Dylan Larkin returned to boos—and finished as first star. His goal and assist helped the Detroit Red Wings beat the Ottawa Senators 5–3 for their first win of the season. How much changes with Larkin back?

On Red Wings Rant Episode 411, we compare Detroit’s ugly 0–2 start with the Ottawa win using Evolving Hockey’s even-strength analytics. Lucas Raymond’s expected-goal share jumped from 13.2% and 22.5% to 61.6%. His minutes finally produced more offense and allowed fewer dangerous chances.

But the team-wide numbers tell a more complicated story: better finishing helped Detroit win, even without a surge in expected offense. One good night doesn’t fix the roster—or erase an offseason of turmoil.

We discuss Larkin’s emotional return, Todd McLellan’s comments about teammates rallying around him, Simon Edvinsson’s reported preference for a trade, and the organizational decisions that brought Detroit here. Plus, our completely unscientific blame pie returns.

Does Larkin’s return give you hope—or highlight how much this team still depends on him? Tell us in the comments, and subscribe for more Red Wings Rant.

#DetroitRedWings #DylanLarkin #LGRW

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/rd2RUDkzuS

Let’s have fun!

Sponsored by Draft Kings!

Find us on your favorite Podcast App by clicking here: https://link.chtbl.com/redwingsrant

Episode sponsored by Draft Kings. Use promo code 'THPN' to unlock exclusive offers when you sign up!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The 2026-27 season begins October 2, and the Detroit Red Wings have nowhere left to hide.

Detroit submitted its 23-man roster with Simon Edvinsson still unsigned, Dylan Larkin working his way back from an upper-body injury and outside projections pointing toward another step backward. We break down the opening roster, why the Edvinsson stalemate is so frustrating and how Alex DeBrincat, Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider and a healthy Larkin can keep this team competitive from night to night.

But the real story is the young core.

Marco Kasper, Nate Danielson, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Emmitt Finnie, Carter Mazur, Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Anton Johansson are no longer theoretical future help. They are on the roster now. If Detroit wants to become a legitimate playoff contender, several of them must outperform last season. At least one young forward may need to emerge as a legitimate 20-goal threat.

Is 86 points a realistic projection? Can the established stars carry this roster? Which young Red Wing must make the biggest leap?

Let us know in the comments, and subscribe for more Red Wings Rant throughout the season.

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/rd2RUDkzuS

Let’s have fun!

Sponsored by Draft Kings!

Find us on your favorite Podcast App by clicking here: https://link.chtbl.com/redwingsrant

Episode sponsored by Draft Kings. Use promo code 'THPN' to unlock exclusive offers when you sign up!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apologies for the broken audio.

Dylan Larkin finally addressed the media, but the biggest question remains unanswered: Is his trade request still active?

Larkin confirmed that he asked to be traded, said he does not regret the decision and accepted losing the captaincy as a consequence. But when asked whether the request still stands or what pushed him to make it, Larkin made it clear that he was not ready to provide those answers.

So why did the Red Wings believe this press conference was necessary? Did Detroit expect Larkin to provide closure, or was this an attempt to make him the villain? Instead of controlling the story, the organization may have created even more speculation about whether Larkin will ever play another game in a Red Wings jersey.

We also examine Simon Edvinsson’s contract leverage. Detroit has approximately $19.5 million in cap space, an unsettled roster and no realistic replacement for Edvinsson on its top defensive pairing. He may not deserve $11 million or $12 million per season, but could his agent force Detroit into that neighborhood?

Finally, we review the Red Wings’ projected opening-night roster, including all four forward lines, three defensive pairings and the Gibson-Tarasov goaltending tandem. We also briefly discuss Detroit’s 1-0 preseason shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Will Dylan Larkin play another game for Detroit? How much should the Red Wings be willing to pay Simon Edvinsson? Let us know in the comments.

Like, subscribe, and join us for another episode of Red Wings Rant.

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/rd2RUDkzuS

Let’s have fun!

Sponsored by Draft Kings!

Find us on your favorite Podcast App by clicking here: https://link.chtbl.com/redwingsrant

Episode sponsored by Draft Kings. Use promo code 'THPN' to unlock exclusive offers when you sign up!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Training camp is underway, the prospects are back on the ice and the Detroit Red Wings finally have a general manager. Sort of.

Detroit named Shawn Horcoff interim General Manager after spending two months searching for Steve Yzerman’s replacement. Horcoff has full authority over roster decisions, the salary cap and hockey operations personnel, but the interim label remains while Chris Ilitch continues the search on his own timeline.

Did Detroit choose Horcoff because he is the right leader for the organization, or did the search leave the Red Wings with the executive who was already in the building?

We break down the official explanation, why Horcoff makes sense and what the appointment could reveal about Detroit’s direction, spending expectations and ability to attract an experienced outside candidate. We also examine the contradiction between demanding a new vision while keeping Yzerman beside ownership as a senior advisor.

Then we return to the unresolved Dylan Larkin situation. Detroit removed the captain’s “C,” asked the media to give him space and suggested he could reassess his future after a new GM arrived. What happens when that new GM is only interim?

