The Detroit Red Wings have all but figured out their opening night lineup. With the departure of Patrick Kane, the looming trade request of Dylan Larkin and the acquistion of players like Keegan Kolesar and Viktor Arvidsson, opportunity is abundant for young players to take the reins.
With that said, however, there are a few elephants in the room that need to be addressed.
Last season, head coach Todd McLellan chastised several players on the Red Wings for being "just jerseys" -- guys that showed up and failed to perform at any level. Some names, like Michael Rasmussen and J.T. Compher, have been theorized as culprits of the "jersey" epidemic.
Unfortunately, due to Larkin's untimely trade request, both Rasmussen and Compher may be around for another year. Detroit's shallow depth at center will likely force players like Andrew Copp and Compher to play above their respective roles, with Rasmussen potentially tapping in as an emergency depth center.
That just leaves one player as the odd man out: Mason Appleton.
Red Wings likely to phase out Appleton
Every player has their respective niche. Alex DeBrincat is a goal-scoring machine. Newcomer Keegan Kolesar is a bruiser. Even Ben Chiarot, while not the greatest defenseman on the planet, brings an element of physicality to his game.
Mason Appleton doesn't really bring much of anything to the table.
Sure, he's a perfectly decent defensive forward, but the Red Wings have more than their fair share of defensive-minded forwards. They've already got Andrew Copp, J.T. Compher and even Michael Rasmussen to fit that bill. Keeping four defensive minded forwards on the roster hamstrings the offense, leading directly to the ugly -17 goal differential the Red Wings finished the season with in 2025-26.
To make matters worse, Appleton doesn't bring much on the offensive front, either.
Appleton finished the season with six goals and 14 points, tied with Michael Rasmussen for the lowest offensive output among forwards with more than 28 games. Where Rasmussen can fill in at center in emergency situations, Appleton is stuck to the wing position. Additionally, Appleton played an average of 13:31 a night. Rasmussen, for reference, played 12:39 a night.
In short: Rasmsusen produced more in fewer games and with less ice time than Appleton.
What's to be done with Mason Appleton
The Red Wings have a few options at their disposal for Appleton. Assuming the youth movement doesn't come to fruition, they can simply stash him away on the third or fourth line and hope he produces more offensively. If a prospect does make the roster, however, things get interesting.
There's an increasingly likely chance that a prospect plays Appleton out of his roster spot. Should this occur, the Red Wings would likely keep Appleton on as the extra forward. If an injury were to occur, they could easily bring him into the fold without having to call anyone up from the Grand Rapids Griffins.
If this doesn't work - or if Appleton continues to not produce at an NHL level - the Red Wings could also choose to waive him. Like Justin Holl and Erik Gustafsson, he would need to pass among the rest of the NHL before reporting to the AHL, where he'd likely earn plenty of ice time on a loaded Grand Rapids roster.
There's an additional option the team can consider, but it isn't likely they take this route unless it's a last resort.
All in all, it's looking like Appleton is the odd man out in Hockeytown. Change needs to happen - and soon - if the Red Wings want to prove they're serious about stepping up.
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