Despite the best efforts of the Detroit Red Wings, hockey is back.
No amount of missed deadlines or bungled GM searches can prevent the Red Wings from starting training camp this week. In two weeks, the NHL season will once again commence, with Detroit taking the ice for its home opener for the 101st time in history.
The start of the new NHL century also signifies the start of a new era. The Red Wings enter the 2026-27 season with a new GM, no captain and a new lease on the future. Which direction the franchise chooses to take is open to interpretation, but those are questions for later.
For now, let's focus on training camp.
On Thursday, the Red Wings announced the 49-man roster comprised of 28 forwards, 16 defensemen and five goaltenders that will take to training camp over the next few days. Preseason comes shortly after, with the first game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on September 21.
These are the top names to watch at training camp:
Simon Edvinsson is still waiting
The first bit of business on Horcoff's list should be offering Simon Edvinsson an extension. The star defenseman has yet to sign a contract, making him the only restricted free agent still on the roster -- and just one of a handful in the NHL. It sounds like contract talks are currently underway, but until a deal is finalized, Edvinsson is playing at camp without a contract.
Edvinsson's agent believes his contract will land around $7-9 million per season, but the term of that contract is still unclear. It could be a short-term bridge deal, or a long-term deal to keep the Swedish defender on the blue line for years to come. Either way, Edvinsson is a name worth watching at camp for his contract negotiations alone.
Carter Bear has something to prove
The name everyone will be monitoring the most, though, is Carter Bear. The 2025 first round pick has a legitimate shot at cracking the Red Wings this season. If his prospect tournament performance is any indication, the front office should watch Bear's play with bated breath.
The biggest key to Bear's success will hinge on how he builds on his prospect tournament performance. If Horcoff's comments are any indication, it sounds like the younger players will have a better shot at making the roster. For the Red Wings - a team in desperate need of an offensive shot of adrenaline - Bear makes for an ideal fit.
Anton Johansson might turn some heads
Perhaps no other player on the Grand Rapids Griffins looked ready for NHL action like Anton Johansson. The former fourth round pick continues to turn heads, playing like a seasoned NHLer in his brief foray with the Griffins last season and the season prior. At 22 years of age, he looks more than ready to crack an NHL roster.
There's just one problem: the competition. The Red Wings have all but locked down their six defensemen, with Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson on the top pair, Ben Chiarot and Justin Faulk on the next and Albert Johansson and Jacob Bernard-Docker on the last. Bernard-Docker looks to be the only player in jeopardy of losing his job, but he just signed an extension with the organization.
Johansson will also have to battle with Axel Sandin-Pellikka, who is out for a full-time spot, and William Wallinder, who has at a make or break point in his career.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is penciled into the lineup
If head coach Todd McLellan's training camp lines are any indication, it looks as if Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is set to make the opening night roster. As of right now, Brandsegg-Nygard will play on the third line alongside Carter Mazur and Nate Danielson, forming a young, high-energy line with a little physicality.
Brandsegg-Nygard likely has an edge over any other young forwards fighting for a roster spot based on his resume alone. He was the first forward called up from Grand Rapids at the end of last season and made the roster out of camp early on. If he can translate his scoring touch from the AHL to the NHL, he'll likely be a fixture on the middle-six for years to come.
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