- Nick Alberga of The Leafs Nation reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs remain interested in re-signing winger Max Pacioretty for next season. Despite a solid postseason performance, Pacioretty should warrant a relatively cheaper contract, given he missed more than half of the season due to injury. Still, Alberga notes that Pacioretty is prioritizing remaining close to his family in Michigan, meaning his desired employer will come down to the Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings.
[SOURCE LINK]
Red Wings Rumors
Red Wings Goalie Prospect Rudy Guimond Decommits From Yale
Detroit Red Wings 2023 sixth-round selection goalie Rudy Guimond is no longer committed to Yale University, per Mark Divver of NHL.com.
The Moncton Wildcats, Guimond’s QMJHL team, also announced his return. Moncton won the Q’s championship this season and will now have their star goalie back in the fold. The 20-year-old Guimond started last season in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids Roughriders, but struggled mightily, going 1-5 with an .887 save percentage. He then joined the Moncton Wildcats, where he turned the tide entirely, finishing the regular season with a perfect 16-0 record and a .940 save percentage. Carrying that momentum into the playoffs, he posted an 8-1 record, leading the team to their third championship.
Moncton’s general manager and director of hockey operations Taylor MacDougall said, “We are thrilled Rudy has chosen to return to Moncton. He was an integral part of our group’s success last season and now he has the opportunity to establish himself as one of the most impactful goaltenders in the CHL. Rudy has showcased elite composure and consistency. His decision to return to Moncton speaks to his trust in the process and desire to continue to improve under our goaltending coach, Antoine Samuel.”
Guimond’s tenure with the Wildcats wasn’t merely impressive—it was historic. He secured victories in his first 24 starts, setting a new league record, before experiencing his first defeat in Game 4 of the QMJHL Final against Rimouski. The 20-year-old is listed at 6’3, the type of size coveted by NHL teams. He sits as one of the Red Wings’ top goaltending prospects, joining the likes of Sebastian Cossa, Michigan State University’s Trey Augustine, and Michal Postava, who recently signed a two-year, entry-level contract after playing for HC Kometa Brno of Czechia’s highest league.
Canadiens, Penguins, Red Wings Interested In Nicolas Hague
Nicolas Hague’s trade market continues to percolate. The Canadiens, Penguins, and Red Wings have joined the previously reported Flyers in demonstrating interest in the Golden Knights’ pending RFA defenseman’s services, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period today. Pagnotta added that the Golden Knights have informed Hague’s camp their focus is on a trade rather than a new contract, although a move is “not a guarantee.”
Hague is an intriguing option for teams looking to add a lefty who can cycle into top-four minutes amid a rather weak UFA market. He would slot in the third tier of available left-shot rearguards if he were old enough for unrestricted free agency, along with names like Brian Dumoulin, Matt Grzelcyk, Ryan Lindgren, and Nate Schmidt. He is, of course, younger than all of those options and, although he’s 26 years old, may still have a bit of room to grow into a steadier second-pairing piece. He’s projected to receive a two-year deal worth north of $2.6MM per season this summer, according to AFP Analytics. While that’s a tad prohibitive for the Golden Knights, who have bigger moves in mind, it won’t be a salary-cap hurdle for nearly every interested party.
The 6’6″ defender was Vegas’ own second-round pick in their inaugural 2017 draft class. Hague has spent his entire career in Nevada, almost exclusively as the left-shot option on their third pairing. Buried on the depth chart for years behind Brayden McNabb and now Noah Hanifin as well, his ice time took a small hit this year, averaging 17 minutes per game following three years of seeing 18-plus per game.
A steady 10-20 point producer, that’s not why teams are interested. He’s a good fringe second-pairing option with PK deployability, size, physicality, and historically strong possession metrics. ’Historically’ is doing some heavy lifting there, though. His two-way play wasn’t particularly adept in 2024-25, at least at even strength. His -4.9% relative shot-attempt share was a career-low, especially considering he received rather even offensive and defensive zone deployment. His control of possession quality (expected goals) also fell below 50% at even strength for the first time in his six-year career.
There’s enough of a track record there for reasonable optimism surrounding a rebound, though. The Ontario native enters the summer with 83 points and a +20 rating in 364 career regular-season games, and he logged 18:34 per night in Vegas’ run to the 2023 Stanley Cup.
