Considering its’ largest city having the nickname of ‘Hockeytown,’ it is no surprise that the state of Michigan is a hotbed for hockey.
The state is home to one of the most successful franchises in the sport, the 11-time Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings, and the United States National Team Development Program is based in Plymouth, MI.
The University of Michigan has also consistently been one of the best college hockey programs in the country, and Michigan State University and Western Michigan University have grown in recent years, with the latter winning the national championship in 2025.
In addition to the teams, some of the biggest stars currently in the National Hockey League (NHL) call Michigan home. This includes the Hughes brothers (Quinn, Jack, and Luke), Kyle Conner, Zach Werenski, Jacob Trouba, and reigning-Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck.
With how hockey-crazed Michigan is, it begs the question as to which native Michiganders have donned the Winged Wheel and performed the best for their hometown Wings.
Here are the top five players from the state of Michigan who played for the Red Wings. Players are ranked solely based on their stats in Detroit, so state legends like Mike Modano or Derian Hatcher are not included since they were only with the Wings at the end of their careers.
Honorable Mentions: Danny Dekeyser, Luke Glendening, & Lee Norwood
Dekeyser (Macomb), Glendening (Grand Rapids), and Norwood (Trenton) are each Michigan natives who had solid Red Wings careers, but still missed out on the list.
Norwood played on the Wings’ blueline from 1986 to 1991. He provided some offense as a defenseman, most known for his physical presence on the ‘Hack and Whack’ pairing of him and Gilbert Delorme. Norwood helped Detroit regain relevance during the early seasons of Steve Yzerman, finishing with 132 points across 259 games with the team.
Dekeyser and Glendening nearly made the top five simply because of their longevity with the team. Both men played over 500 games for the Wings during one of the bleakest stretches in club history.
Glendening, a U of M alum, was more known for his face-off abilities and two-way play, finishing with 126 points in 554 games between 2013 and 2021. Dekeyser, a WMU alum, was a solid yet not spectacular defenseman with 146 points in 547 games from 2012 to 2022.
While they played in Detroit longer than nearly any Michigander, Glendening and Dekeyser’s production was barely not enough to crack the top five.
#5. Alex DeBrincat - Farmington Hills, MI
It may be controversial to include DeBrincat at number five after just two seasons in Detroit, but his stats would suggest he is deserving. One of the most durable players in the NHL, DeBrincat has yet to miss a game for the Red Wings, playing in all 164 of them.
Talent-wise, DeBrincat is the best Michigan-born goal scorer to suit up for their hometown team. He already has 66 goals and 137 points in his two seasons.
Despite lacking on the defensive end and not having the longevity of Glendening or Dekeyser, his stats are significantly better than both players. Assuming he continues the rest of his career in Detroit, he will only continue to move up this list.
#4. Jimmy Carson - Southfield, MI
Perhaps best known for his inclusion in the 1988 trade that sent Wayne Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings, Carson was later traded from the Oilers to the Red Wings and played in his hometown from 1989 to 1993.
A talented goal-scorer and point-producer, Carson had 20-plus goals in his two full seasons in Detroit, including a 34-goal campaign in 1991-92. The forward also played parts of the 1989-90 and 1992-93 seasons for the Red Wings, posting over 20 goals during both campaigns.
Carson was traded back to the Kings from the Wings for Paul Coffey in 1993, but he seemingly lost his scoring touch and eventually retired at just 27 years old.
For his Wings’ career, Carson had 100 goals (202 points) in 240 games. DeBrincat will likely pass him after the 2025-26 season, but, for now, the fourth-place spot belongs to Carson.
#3. Brian Rafalski - Dearborn, MI
After winning two Stanley Cups for the New Jersey Devils, Rafalski signed with the Red Wings in 2007. In the eyes of many, he was the missing piece that helped the franchise win its 11th Stanley Cup in 2007-08, scoring a goal in the deciding Game 6 of the Cup Final. He also helped Detroit return to the Final in 2008-09.
Rafalski was a perfect blue line mate to Niklas Lidstrom, bringing offensive production, solid defensive play, and professionalism to Detroit. He posted 55-plus points in a season twice in the Winged Wheel and finished with 204 points in 292 games total as a Red Wing.
Knee and back injuries ultimately led to Rafalski retiring after the 2010-11 season. Rafalski made such an impact in just four seasons with the Red Wings that he truly is a team, and Michigan, icon.
#2. Justin Abdelkader - Muskegon, MI
Abdelkader followed a legendary college career at Michigan State that included a national championship with a long NHL career for the Red Wings.
He made his Detroit debut in 2007-08, but was not a full-time NHLer until 2009-10. Abdelkader then played for the Wings until his contract was bought out and he retired following the 2019-20 season.
Abdelkader currently has the most games played by a Michigan native for the Red Wings at 739. Despite only having 252 points (106 goals) during his long Detroit-tenure, Abdelkader’s grit and leadership on the ice was instrumental on the Wings for a decade. This makes him more than deserving of the second spot on this list.
#1. Dylan Larkin - Waterford, MI
Larkin, a U of M alum, may have just turned 29-years-old, but he is already clearly the best Michigan-born player to suit up for Detroit. Larkin has consistently produced every season since his debut in 2015-16 and is a three-time All-Star.
He has the most goals (242), assists (334), and points (576) of Red Wings’ Michiganders. Larkin will likely pass Abdelkader for the most games played this season as he currently sits only five games behind at 734.
On-top of his elite production, Larkin has been the captain of the Red Wings since 2021. He has remained a strong leader of the team during the darkest days of the rebuild, showing persistence and perseverance, and is an active part of the Detroit community.
Assuming he continues to produce at a high-level and the team around him has more success, Larkin will go down as not only the best Michigan native to play for Detroit but also one of the greatest Red Wings of all time.
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