There is actual hockey to discuss too. Carter Bear has brought pace, skill and a relentless motor. Théo Rochette looks polished, Nate Danielson has shown flashes in his return and Trey Augustine and Anton Johansson remain two of the most interesting names to watch during the preseason.

Does appointing Shawn Horcoff stabilize the Red Wings, or confirm that the general manager search has gone completely off the rails?

Let us know what you think, like the episode and subscribe for more Red Wings Rant.

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/rd2RUDkzuS

Let’s have fun!

Sponsored by Draft Kings!

Find us on your favorite Podcast App by clicking here: https://link.chtbl.com/redwingsrant

Episode sponsored by Draft Kings. Use promo code 'THPN' to unlock exclusive offers when you sign up!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The biggest update on the Detroit Red Wings’ GM search is that there still isn’t one.

The Tigers traded generational ace Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Meanwhile, the Red Wings remain early in their search for Steve Yzerman’s replacement—with major decisions involving Dylan Larkin, Simon Edvinsson and Alex DeBrincat still waiting.

In this episode of Red Wings Rant, Mike and Matt discuss:

• Why Detroit’s late-starting GM search remains quiet
• Hiring of a search firm
• What Max Bultman is hearing about the timeline and candidate profile
• Whether the Tigers’ trade deadline delayed the Red Wings’ process
• The theory that the Skubal trade could intensify MLB’s salary-cap fight
• How a potential MLB lockout could affect the Ilitch organization’s hockey priorities
• Why “thorough” cannot become another word for “frozen”
• Was Detroit simply waiting for the MLB trade deadline—or is the Red Wings’ search still moving too slowly?

Comment below, like the video, and subscribe for more Red Wings Rant.

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/rd2RUDkzuS

Let’s have fun!

Sponsored by Draft Kings!

Find us on your favorite Podcast App by clicking here: https://link.chtbl.com/redwingsrant

Episode sponsored by Draft Kings. Use promo code 'THPN' to unlock exclusive offers when you sign up!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We count down 15 candidates to become Detroit’s next general manager or head of hockey operations. This is not a prediction of who Chris Ilitch is most likely to hire. It’s a ranking of who could create the clearest break from the previous regime and deliver a faster, more modern turnaround.

The candidates include:

Kris Draper, Shawn Horcoff, Ryan Martin, Tom Fitzgerald, Brendan Shanahan, Marc Bergevin, Josh Flynn, Brandon Pridham, Jim Nill, Scott White, Sam Ventura, Evan Gold, Brett Peterson, Tim Barnes and Darren Yorke.

Who can establish a legitimate contention window? Who would bring analytics, aggressive roster management and a modern player-first philosophy to Detroit? And which candidates would offer little more than another version of the Yzerplan?

Let us know your No. 1 choice—and which candidate you want nowhere near the job.

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/rd2RUDkzuS

Let’s have fun!

Sponsored by Draft Kings!

Find us on your favorite Podcast App by clicking here: https://link.chtbl.com/redwingsrant

Episode sponsored by Draft Kings. Use promo code 'THPN' to unlock exclusive offers when you sign up!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Steve Yzerman era as Red Wings general manager is over — kind of.

The Detroit Red Wings announced a major hockey operations leadership transition, with Yzerman moving out of the GM role and into a senior advisor position while the organization begins a search for a new head of hockey operations.

So… what now?

Is this the beginning of a real organizational reset?
Is this a move designed to speed up the Dylan Larkin trade?
Could it actually convince Larkin, Patrick Kane, or Alex DeBrincat to stay?
Or is this just a PR move meant to make fans believe something is changing while the same leadership structure remains in place?

Tonight on Red Wings Rant, we completely pivot from our planned episode and react to the biggest Detroit Red Wings news in years.

We discuss what Yzerman’s tenure became, why the Yzerplan ultimately failed, and why fans can finally start letting go of a rebuild plan that never delivered a playoff appearance. We also look at the timing of this move, why it comes after another Yzerman-directed offseason, and whether this could go down as one of the worst offseasons in recent Red Wings history.

Topics include:

Steve Yzerman transitioning out of the GM role
Chris Ilitch leading the search for new hockey operations leadership
Whether this is a real reset or just a PR stunt
Dylan Larkin’s four-team trade list
Could Larkin change his mind now?
Does this speed up a Larkin trade?
Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat’s futures
The Jake Walman trade
Sebastian Cossa and Amadeus Lombardi being moved
The need for a full scouting and pro personnel revamp
Whether the Red Wings need an outside voice
Why the next major transaction will define whether this is real change

The Yzerplan is over.

But the bigger question is whether the Red Wings are actually changing — or just changing the headline.

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/rd2RUDkzuS

Let’s have fun!

Sponsored by Draft Kings!

Find us on your favorite Podcast App by clicking here: https://link.chtbl.com/redwingsrant

Episode sponsored by Draft Kings. Use promo code 'THPN' to unlock exclusive offers when you sign up!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.