Perhaps no team among those mentioned needs a cost-effective player like Hague more than Detroit. Negative-value signings on defense over the past few years have hampered their ability to exit their rebuild, with aging names like Ben Chiarot and Justin Holl incapable of having success in anything above a third-pairing role. Hague, while untested in 20-plus minute deployment, would be a younger, cheaper, and better-skating option than any of those other supplemental pieces behind young core defenders Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson.
There’s also a clear need for Hague’s services in Pittsburgh. While the Penguins are under far less pressure to contend for a playoff spot in 2025-26 than the Red Wings, they simply need more defenders in the system to avoid overdeploying their younger prospects while also ideally having the flexibility to move on from Erik Karlsson and begin winding down Kris Letang’s workload. The Pens need another pickup on top of just Hague to accomplish that, but he’d go a long way toward helping and would immediately become their top left-shot option ahead of a paper-thin group behind him.
Hague would see a more familiar depth role in Montreal if that’s where he ends up. His acquisition is less about shifting him into top-four deployment – Kaiden Guhle, Lane Hutson, and Mike Matheson are all lefties and have that covered. It would be more about flexing enforcer Arber Xhekaj into a No. 6/7 role while having Hague replace him as the everyday left-shot option on their third pairing.
Red Wings Sign Michal Postava To Entry-Level Contract
According to a team announcement, the Detroit Red Wings have signed netminder Michal Postava to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal will run through the 2026-27 NHL season, when Postava will become a restricted free agent.
Based on their transaction history for the last year, Detroit is attempting to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks regarding their goaltending situation. The team brought in veterans Cam Talbot and Jack Campbell last summer and acquired Petr Mrázek from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline.
Furthermore, Detroit has two of the higher-end goaltending prospects in the NHL, Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine, although the latter has yet to debut at the professional level. Given his age and relatively brief professional history in Czechia, Postava should be considered a prospect rather than immediate help.
He doesn’t project as high as other netminders in his age group, but Postava is coming off a quality season with HC Kometa Brno in Czechia’s highest league. The 23-year-old goalie managed a 23-18-0 record in 42 games with a .921 SV% and 2.39 GAA, including three shutouts.
He provided even better numbers in the postseason. In 17 playoff contests, Postava earned 10 wins with a .940 SV% and 1.97 GAA, backstopping Kometa Brno to their third league championship.
It’s unlikely that Postava will challenge for a spot on the active roster during training camp, meaning the expectation is that he’ll start the year with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. There, Postava will be paired with Cossa as the Griffins look to build on their competitive 2024-25 season.
Free Agent Focus: Detroit Red Wings
Free agency is now under a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Red Wings.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Jonatan Berggren – After spending much of the 2023-24 season with Detroit’s AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, Berggren earned another full-time opportunity with the Red Wings in 2024-25. His scoring output was depressed compared to his performance in the 2022-23 season, as he scored 12 goals and 24 points in 75 games, averaging 12:59 of ice time per night. Still, Berggren’s biggest improvements came on the defensive side of the puck, where he achieved an on-ice save percentage of 91.1% at even strength, far and away the best output of his young career. He’ll earn a raise on his $825K salary this summer, but it shouldn’t be by much, especially if Detroit has begun considering him a bottom-six defensive forward.
F Elmer Söderblom – The 6’8′ Swede brought a lot of punch to Detroit’s lineup when he was recalled in late January of the 2024-25 campaign. Söderblom finished the year with four goals and 11 points in 26 games, with 43 hits while averaging 13:22 of ice time per night. Similarly to Berggren, Söderblom offered more defensive help to the Red Wings lineup than expected, and that could be where he finds his home on the team longer-term. Expect Detroit to retain Söderblom on a one-year deal with a slight bump on his $878K salary while staying below $1MM.
D Albert Johansson – Requiring waivers for another demotion to the AHL, the Red Wings chose to keep Johansson on their active roster out of training camp. It took some time for Johansson to play regularly, but after trading Olli Määttä to the then-named Utah Hockey Club, Detroit found more opportunity for ’AlJo’. Unfortunately, he’s put himself in a situation where the Red Wings could conceivably non-tender him this summer. Despite starting a majority of his shifts in the offensive zone, Johansson ranked as one of the worst players on the team in Expected +/- according to Hockey Reference, and on-ice goals % according to MoneyPuck.
