With the Grand Rapids Griffins’ season now over, the page officially turns to the Detroit Red Wings’ offseason — and it’s a big one.
After missing the playoffs for a 10th straight season, the Red Wings’ needs are clear if they’re going to snap that drought in 2026-27. Detroit needs to improve its five-on-five scoring and get much harder to play against, especially in the bottom six.
So, how can they do that? Today, we’ll look at three paths they could take via trades, call-ups and free-agent signings to try and address their issues.
Many elements of these projections are interchangeable — especially the line combinations — but I tried to show a variety of potential configurations while avoiding repeat names for outside additions. In that spirit, there are, of course, many other possibilities not listed here.
But hopefully, seeing some scenarios laid out like this helps to highlight the possibilities and the pain points as July 1 draws closer.
Scenario 1: The targeted adds
LWCRW
Bobby McMann
Dylan Larkin
Lucas Raymond
Alex DeBrincat
Andrew Copp
Patrick Kane
Emmitt Finnie
Marco Kasper
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
J.T. Compher
Michael McCarron
Mason Appleton
Michael Rasmussen
Carter Mazur
LD
RD
G
Simon Edvinsson
Moritz Seider
John Gibson
Ben Chiarot
Justin Faulk
Sebastian Cossa
Albert Johansson
Jacob Bernard-Docker
William Wallinder
Outside additions: Bobby McMann (UFA, projected 4 years x $6M AAV); Michael McCarron (UFA; projected 3 years x $2.5 million AAV)
Remaining cap space: $7 million
The pros: This approach doesn’t look radically different from last year’s Red Wings, but it would consciously address both of their biggest lineup holes.
In McMann, Detroit would be adding a player who scored 29 goals last season between the Maple Leafs and Kraken, with 99th-percentile speed according to NHL EDGE, and who is willing to lay the body at 6 feet, 2 inches. That all sounds like a pretty good complement to Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, basically keeping the elements that worked with Emmitt Finnie in that spot but upping the finishing ability.
That could make a big difference. Finnie had 13 goals in his very solid rookie season, but based on his shot quality (according to Evolving Hockey) would have been expected to finish with 21.42. That’s a big gap. McMann, meanwhile, had nearly identical individual expected goals (20.91) but significantly outperformed that number, finishing with 29.
Maybe that’s a sign of some pending regression for McMann (and positive regression for Finnie?), but even at the expected 21 goals, McMann’s combo of speed, power and finishing would play nicely on the top line, and free up Finnie to be part of the solution in the bottom six.
In this scenario, a line of Finnie, Marco Kasper and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård would be a bit green, but it would also be fast and physical — two things Detroit didn’t get nearly enough of in this part of the lineup last season. All three have 15-20-goal potential, though the lack of a true setup man on this trio stands out as a potential snag. One solution to that would be to swap Kasper and Andrew Copp here — looking to recapture the 2024-25 chemistry between Kasper, Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, and tapping into Copp’s passing for Brandsegg-Nygård. There are trade-offs each way.
And on the fourth line, the Red Wings bring in an even more physically imposing piece in McCarron, a metro-Detroit native who makes use of his 6-6 frame and was a valuable piece for Minnesota in this year’s playoffs.
In this scenario, the Red Wings don’t rush to shed any contracts because, financially, they don’t need to — preserving some depth in case injuries strike. But these adds still bump Michael Rasmussen out of the lineup as a scratch to start, and Detroit could easily swap in Carter Mazur for Mason Appleton if the latter’s second-half offensive struggles continue. This fourth line is not necessarily a true identity line, but keep in mind: Appleton was part of an excellent checking line in Winnipeg, and the goal here would be creating something closer to that.
The defense remains as it was to end last season, which leaves Axel Sandin-Pellikka to start in Grand Rapids — still just a phone call away but able to keep refining his game in the AHL while ready for a call-up any time.
This is the least drastic of the three scenarios, but with just two targeted additions, this build would make the Red Wings faster and tougher, while hoping McMann and Brandsegg-Nygård help boost five-on-five offense on the first and third lines.
The cons: The case against this approach is mainly the risk with free-agent contracts, which tend to cost extra in both term and dollars. That feels like a particular risk for these two players, who are hitting free agency right around the peak of their value. McMann has scored 20 goals two years in a row, which is reassuring, but if he plays closer to 20 than last season’s 29, there’s a good chance his contract will look inflated. That said, he could still be a nice piece in the middle six in that scenario.
