Detroit Red Wings: where things stand

The Detroit Red Wings have opened the 2026–27 season 0–2–0, leaving them without a point after consecutive home defeats. They were shut out 2–0 by the New York Rangers in the opener before falling 3–2 to the Winnipeg Jets, a result that exposed both their competitiveness at five-on-five and their vulnerability on special teams. Detroit generated 35 shots against Winnipeg and created more even-strength chances, but could not finish enough of them to overcome an early deficit.

The penalty kill has been the clearest concern. Winnipeg scored on all three of its power-play opportunities, accounting for every one of its goals and forcing Detroit to chase the game. Head coach Todd McLellan acknowledged that the Red Wings produced opportunities but lacked polish around the net. Viktor Arvidsson scored Detroit’s first goal of the season, while Emmitt Finnie also found the net; John Gibson made 24 saves in his Detroit debut.

The slow start has intensified unease around the organization, with frustrated home fans directing “sell the team” chants toward ownership. Questions surrounding Dylan Larkin’s availability and Simon Edvinsson’s situation have added to the scrutiny, although Detroit’s immediate challenge is more practical: convert its five-on-five chances and stabilize the penalty kill. The Red Wings next host the Ottawa Senators on October 6, with Ottawa entering at 1–0–0.

The Detroit Red Wings enter October 4, 2026, searching for answers after a flat 2-0 loss to the New York Rangers in their opener. Detroit showed structure defensively and competed physically, but its attack produced only 22 shots, including just two in the third period, while the power play went scoreless and generated little pressure. Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond, the team’s primary offensive threats, were held in check, reinforcing concerns that opponents can neutralize Detroit by concentrating on that duo.

The situation is more difficult with Dylan Larkin sidelined by an upper-body injury and Marco Kasper unavailable against Winnipeg. Simon Edvinsson is also out amid a contract stalemate, with reporting indicating that he would prefer a trade, creating fresh uncertainty around the defense and the organization’s young core. Coach Todd McLellan faces an immediate challenge: preserve the team’s defensive identity while finding secondary scoring from players such as Andrew Copp, J.T. Compher, Michael Rasmussen, and Viktor Arvidsson.

At 0-1-0, Detroit hosts the Winnipeg Jets on October 4 in its only next scheduled game. The priority is straightforward—generate more sustained offensive-zone pressure, improve the power play, and avoid leaving DeBrincat and Raymond isolated. Without a sharper attack, the Red Wings risk another night in which solid defensive work cannot compensate for limited scoring chances.

The Detroit Red Wings began the 2026–27 season with a 2–0 home loss to the New York Rangers, leaving them 0–1–0 and still searching for their first goal. Detroit generated 23 shots but was blanked by Dylan Garand, while John Gibson stopped 19 of New York’s attempts. The defeat was especially frustrating because the Rangers were playing their third game in four nights, yet Detroit could not capitalize on the potential fatigue advantage.

The opener was overshadowed by the unresolved Dylan Larkin situation. The former captain requested a trade during the offseason and was stripped of his captaincy; he also missed the opener with an upper-body injury and was placed on injured reserve retroactive to August 15. Larkin’s absence removes a central offensive and leadership presence, while the trade drama has created an uncomfortable backdrop around the club. Simon Edvinsson, another important piece of Detroit’s defense, also remains unsigned, adding further uncertainty to the lineup.

The Red Wings now have little time to reset. Their next game is Sunday, October 4, at home against the Winnipeg Jets. Detroit will need more offensive urgency, stronger special-teams execution, and dependable goaltending from Gibson as it tries to prevent an opening-week setback from becoming an early narrative. With its core still under pressure and major questions unresolved, the Jets game offers the first opportunity to change the tone.

Detroit enters October 2 under pressure, with outside expectations placing the Red Wings near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. The organization has endured major upheaval after Steve Yzerman’s removal as general manager and Shawn Horcoff’s appointment on an interim basis shortly before training camp, leaving questions about direction and stability.

The immediate concern is the health of Dylan Larkin, who will miss the home game against the New York Rangers with an upper-body injury. His absence removes the club’s central offensive engine and leadership presence at a difficult moment. Simon Edvinsson is also unavailable amid an unresolved contract situation, having returned to Sweden, further weakening a defense that needs stability from Moritz Seider and the remaining blue-line group.

Still, Detroit has enough established talent to remain competitive. Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond provide scoring threats, while John Gibson gives the team an experienced option in goal. The roster also contains younger players who could reshape the club’s trajectory if they establish themselves quickly, but the burden on the veterans is considerable without Larkin and Edvinsson.

The Red Wings’ next test is Friday night at Little Caesars Arena against the Rangers. Detroit will need disciplined defending, reliable goaltending, and secondary scoring to compensate for its missing core. The game offers an early measure of whether the team’s veteran foundation can withstand organizational turbulence and a difficult start to the season.

