A season opener with no captain and no GM
The Detroit Red Wings begin their season tonight at home against the New York Rangers, and the offseason that led here was rough. Detroit is coming off a 10th consecutive year without a playoff appearance, the longest active drought in the NHL, and the summer gave fans fewer reasons for hope, not more.
Captain Dylan Larkin privately asked for a trade, and the request became public. He reportedly fell out with general manager Steve Yzerman, who owner Chris Ilitch moved to an advisory role in mid-July. The team then went into training camp without anyone running hockey operations until Shawn Horcoff was named interim GM in mid-September.
no renewal
Free for 2 weeks.
Larkin out, Edvinsson unsigned
Larkin will miss the opener with an upper-body injury, and he still wants out. If he plays for Detroit again, he will not wear the “C.” “I asked for a trade from the Detroit Red Wings as the captain, and actions have consequences,” he said. “I understand why that decision was made. I’m going to be a professional about it.”
Defenseman Simon Edvinsson, a restricted free agent, is also unsigned. He went home to Sweden near the end of camp after talks stalled. Coach Todd McLellan has kept his message simple: if you are in a Red Wings jersey, you play.
The core that remains posted real numbers last season. Alex DeBrincat had 85 points, Lucas Raymond 76, Larkin 67 and Moritz Seider 60. John Gibson went 29-22-4 with a 2.72 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage, with Daniil Tarasov backing him up.
The Rangers arrive with momentum and an oddity
New York lost 3-0 to Boston on Tuesday, then beat Tampa Bay 5-1 on Thursday. Pavel Dorofeyev and Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and an assist, and Adam Fox added two assists. The night’s headline belonged to Igor Shesterkin, who became the first goaltender in Rangers history to score a goal, at 17:26 of the third period. He admitted he did not see the puck cross the line. “Maybe next time,” he said.
For Detroit, the stakes are simpler than a goalie goal. A fast start would quiet some of the noise around Larkin and the front office. A slow one would add to it.
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