Meanwhile, with McCarron, his appeal is more in his physicality than his production, but it is worth noting that his scoring rate is either on par with (or below) Rasmussen’s in recent seasons. That could still be worthwhile because the Red Wings lack that physical presence, but it is a point of caution nonetheless.
On the whole, though, the big question here is whether this lineup is improved enough to actually make the Red Wings a playoff team. It makes them better, no question — but does it put them ahead of enough of Tampa Bay, Montreal, Buffalo, Florida, Ottawa and Boston? They’ll need to be at least top-five in the Atlantic to make the postseason.
Scenario 2: The big fish
LWCRW
Alex DeBrincat
Dylan Larkin
Lucas Raymond
Mason Marchment
Marco Kasper
Alex Tuch
Emmitt Finnie
Andrew Copp
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
Ike Howard
Nate Danielson
J.T. Compher
Carter Mazur
LD
RD
G
Simon Edvinsson
Moritz Seider
John Gibson
Albert Johansson
Justin Faulk
Vítek Vaněček
Ben Chiarot
Axel Sandin-Pellikka
William Wallinder
Jacob Bernard-Docker
Outside additions: Tuch (UFA, projected seven years x $10.5 million AAV); Marchment (UFA, projected four years x $6.5 million AAV); Howard (Trade for Sebastian Cossa, $950,000 AAV); Vaněček (UFA, projected one year at $1.5 million)
Remaining cap space: $1.5 million
The pros: This version feels much more dramatic, partly because the lineup completely changes its shape.
In this version, Patrick Kane moves on, and the Red Wings completely re-imagine their top six. DeBrincat moves up to play with Larkin and Raymond — stacking the top line with Detroit’s three best forwards — while Detroit goes all in and signs the biggest name on the free agent market in Tuch, as well as another big forward with an edge in Marchment.
The result is two lines with distinct identities: a high-flying offensive trio up top and a heavier second line that will create its offense in a grittier manner. It’s not the only way to build if Detroit were to sign Tuch — they could move Raymond to the left side, and play Tuch with him and Larkin — but this second line feels like a credible matchup trio that can produce hard offense.
The other notable add comes in the bottom six, with a trade for Ike Howard from Edmonton in exchange for Cossa. I’m not ready to call a Cossa trade a total inevitability, as the Red Wings could still just keep all three advanced goalie prospects, as seen in Scenario 1. But a move is nonetheless very possible after the Griffins went with Michal Postava for the entire Calder Cup Playoff run. Edmonton is the most obvious fit for a potential Cossa deal, and in Howard, Detroit would get back a Hobey Baker winner who can score and skate. He’s been a leading scorer for Team USA at the World Championships this spring, and would bring some offense to the Red Wings’ bottom six.
This scenario also sees the Red Wings pass over Rasmussen and Appleton to keep eight defensemen — giving Sandin-Pellikka a spot as a regular while still enabling the team to protect William Wallinder (and Mazur, at forward) from waivers.
This version also bumps up Albert Johansson to the second pair next to Justin Faulk. Detroit mainly played Faulk with Ben Chiarot last season, but could Johansson be ready for another look in the top four? He offers much less size than Chiarot, but he is capable of being the steady, reliable presence next to Faulk.
Meanwhile, Chiarot would go back with Sandin-Pellikka, adding physicality to the pairing and affording the two of them much more manageable minutes than when they played together on the second pair this past season.
The cons: In addition to it being perhaps the least realistic — swaying both Alex Tuch and Mason Marchment feels like a long shot — the downside is again the risk in giving big contracts to two players entering their 30s. Could Detroit find an alternative to Marchment on the trade market? Perhaps Mavrik Bourque shakes loose from the cap-crunched Stars? It’s worth exploring, even if the prospect cost of such a trade brings its own drawbacks.
Signing Tuch also pushes the Red Wings’ chips all-in on the next two or three seasons, with Larkin and Tuch creeping toward the ends of their respective primes. Plus, by losing Kane, the Red Wings would subtract one of their few clutch performers and five-on-five contributors. Tuch would help at five-on-five — and for the contract he’ll get, he’ll need to — but losing Kane in the process lessens the net gain.
