It's a shame that even the positives of the Detroit Red Wings are overshadowed by the negatives.
For the first time in what feels like an eternity, nearly half of the roster is 25 or under. Four young players - Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Nate Danielson, Anton Johansson and Axel Sandin-Pellikka - have made the opening night roster. This should be an exciting time for the Red Wings, who were just a few points out of a playoff position last season.
Instead, for lack of a better term, it's a dumpster fire.
There's no point in rehashing the myriad of problems the Red Wings currently face, nor the remarkably low morale of the fanbase. Instead, let's take a step away from the circus and focus on the actual product on the ice: the burgeoning youth movement.
This isn't going to be a particularly competitive season by any means. In fact, it wouldn't be a shock to see the team finish close to the bottom of the NHL standings.
Still, assuming the Red Wings can get out from under their cultural rot, there's a lot to be excited about with this roster. This is a great opportunity for young players, rookie or established, to truly cement themselves as part of this organization's future.
How young players can make a name for themselves
For now, it looks like the Red Wings will need to stay afloat without Simon Edvinsson. The hope is that this won't last very long, as the team very clearly needs his help. But, until he returns, there's a golden opportunity for two young players to make names for themselves in the top-four. If projected lineups are any indication, Albert Johansson will move up to the top pairing to play with Moritz Seider.
That leaves a second spot on the second pairing alongside Justin Faulk. The current lineup projection has Anton Johansson manning duties, but it's likely Axel Sandin-Pellikka sees reps there as well as the year commences.
On the forward front, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Nate Danielson are handling duties on the third line alongside Mason Appleton. The team will likely rotate Appleton in and out of the lineup with Carter Mazur before making a decision on which of the two forwards is waived when Dylan Larkin returns.
The Red Wings are already starved for offense. Without Dylan Larkin in the lineup, they'll need all the help they can get. This is a perfect chance for someone like MBN or Danielson to show they're a legitimate force in the NHL. Given how shallow the lineup is right now, they'll have all the opportunity they can get.
Where other young players fit in
Assuming McLellan doesn't keep Marco Kasper banished to the fourth line, he'll have plenty of chances for a bounce back campaign. It'll go even better for him if he's played alongside Emmitt Finnie, who celebrated a 30 point, 82 game season as a seventh round pick in 2025-26. 25-year-old Albert Johansson will have a real shot at showing he's more than just a third pairing defenseman, too.
Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are known commodities, but they've still got plenty of room to grow. If Lucas Raymond can figure out his goal scoring ability and Seider can improve on his Norris-caliber form, there's a lot to be excited about from the youth.
Now, if only the front office could pull it together, we'd have ourselves an exciting start to the season.
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