Uncertainty over who becomes the next GM of the Detroit Red Wings means uncertainty for players (such as Alex DeBrincat) who are UFA-eligible next summer. Meanwhile, there's talk that the Vancouver Canucks could be interested in Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright.
Speculation persists about how the Detroit Red Wings’ management change will affect their roster.
We noted yesterday that most of the conjecture was over whether team captain Dylan Larkin would rescind his trade request now that Steve Yzerman is no longer in the GM’s chair. So far, there’s no indication that the 29-year-old center has changed his mind.
Meanwhile, Max Bultman of The Athletic pondered how the management change will affect Alex DeBrincat’s future with the Red Wings.
Like Larkin, the 28-year-old DeBrincat is a Michigan native who grew up cheering the Red Wings. Acquired by Yzerman in a 2023 trade from the Ottawa Senators, DeBrincat has been among their leading scorers, including a career-best 85-point performance last season, during which he scored 41 goals for the third time in his nine-season NHL career.
DeBrincat has a year left on his contract with a cap hit of $7.875 million and a 16-team no-trade clause. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Other notable UFA-eligible Red Wings include center Andrew Copp, defenseman Justin Faulk, goaltender John Gibson, and forward Mason Appleton.
Whoever takes over from Yzerman as GM must decide whether to stay the course and push for the playoffs next season or start shipping out tradeable assets for draft picks, prospects, and young players.
If it’s the latter, DeBrincat, Copp, Faulk, Gibson, and Appleton will likely follow Larkin out of Motown, assuming the latter still wants to move on.
Meanwhile, in Vancouver, there’s speculation suggesting Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright could be drawing interest from a team just up the road.
Kraken management is reportedly working with the 22-year-old center’s agent to find a suitable trade partner. Ben Kuzma of The Province indicated that sources said the Vancouver Canucks are Wright’s preferred destination because of what they could become once their rebuild is complete.
Wright was chosen fourth overall by the Kraken in the 2022 NHL draft. He had a promising debut performance in 2024-25 with 44 points, but a coaching change led to a drop in his production and playing time last season.
Kuzma noted that Wright has a year left on his entry-level contract, giving the young center additional motivation to produce. If he does well, the Canucks could sign him to a lengthy extension.
During a recent appearance on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer, Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal said the Canucks were interested in Wright. However, the Kraken have set a high asking price, seeking a promising youngster such as Tom Willander or Zeev Buium as part of the return.
The Kraken have indicated that they expect a fair price for Wright and won’t be pressured into accepting less. If no one is willing to meet it, they’re content to have him return to their lineup this season.
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