Every once in a while, a player comes around that's so mind-bogglingly frustrating that he makes you question your own sanity. This player makes boneheaded mistakes, plays a little too much for his own good and leaves you wondering why in the world your general manager signed him over a bag of pucks.
In the case of the Detroit Red Wings, this player is Travis Hamonic.
How Travis Hamonic played his way off the roster
Now, to be fair, expectations for Hamonic were fairly low. He was signed on a last-second one year, $1 million deal to serve as the team's extra defenseman and was meant to be an unnoticeable depth threat. Unfortunately, in the 26 games he played, he was anything but unnoticeable. It seemed like the Red Wings fell apart whenever he took to the ice. Play collapsed in the defensive end. Offense dried up. Just one of Hamonic's two assists was a primary assist.
With Hamonic in the lineup, the Red Wings went 11-12-3 -- and those wins were in spite of Hamonic, not because of him. When Hamonic was in the lineup, the Red Wings sported a -23 goal differential. If that isn't bad enough, his defensive metrics are so abysmal that analytical models can't even quantify the numbers.
When the Red Wings sent Axel Sandin-Pellikka down to the AHL, the expectation was that Hamonic would remain on the bench. After all, Jacob Bernard-Docker played so well he earned an extension. Much to the chagrin of Red Wings fans, however, Hamonic would suit up in the team's final game of the season against the Florida Panthers.
The Red Wings went on to lose that game 8-1.
Red Wings can find easy Hamonic replacement
NHL defensemen are a lot like NFL quarterbacks. The best ones can take over a game. The worst rarely earn playing time. But depth options and emergency replacements are nothing short of abundant. If the Red Wings are truly desperate for a depth defenseman to replace Hamonic, the free agency market is resplendent with them. Names like Brett Kulak, Connor Murphy and Jamie Oleksiak make up just a few of the prospective free agents the Red Wings can add to measurably improve the defense.
The Red Wings could even bring back Nick Jensen or Nick Leddy and they'd still have an upgrade over Hamonic. As hyperbolic as this statement may seem, it's an objective fact that both players brought more to the table in 2025-26.
The options are so abundant that they don't even have to look outside the organization. Anton Johansson, who has thrived with the Grand Rapids Griffins so far, looks fantastic. Axel Sandin-Pellikka should be an NHL regular next season. Even long-term prospects like Shai Buium and William Wallinder can make a push for Hamonic's spot.
Regardless, it's safe to say that Hamonic has played his last game in the Winged Wheel.
Final Grade: F
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