroit is at a crossroads, with one path leaning toward a push to help the current core right away and another pointing toward a longer rebuild that would prioritize future value over immediate results.
The tension is especially clear in how the team might navigate trade talks around Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson, two players who could define which direction this front office wants to take. The conversations being floated are still speculative, but they underline the same problem Horcoff faces throughout this stretch: Detroit has to decide whether it wants quick help for the present or a broader return that keeps the door open for the next era. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Contract Pressure Just Got Harder To Ignore
Alexander Nikishin finally ended his summer holdout by signing a one-year, $3 million deal with Carolina, a short-term agreement that gives the Hurricanes flexibility and gives the player a chance to get back on the ice and prove himself. With no trade protection attached, the contract immediately stirred speculation that it could become a bridge to something bigger if Nikishin shows enough value once he is back in the lineup.
For the Red Wings, it is another reminder of how quickly these situations can linger and harden into real pressure points. Detroit is still navigating unresolved business with Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson, and the longer those questions hang around, the more every comparable deal around the league starts to matter. Nikishin's case does not answer what comes next in Detroit, but it sharpens the sense that the clock is ticking. [Read more 🡒]