It should be obvious to everyone that the Detroit Red Wings are due for change.
A decade removed from the playoffs and seven years of disappointment under the Steve Yzerman era suggest that change is inevitable. Some of it might come sooner than expected, while others will likely drag into the foreseeable future.
That said, if the new general manager wants to be serious about change, they need to ensure that these four players are no longer in the Winged Wheel by the end of the 2026-27 season:
Mason Appleton is approaching the end of his contract
Nobody expected Mason Appleton to be a difference-maker. The depth forward has scored over 30 points just once in his career and has yet to reach the milestone since then. Last season, he underwhelmed with the Red Wings, posting six goals and 14 points in 65 games. Nearly half of the points he produced in the 2025-26 season came in the month of October.
Appleton has one year left on his deal making $2.9M in 2026-27. It's unlikely that the Red Wings choose to re-sign the soon-to-be 31-year-old to another deal.
Justin Faulk needs to be a deadline deal
When the Red Wings acquired Faulk, the expectation was that the defense would now be ready for the playoffs. Unfortunately, this never failed to manifest as the Red Wings missed the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season. Faulk, who is more than capable of taking on top-four minutes, has just one year left on his contract making $6.5M.
At the trade deadline, teams desperate for a defensive upgrade will look to someone like Faulk for a way to put their team over the top. Unless Detroit plans on extending the 34-year-old (who will be 35 in March), the best course of action should be shipping Faulk off for as high of a price as the next general manager can get.
Dylan Larkin shouldn't start the season in Detroit
The most obvious elephant in the room, Dylan Larkin, should be shipped off before the season starts. Whether the Red Wings do that for futures or present help remains to be seen, but it doesn't bode well if the disgruntled soon-to-be-former captain is still with the team in October. The palpable discomfort in the locker room would undercut any attempts to move on from the Larkin era, thus delaying the start of a new chapter.
Larkin carries a steal of a contract, making just $8.7M for the next five seasons. The five-time 30 goal-scorer would be a perfect fit on any roster in need of a center and would almost certainly bring back a great return.
Honorable mentions
- J.T. Compher, while a liability last season, has just two seasons left on his contract. He can easily be buried within the lineup or waived if the Red Wings don't see a path forward with him.
- Andrew Copp, while never quite living up to his salary, is still an effective NHLer and can easily play on the third line into the future. Additionally, he is a pending unrestricted free agent after the 2026-27 season.
- Ben Chiarot's three-year extension makes his contract unmovable pending a buyout or overpay.
Red Wings need to figure out what to do with Michael Rasmussen
Last on the list (and among the least surprising candidates) is Michael Rasmussen. The Red Wings have tried everything with the former first round pick, playing him at center, slotting him on the wing and even deploying him on the top line. No matter what they do, it just doesn't seem as if Rasmussen has what it takes on this roster anymore.
Last season, Rasmussen had one of the worst bouts of his career, managing a paltry 14 points in 64 games. His ice time has fallen precipitously over the last few years, and, without a way out, it seems like the end of the road is steadily approaching for both parties.
Rasmussen's contract goes through the 2027-28 season, carrying a $3.2M cap hit. It's up to the Red Wings to determine whether that contract is moved, traded or bought out. No matter what path they choose to take, keeping him on the roster in two seasons is should be looked at as a complete non-starter.
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