Other RFAs: F Cross Hanas, D Antti Tuomisto, D Eemil Viro, G Gage Alexander
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Patrick Kane – Despite a visible and significant drop-off in foot speed, Kane continues to produce for Detroit. The 36-year-old three-time Stanley Cup champion and former-MVP ranked fourth on the team in points this season with 21 goals and 59 points in 72 games in a second-line role. General Manager Steve Yzerman has already expressed confidence that Kane will return to the Red Wings for the 2025-26 season, although no contract has been agreed to yet. If Kane decides to remain in Detroit, his upcoming contract should resemble this year’s deal, which includes a base salary of $4MM and the potential to earn an additional $2.5MM in performance bonuses. These bonuses are primarily dependent on the Red Wings qualifying for the postseason. 
D Jeff Petry – What a difference a year can make. After finishing the 2023-24 season with three goals and 24 points in 73 games, Petry finished the 2024-25 campaign with one goal and eight points in 44 contests, even while averaging more ice time. Petry finished last place among Detroit blue liners (with 41 or more games played) in CorsiFor%, and second-to-last in Expected +/-. Despite earning a modest $2.34MM salary this past season thanks to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens retaining a portion of his salary, it’s unlikely Petry will wear a winged wheel on his jersey next year. He may have to settle for a one-year, league minimum on his new deal or earn his way from a professional tryout agreement.
G Alex Lyon – Petry wasn’t the only pending unrestricted free agent who had a significant drop-off in the 2024-25 season. After managing a 21-18-5 record in 43 starts in the 2023-24 campaign, Lyon posted a 14-9-1 record in 26 starts this past year, with an eight-point drop in his SV% and a 3.6 drop in his Goals Saved Above Average. After adding several netminders last offseason and another at the trade deadline, the Red Wings are in dire need of contracting their goaltending situation, making Lyon an obvious candidate to leave this summer.
Other UFAs: F Craig Smith, F Tyler Motte, D William Lagesson, F Timothy Gettinger, F Joe Snively, D Brogan Rafferty, G Jack Campbell
Projected Cap Space
Thankfully for Detroit, the Red Wings will have a healthy salary cap situation heading into the offseason. PuckPedia lists the Red Wings as having $21.337MM in cap space, while already having 10 forwards, five defensemen, and two netminders signed for next season. Assuming Detroit re-signs Kane on a similar deal, and giving Berggren and Söderblom a generous salary of $1MM, that’ll give the Red Wings more than $15MM to work with. There should be competition for open spots on the roster from Nate Danielson, Jesse Kiiskinen, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka during next year’s training camp, so Detroit has the financial flexibility to be aggressive this summer.
Contract info courtesy of PuckPedia.
Photo courtesy of Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images.
Red Wings Sign Jesse Kiiskinen To Entry-Level Contract
The Red Wings announced they’ve signed winger Jesse Kiiskinen to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning next season. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Kiiskinen, a 2023 third-round pick by the Predators whom Detroit acquired in a prospect swap last summer, lands his rookie deal after a massive breakout season in his native Finland, as PHR’s Gabriel Foley outlined last month. The 19-year-old sniper potted a 14-30–44 scoring line in 46 games for HPK of the top-flight Liiga, leading the club in points. He scored the most points in the league among junior-aged players and also racked up six goals and an assist for Finland in seven World Juniors games, helping them to a silver medal while being named a top-three player on the team.
That massive breakout surely has Detroit thrilled about their return when they dealt similarly-touted defense prospect Andrew Gibson to Nashville. While loaning Kiiskinen back to HPK for next season is always an option even after signing him, that level of production stands to reason he’s more than ready to make the jump to AHL Grand Rapids in the fall and even be under outside consideration for an NHL recall late in the year.
Kiiskinen turns 20 in August, so he’s too old to be eligible for an entry-level slide. His contract will go into effect next season, regardless of how many NHL games he plays, and will hit RFA status in the summer of 2028.
Eemil Viro Set To Join SHL Malmö
- A report out of Sweden suggests that the Detroit Red Wings could lose one of their defensive prospects in a few days. The report indicates that defenseman Eemil Viro will join the SHL’s Malmö Redhawks for the 2025-26 campaign. Viro, the 70th overall selection of the 2020 NHL Draft, had spent the last three years with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, scoring three goals and 19 points in 142 games with a -17 rating.
