Detroit Red Wings fans are right to feel antsy about the situation befalling their beloved team. The Dylan Larkin situation essentially forced the organization to put the kibosh on Steve Yzerman, leaving the entire team in a state of flux.
All right, nothing new there.
As insane as the situation has gotten, Red Wings shouldn’t actually have to worry. They have a massive reason why Larkin should hardly be a problem.
That reason is Moritz Seider.
Seider has quietly entered the conversation among elite NHL defensemen. Seider finished fifth in Norris Trophy voting this season, entering the upper echelon that includes Zach Werenski, Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar, and Rasmus Dahlin.
But it’s been Seider’s leadership that will help Red Wings fans forget about Larkin. In a recent interview in The Athletic, Seider addressed the Larkin situation and what he plans to do about it.
“Those are definitely things no player should be asked or should talk about,” he said. “I’m very good in the background. I do my job, I’m very excited about next year and wearing the winged wheel again, but those are things for our owner. I think he probably has a plan in place, and I’ll be very pleased to meet the new leader of our franchise once he is selected.”
The comments, as spoken on the sidelines of the NHL’s European Media Tour, highlight the maturity that the 25-year-old has demonstrated. He’s not about to play politics, much less take sides.
Seider knows that it’s all about getting the job done on the ice.
Seider knows what Red Wings’ mission will be in 2026-27
With or without Larkin, Seider understands what this team’s mission will be for the 2026-27 season. The goal is to continue improving, eventually reaching the sort of level that will allow Detroit to recapture its former glory.
Seider's comments underscored this philosophy.
“You should always aim for the stars,” he said. “If you don’t want to play with the best, you’re never going to get there, and if you’re satisfied with the season you had, well, good luck. Then it’s going to be a long way. You always should look ahead and see what’s next.”
The Red Wings’ blueliner is saying all the right things. But you can bet that it’s more than just rhetoric.
There’s nowhere to go but up for Detroit
Given the situation in Detroit, after hitting rock bottom in a way, there’s no other path but up. The Red Wings can only look ahead and hope that whatever they’ve done this offseason will be enough to take the next step.
The Red Wings have one of the best prospect pipelines in the NHL. So, it seems that a couple of savvy depth moves could suffice. Crucial veterans plus talented prospects could propel Detroit back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
It might not be this season. But the expectation is that it will happen much sooner rather than later. Patience is running out in Detroit. That’s why the time has come to really push the rebuild onward.
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