Despite the elephant in the room, there are quite a few positives for the Detroit Red Wings this offseason.
They managed to trade in to the first round of the draft, selecting a high-potential, high-skill forward in J.P. Hurlbert. They hit the ground running in free agency, addressing even-strength scoring issues by signing Viktor Arvidsson. To top it all off, they even fixed the physicality issues by bringing in Keegan Kolesar from the Vegas Golden Knights.
This time around, the positives come in the form of awards. Detroit sports media selected Emmitt Finnie as the Detroit Red Wings Rookie of the Year, celebrating his 13 goal, 30 point rookie campaign with the Red Wings. Finnie is the third player selected in the seventh round or later to earn this award, joining Henrik Zetterberg and Vladimir Konstantinov in the elite club.
How Emmitt Finnie won Red Wings Rookie of the Year
Finnie was one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2025-26 season. The 201st overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Finnie was considered a long shot to make the roster at first. His work ethic and creativity quickly got attention in training camp, which, in turn, gave him a spot on the preseason roster.
Before fans knew it, Finnie was playing on the top line alongside Lucas Raymond and soon-to-be-former captain Dylan Larkin. This was Finnie's first time in his career playing an 82 game season and, despite the rigors the year brought, he performed well above expectations. Where fellow rookies Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Axel Sandin-Pellikka had stints in the AHL, Finnie played the entire season with the Red Wings.
Finnie is one of four active Red Wings Rookie of the Year winners on the roster, joining Moritz Seider, Marco Kasper and Dylan Larkin in the honors. Other active NHLers with the honor include Jonatan Berggren, Filip Hronek, Anthony Mantha, Gustav Nyquist and Petr Mrazek.
Potential 2026-27 Rookie of the Year candidates
As far as next season goes, Detroit sports media has their work cut out for them. It's unclear if Axel Sandin-Pellikka or Michael Brandsegg-Nygard fit the bill for rookie next season, but, if they do, both players are likely candidates for the 2026-27 Red Wings Rookie of the Year honor.
If Finnie making the roster sets any precedent, it's that anyone can make the Red Wings if they work hard enough. Should someone like, say, Carter Bear make the cut, he's a likely candidate to win the nomination. Other players like newly-acquired Theo Rochette may fight for the spot as well, with sleeper candidates like William Wallinder and Nate Danielson fighting for their spot on this roster along the way.
There's also the chance no one earns the title, a feat most recently accomplished in 2023-24. Time will tell who is crowned next.
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