[SOURCE LINK]
Liiga Forward Jesse Kiiskinen Offers Red Wings Upside
The Detroit Red Wings acquired Finnish forward Jesse Kiiskinen and a second-round pick from the Nashville Predators ahead of last year’s draft, in a deal that sent shutdown defender Andrew Gibson back the other way. The Wings followed the deal up by flipping the second-round pick to the San Jose Sharks, as a sweetener to get the team to acquire NHL defenseman Jake Walman. Detroit acquired nothing of value in their ditching of Walman – and even then, their pre-draft swap of Kiiskinen and Gibson already appears to be paying dividends.
Kiiskinen was originally drafted by Nashville in the third-round of the 2023 NHL Draft, following a year where he ranked sixth in point-per-game scoring in Finland’s U20 league. He was a clear bet on frame – standing at six-foot-1 and 185-pounds in his draft year and playing a game centered around using a mix of speed and strength to create space. Kiiskinen played through his rookie season in the Liiga following his draft selection, but his early struggles quickly cast doubt on his upside. He scored just 10 points in 38 pro games – fewer points than most of his younger peers in the 2024 draft class. But Kiiskinen stepped up to the plate in Finland’s continental friendlies, and shined through a glimmer of hope with 16 points in seven games with the country’s U19 squad.
It was on the heels of those international performances that Nashville chose to trade the Finnish winger – surely hoping that they could bank on a few strong performances masking an otherwise quiet year. But, on top of their many blunders this year, Nashville was also forced to pay for their impatience with Kiiskinen – as he emerged as one of Finland’s top underage talents. The skillful winger broke out in full with 30 assists and 44 points in 46 Liiga games. That scoring stands as the most a U20 Liiga player has scored since Aleksi Heponiemi (46 points in 2018-19), Sebastian Aho (45 points, 2015-16), and Aleksander Barkov (48 points in 2012-13). In fact, 14 of the 15 names at the top of the Liiga’s U20 scoring leaderboards have gone on to play in the NHL. With this scoring output, Kiiskinen also joins peers like Teuvo Teravainen, Jani Nyman, Juuso Parssinen, and Kaapo Kakko.
Kiiskinen is still multiple steps – and an entry-level contract – away from contributing to the NHL; and the array of talent from his NHL peers ranges from superstar to healthy scratch. But there’s plenty to life from Kiiskinen’s season. He looked strong and in-control throughout the year, with quick feet and little hesitation to throw the body. He dominated possession through the neutral zone and on the outskirts of the offensive end, and used quick hands and cheeky passes to take advantage of tight lanes that opened in the defense. Kiiskinen also maintained his strong offense into international play, recording a team-leading six goals and seven points in seven games of the 2025 World Junior Championship. No other Finn managed more than three goals.
The Red Wings may not have a shiny new winger just yet, but they must be ecstatic about the upside Kiiskinen offers. He was a final cut for Finland’s World Championship squad, and will now entertain the possibility of returning to a top-end Liiga role or moving on to the AHL next season. If he pursues the latter, he’ll undoubtedly be following in the footsteps of top Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Ville Koivunen – who managed 56 points in 63 AHL games this year after scoring as many in 59 Liiga games last year. It’s a path that’s been trailed already, and one that could lead Kiiskinen to a quick NHL debut once he makes the decision to come over. While it’s certainly comparing apples to oranges, it’s hard not to be excited about that outcome – especially after acquiring it for a stout defender who scored just 24 points in 54 OHL games this season.
Photo courtesy of David Reginek-Imagn Images.
Red Wings Could Pursue Multiple Free Agent Forwards
- If Max Bultman of The Athletic is correct, the Detroit Red Wings will be on a few key forwards during this year’s free agency period. Bultman believes the Red Wings will take a run at Marner, Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson, and Florida Panthers’ Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand. In all seriousness, even though Detroit has the financial flexibility to pursue any free agent, Bennett is the only player whose age aligns with their timeline, making them tougher to compete against and filling both short- and long-term needs.
[SOURCE LINK]
Offseason Checklist: Detroit Red Wings
The offseason has arrived for all but four clubs. Accordingly, it’s time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Detroit.
After losing out on the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs on a tie-breaker, the Detroit Red Wings finished five points worse in 2024-25. Detroit made a much-needed coaching change partway through the year, and competed for a postseason spot for some time, but their areas of need were too much to overcome. Fortunately, the problem areas are clear after watching even one Red Wings game, and they can all be addressed this offseason.