There’s also the question of whether Howard is enough of a return for Cossa, who is still a top goalie prospect. Howard’s AHL production this season was encouraging, but the positional value favors the goaltender here.
And then there’s the backup goalie slot. Michal Postava has been an amazing story this season for the Griffins, but my gut still says it’s a bit of a leap to project him onto an NHL roster to start next season. So, I have Detroit signing a veteran backup in Vítek Vaněček to buy some time.
This lineup is likely better than Scenario 1 in 2026-27. But would it be more costly long term?
Scenario 3: The bold trade
LWCRW
Alex DeBrincat
Dylan Larkin
Patrick Kane
Emmitt Finnie
Elias Pettersson
Lucas Raymond
Marco Kasper
Andrew Copp
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
Beck Malenstyn
J.T. Compher
Carter Mazur
Michael Rasmussen
Mason Appleton
LD
RD
G
Simon Edvinsson
Moritz Seider
John Gibson
Ben Chiarot
Justin Faulk
Cam Talbot
Albert Johansson
Jacob Bernard-Docker
William Wallinder
Outside additions: Elias Pettersson (Trade, for Nate Danielson, remaining contract six years x $11.6 million AAV); Beck Malenstyn (UFA, three years x $3 million AAV)
Remaining cap space: $3,800
The pros: For those wanting to see something bold from the Red Wings this summer, a trade for Pettersson would qualify. The slick Swede has had a pair of disappointing seasons in Vancouver, but he’s only 27 and has a 100-point season (plus another 89-point season and four total seasons above 0.9 points per game) on his resume. In theory, that player should still be in there, and a new environment could be the ticket to unlocking it.
One reason to think Detroit could be that environment: Raymond, who is the kind of setup man who could help maximize Pettersson’s dormant shooting ability. The center had three straight 30-plus goal seasons from 2021-2024 (threatening 40 in one of those), but has just 15 goals in each of the last two years. I would bet on Raymond’s playmaking to get him back up around 30, and maybe that gets the overall confidence flowing again. Meanwhile, Finnie would bring pace, puck retrieving and net-front play to their line, much like he did for Larkin and Raymond last year.
Crucially, this scenario would offer the potential for a longer-term center option high in the lineup. If Pettersson recaptures even 80 percent of his peak offense, he’s a point-per-game player with a real case as a No. 1 center. That’s quite valuable, and it’s rare for a player with that ceiling to become available. It’s unclear if Pettersson can get back to that level, of course, but that’s what makes it bold.
This construction would split up Larkin and Raymond, slotting Larkin between DeBrincat and Kane — a line that has clear appeal on paper and good actual results when it’s been together in past seasons but some concerning expected-goals numbers, too.
Down the lineup, Copp between Kasper and Brandsegg-Nygård has a hard-to-play-against feel, matching Brandsegg-Nygård’s shooting with Copp’s playmaking. And J.T. Compher between Mazur and Malenstyn — another down-lineup banger who could add a new dimension to the fourth line — has a bit of everything, if not one true identity.
This scenario also sees Detroit re-sign Cam Talbot, again leaving Postava to split the net with Trey Augustine in Grand Rapids and giving Detroit more insulation in case anything goes wrong with Gibson. Backup goalie shouldn’t be a make-or-break position for a team … but that’s only the case right up until you need them. And Talbot is about as good as you can hope for in a cost-effective backup.
The cons: You may have heard about Pettersson’s contract, which owes him $11.6 million for six more seasons. That might still be an overpay if Pettersson rebounds to 75-plus points — and definitely is if he doesn’t.
In theory, that risk would be baked into his trade price. But an acquiring team still will have to make it worthwhile for the Canucks to move the young center. Could the price be Danielson? Cossa? I’d guess Vancouver is more drawn to the center, but either could be valuable to the Canucks. Still, paying a top prospect and taking on a contract that currently looks like a dramatic overpay is a risk — and that’s if he’s willing to waive his no-move clause.
Plus, you have the question of the right flank on PP1: does that belong to Pettersson, or Kane? You could dream up a version of this build without Kane, but Pettersson is eating up a lot of budget here, and it’s hard to find top-six wingers any cheaper than Kane will be for Detroit.