Detroit enters its 101st season under pressure to turn promise into playoff results. The Red Wings missed the postseason for a franchise-record 10th consecutive year in 2025-26, finishing 41-31-10 with 92 points, and begin this campaign with organizational uncertainty after Steve Yzerman moved into a senior-adviser role while Shawn Horcoff serves as interim general manager. Todd McLellan remains responsible for guiding a group that has talent but little margin for another disappointing finish.

The immediate outlook is complicated by absences and unsettled contracts. Dylan Larkin remains sidelined by an upper-body injury and has not practiced on a regular line, leaving his availability for the opener uncertain. Simon Edvinsson, meanwhile, is unsigned and has returned to Sweden to skate with Frölunda, creating a major question on defense just as the season begins. Jacob Bernard-Docker is on injured reserve, while other roster moves have left Detroit’s opening group subject to change.

There are still reasons for optimism. Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat, Moritz Seider and Marco Kasper headline a young core, while John Gibson and Daniil Tarasov give the club an experienced goaltending foundation. Training camp emphasized cohesion, including a team paintball outing designed to build chemistry away from the rink. The first test comes October 2, when Detroit hosts the New York Rangers, with every storyline—health, leadership, development and management stability—already carrying postseason urgency.

Detroit’s camp has reached its final, high-stakes stage, with one preseason game left at home against Columbus and the coaching staff now focused on sorting out the last roster decisions rather than the results of exhibition play. Todd McLellan has said the club will skate something close to its lineup for the finale but not the full opening-night group, then make its business decisions afterward as it trims toward the start of the season.

The biggest stories have come from the blue line and the bottom six. Anton Johansson has made a strong push with his poise and offensive flashes, while William Wallinder has earned notice for steady defensive play. Jacob Bernard-Docker is day to day with an upper-body injury, and that has complicated an already crowded defense picture that includes Jacob Bryson, Travis Hamonic, Ben Chiarot, Justin Faulk, Moritz Seider, Albert Johansson, Simon Edvinsson, and several younger challengers. Up front, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård has impressed enough to stay in the conversation, and Mason Appleton, Michael Rasmussen, and Carter Mazur have all been part of the ongoing search for the right mix. Dylan Larkin remains out with an upper-body injury, so the club has also had to keep experimenting without its top center. The overall feel is of a team using the preseason exactly as intended: testing prospects, managing injuries, and tightening roles before the games start to count.

Detroit’s preseason has been defined less by results than by evaluation, with Todd McLellan using camp and exhibition games to sort out depth, chemistry and the shape of a still-fluid roster. The Red Wings have mixed veterans with prospects in a series of looks that show how crowded the competition is across the lineup, especially on defense and in the bottom-six forward group. Recent action has also underscored the team’s edge: Alex DeBrincat scored in the latest win, Moritz Seider played with his usual physical bite, and the group has shown plenty of energy in a camp McLellan has described as high-tempo and intense.

Injuries remain part of the story, too. Dylan Larkin has been skating again after an upper-body issue, though his status for the preseason finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets is still uncertain. That finale is the only upcoming game on the schedule, and it gives Detroit one more chance to sort through players pushing for roles, including young skaters getting a longer look and others hoping to survive final cuts. The defense battles have been especially competitive, while the goaltending mix features John Gibson and Daniil Tarasov alongside younger options in camp. The Red Wings look like a team still being assembled in real time, with training-camp decisions now carrying the most weight.

The Detroit Red Wings enter Sept. 24 with training camp still taking shape rather than a settled preseason identity, and the biggest storyline is how Todd McLellan is using exhibition games to sort out roles, chemistry, and health. Dylan Larkin has just returned to practice after an upper-body injury, giving the club its most important forward a chance to rejoin the group even though he is not yet being pushed into a regular line. That has opened the door for camp experimentation, including a mix built around Alex DeBrincat, Andrew Copp, and Lucas Raymond, a young energy group featuring Nate Danielson, Carter Mazur, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, and a heavier checking look with Mason Appleton, Keegan Kolesar, J.T. Compher, and Michael Rasmussen.

The blue line is also being tested, with Simon Edvinsson paired with Moritz Seider, Ben Chiarot alongside Axel Sandin-Pellikka, and Albert Johansson skating with Justin Faulk as the staff looks for reliable combinations. In goal, John Gibson and Daniil Tarasov headline the crease picture, with younger options still in the mix around them. McLellan has stressed that only a few camp skates have happened so far, so these exhibition games are about evaluation, not finished answers. The Red Wings host the Buffalo Sabres tonight as they continue that work.

The Detroit Red Wings are in the thick of training camp with the preseason serving as a live audition for several young players, new additions, and depth options. After trimming the roster, Todd McLellan’s staff is still sorting out the final battles, especially among forwards and on the blue line, where pairings like Ben Chiarot with Albert Johansson and veteran Justin Faulk alongside prospects have been part of the mix.

Detroit’s most encouraging storyline has been the play of its next wave. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, and Nate Danielson have all been given extended looks, and they responded in a 7-4 win over Pittsburgh with pace, confidence, and production. Viktor Arvidsson has also entered the competition for line combinations, skating with Marco Kasper and Emmitt Finnie in one recent look, while the club continues to evaluate depth forwards such as Mason Appleton, Theo Rochette, Jesse Kiiskinen, and Wilmer Skoog.