Concentrate The Defensive Core
The Red Wings entered the 2024-25 offseason with too many defenders. After sending defenseman Jake Walman to the San Jose Sharks before the start of last summer’s free agency in one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory, and moving Olli Määttä to the then-named Utah Hockey Club, Detroit managed to pare their defensive core down to seven regulars, with William Lagesson as a sparsely used option.
They’ll enter the 2025-26 offseason with a similar issue. That’s not to say Detroit doesn’t have good options; they do. Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson, and prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka should all have spots locked down on next year’s roster, meaning they’ll only have two full-time roles for the trio of Ben Chiarot, Justin Holl, and Erik Gustafsson, who carry a combined cap hit of $10.15MM.
To make it easy, the Red Wings could buy out one of Chiarot or Holl, leaving a cap hit of $2.83MM or $2.27MM for the next two years, respectively. Despite having a down year offensively compared to his recent production, Detroit shouldn’t have any issues finding a trade partner for Gustafsson and his $2MM salary. By removing two of the three, Detroit would have the flexibility to keep one for the bottom-pairing, and add a top-four option on the free agent or trade market.
Find Even Strength Goals
After finishing the 2023-24 season with 179 goals for (8th) at even strength, the Red Wings’ 5-on-5 offense collapsed this year, falling to 28th place with 143. Winger Alex DeBrincat sat tied for 18th in the league with 22 even-strength goals, with their next highest being Lucas Raymond, tied for 57th with 16. The falloff becomes even more dramatic after them.
However, this issue can only be answered if there are options available. Fortunately for Detroit, there are. After hinting at a new contract for months, the Chicago Blackhawks still haven’t extended forward Ryan Donato, who finished 17th in the league with 23 even-strength goals. Donato’s track record may raise some concerns, but the Red Wings could provide a more competitive environment than Chicago.
The importance of even-strength scoring can’t be overlooked. 14 of this year’s 16 playoff contestants finished in the top half of the league in even-strength goals, with the Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens being the only exceptions. Donato isn’t the only option either, but there will be more on that later.
Find Competent Penalty Killers
Detroit’s penalty kill was only 1.9 percentage points away from tying a record. No, it’s not a good record, as this year’s penalty kill was close to being the worst in NHL history with a 70.1% success rate.
To be fair, the team performed better with a man down after replacing Bob Boughner with Trent Yawney on December 26th, but not by much. Under Boughner and Derek Lalonde, the team averaged a 68.8% success rate on the kill, and 71.4% under Yawney and Todd McLellan.
Still, a 71.4% would have finished last in the league anyway, meaning the Red Wings will need different on-ice personnel to address the issue. The Carolina Hurricanes and Dallas Stars, which had two of the top five penalty kill units this year, will have some cap constraints entering the offseason. This would provide a perfect avenue for Detroit to pursue left-shot defenseman Dmitry Orlov (after weeding out their defensive core) on the free-agent market, or offer the Stars some cap relief by acquiring freshly extended Sam Steel in a low-cost trade.
Trade For A Second-Line Center
Now it’s time for the area of need that has plagued the Red Wings for a few years. After signing Andrew Copp and J.T. Compher in back-to-back offseasons, and sparingly using top-10 draft selection Marco Kasper as a center this year, it’s apparent that Detroit still needs a legitimate second-line center.
For better or for worse, the Red Wings will use Dylan Larkin as their first-line center. There is a valid argument that his ceiling is that of an above-average second-line center, but with six years left on his extension and the unlikelihood of Detroit finding a better option, his role is likely secured for the foreseeable future.
There won’t be much for them to choose from on the free-agent market. Matt Duchene may become a target, given that he finished 37th in goals at even strength this season with 19, and the Stars are unlikely to re-sign him. The Red Wings may only need a one-to-two-year stopgap, too, assuming Kasper appropriates the role as his game matures.
Still, there appear to be better options on the trade market. Detroit should steer clear of Vancouver Canuck Elias Pettersson and his $11.6MM salary, and New York Ranger Mika Zibanejad and five years remaining on his deal. However, Jared McCann of the Seattle Kraken and Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks represent quality options the Red Wings could pursue via trade this offseason.
Photo courtesy of Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images.
