The Detroit Red Wings are prime regression candidates in 2026-27.
That assessment is not so much because of Dylan Larkin and the front office mess. Rather, it’s predicated on the loss of several key players this offseason.
The Athletic listed the Red Wings as a team destined to take a step back this season. But what they haven’t really accounted for is the reason why that may not be the case.
In a September 24 piece, the main reason for Detroit’s decline could hinge on the lack of scoring and depth.
“Patrick Kane’s departure hurts the Red Wings’ 12th-ranked power play, which helped Detroit make up for the NHL’s third-worst five-on-five offence," reads the article. "Meanwhile, James van Riemsdyk’s departure hurts Detroit’s depth scoring. The Red Wings will hope summer signing Viktor Arvidsson and rising young player Michael Brandsegg-Nygård make up for those losses, but Arvidsson’s injury history and Brandsegg-Nygård’s youth allow room for doubt.”
Unfortunately, that’s all true.
But then again, the hope lies in the youth coming up through the system. In particular, Brandsegg-Nygard could end up becoming part of the solution. Similarly, guys like Nate Danielson and Marco Kasper could end up offsetting the eventual departure of Larkin. Plus, a top-pairing blueliner in the making, Simon Edvinsson, could become the anchor that allows Moritz Seider to unleash his full potential.
With that sort of outlook, what’s not to like about the Red Wings?
Add bona fide scorers like Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond, and, all of a sudden, Detroit doesn’t look like much of a pushover.
Red Wings season could come down to goaltending
Now, let’s assume for a moment that everything goes well, with or without Dylan Larkin. We can even assume that things get better with the influx of talent that could come from a potential Larkin trade.
With that in mind, the Red Wings’ season could very well come down to goaltending.
John Gibson ended up having a good season despite the slow start last year. Cam Talbot was good, if unspectacular. That’s why newcomer Daniil Tarasov, if he can be better than Talbot, could very well push the Red Wings over the top.
As it stands, Detroit plans to live and die by the Gibson-Tarasov tandem. In many ways, they’re just placeholders for when Trey Augustine and Michal Postava take over.
But until that happens, Detroit’s season could come down to how well the duo in the crease performs. The good news is that Gibson and Tarasov don’t need to steal every game. They only need to be average so long as the team in front of them plays sound fundamentals.
And that’s where things might get dicey.
All told, there’s plenty of reason to be bullish on the Red Wings this season. The only spanner in the works is that multiple variables will have to work out well for the team to exceed expectations.
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