On defense, the camp picture is just as fluid. Simon Edvinsson is still in the conversation as the club tests options around Moritz Seider, and William Wallinder, Anton Johansson, and other young defensemen are getting important exhibition minutes. The Wings return home next for a preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres on September 24, another chance to sharpen roles before opening night.

The Red Wings are in the middle of a compressed preseason, using training camp and exhibition games to sort out a crowded roster rather than chase results. Todd McLellan has spent camp trying to build chemistry quickly, with practice groups and early line looks focused on role battles, waiver decisions, and which young players can force their way onto the opening-night roster.

The biggest storyline remains Dylan Larkin’s upper-body injury, which has kept him out of camp and pushed Detroit to test other combinations down the middle. In his absence, Andrew Copp, Marco Kasper, J.T. Compher, and Michael Rasmussen have all been used in different center roles, while Alex DeBrincat, Lucas Raymond, Viktor Arvidsson, Mason Appleton, Keegan Kolesar, and the club’s younger forwards have been rotating through the wing spots. The team is also giving prospects and near-NHL-ready players a real look, including Nate Danielson, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Carter Mazur, Emmitt Finnie, Carter Bear, and others fighting to stay in the mix.

On defense, McLellan has been sorting through pairings that include Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson, Justin Faulk, Ben Chiarot, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, William Wallinder, Jacob Bernard-Docker, and Albert Johansson, with more evaluation still ahead. In goal, John Gibson, Daniil Tarasov, and Michal Postava are part of the picture, and Detroit has already begun trimming and sorting out the camp roster. The Red Wings now head into their Sept. 22 preseason game on the road against the Pittsburgh Penguins with evaluation still the priority.

The Detroit Red Wings enter preseason with a compact training camp, a crowded roster picture, and a coaching staff trying to sort out roles quickly under Todd McLellan. The biggest immediate storyline is health and availability: Dylan Larkin has been sidelined by an upper-body injury, while Simon Edvinsson is practicing but still not taking part in full scrimmages as his contract situation remains unresolved.

That has opened the door for experimentation. Detroit has been trying out combinations such as Andrew Copp between Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond, Marco Kasper with Emmitt Finnie and Viktor Arvidsson, and a younger trio built around Nate Danielson, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, and Carter Mazur. On defense, the staff has mixed established players with prospects, including pairings like Albert Johansson with Justin Faulk and Ben Chiarot with Axel Sandin-Pellikka. McLellan has also used camp to evaluate prospects and fringe players in a short preseason where every exhibition rep matters.

The Red Wings’ first preseason test is on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight, and the club is expected to distribute goalie work across Daniil Tarasov, John Gibson, Trey Augustine, and Michal Postava as camp battles continue to sharpen.

The Detroit Red Wings open this preseason with a camp defined by urgency, competition, and evaluation. Todd McLellan has stressed that the compressed schedule leaves little room for experimentation, so the staff is using practices and scrimmages to sort out roles quickly, build timing with linemates, and settle roster questions before the exhibition slate rolls on to the next game against Columbus.

One of the biggest storylines is at center, where Dylan Larkin’s upper-body injury has opened the door for Andrew Copp to handle top-line duty for now. Viktor Arvidsson has also slid into a prominent role, while Marco Kasper, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Nate Danielson, and Emmitt Finnie are among the younger forwards getting real looks. The team appears eager to see which prospects can survive the pace of camp and force their way into the opening mix.

On defense, Simon Edvinsson’s unsigned status has kept him out of full-contact scrimmages, but he remains around the group and is still part of the evaluation process. The Blue line battles are crowded, with Axel Sandin-Pellikka, William Wallinder, Shai Buium, and the established veterans all being tested in different combinations. In goal, the exhibition workload is also serving as a showcase, with Daniil Tarasov, John Gibson, Michal Postava, and Trey Augustine all in the conversation as Detroit assesses its depth and future.

The Red Wings enter preseason with plenty of uncertainty and tension, but also with a chance to sort out a roster that is still taking shape. Dylan Larkin’s offseason trade request and the upper-body injury he suffered in off-ice training have made him the center of the camp conversation, while interim GM Shawn Horcoff has described the situation as something the team will manage day by day. The club is also navigating the absence of a captain, adding extra weight to every practice rep and leadership moment.

At the same time, training camp is giving younger players and depth hopefuls a real opening. Simon Edvinsson is participating in camp drills and meetings while working through his contract situation, and Detroit is using preseason to evaluate prospects, competition on the blue line, and bottom-six combinations. The roster includes a crowded group of defensemen and several forwards who are fighting to stay in the mix, so every exhibition showing matters for jobs and assignments rather than standings.

The Red Wings’ only upcoming game is a preseason trip to Columbus on September 21, and that contest should offer another look at how the staff is blending established veterans with emerging talent. For now, the story is less about results than about sorting the roster, testing chemistry, and getting healthy bodies back into the rhythm of camp.