Red Wings face-off against Maple Leafs in preseason finale Saturday with several notable prospects still in the hunt for main roster spots.
The Detroit Red Wings close out their preseason and prepare to make their final roster trimmings when facing off against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. After weeks of examining the roster and make adjustments to present the best Red Wings team possible for the 2025-26 season, we finally enter the final days before the start of the regular season.
All of the storylines and position battles draw to a close with some notable names still in the hunt for main roster spots while others have already had their bags packed for Grand Rapids or wherever their road leads them next.
Detroit is coming off a bounce-back win over Toronto, sparked by a three-goal rally in the third period last Thursday. The victory improved the Red Wings' record against the Maple Leafs to 3-5-2 over their last ten preseason matchups and helped erase some of the sting from last season’s Game 82 collapse, when Toronto overcame a two-goal deficit in the third and won in overtime.
On Friday, the Red Wings continued to trim their roster down to 25 skaters and still includes notable names like top prospects in Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Emmitt Finnie, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Saturday's game versus Toronto could go a long way for some of these players making the lineup for the Oct. 9 season opener versus the Montreal Canadiens.
Michigan-born Standout Included In Recent Red Wings Roster Trim
There is now officially less than a week before the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Detroit Red Wings</a> officially begin the 2025-26 NHL season, which will be their centennial campaign.
JVR Debut?
Fans had been awaiting to hear news on recent signee James van Riemsdyk as he hadn't reported for camp till this past Wednesday. The 36-year-old veteran will be looking to get his legs beneath him before jumping into regular season action and will likely join the fold on Saturday for his debut as part of the Red Wings.
Detroit head coach Todd McLellan said to the media earlier in the week that they'd like to see van Riemsdyk play before determining his role in the lineup. The former longtime Maple Leaf will look to make an impact against the team he played 413 games with over six seasons.
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Finnie, Brandsegg-Nygård Still Pushing
The surprising breakout through training camp and preseason of 20-year-old Emmitt Finnie has been fun to watch as the Red Wings may be able to solve their top line left wing problem from within. After back-to-back impactful performances in prospect games and the preseason opener, he's seen his stock skyrocket with most outlets pegging him on the top line.
This became evident when in Thursday's game, they experimented with the lines and put Andrew Copp on the top line with captain Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. They played two periods together but couldn't find the back of the net. When swapping Copp for Finnie, the line scored two goals in the final frame. He may already have the job solidified but one more impressive showing out of Finnie on Saturday would help his chances to seal the deal.
Lower in the lineup, Brandsegg-Nygård has made the most of his heavy minutes playing alongside NHL talent with impressive plays in almost every exhibition game he's played with his most recent highlight reel play being his backhand one-touch pass across the crease to a wide open Alex DeBrincat for an easy goal on Thursday.
Brandsegg-Nygård has been on the ice for a Detroit goal in all but one of his preseason appearances, posting a +5 rating. Whether it's through points, hits, or shots on goal, he's consistently made his presence known, standing out every time he steps onto the ice. His strong preseason play raises the question of can he carry that impact into the regular season? Another strong performance on Saturday could help the former top pick make the main roster and find an answer to this question.
Sandin-Pellikka: Skill or Lack of Depth?
As the Red Wings look to rebuild their defense that finished bottom 12 in the league last year, they added a new goaltender in John Gibson, took a lottery ticket on former first round pick Jacob Bernard-Docker and have took an extended look at top prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka.
The 20-year-old Swedish blueliner has shown growing confidence throughout the preseason and will be aiming for a strong performance on Saturday to lock down a spot on the main roster. While he's had some defensive lapses, he's also made solid plays in his own zone and contributed offensively with point shots, puck carries, and smart cycling in the offensive end.
The final nine defenseman will likely see two more cuts with the seventh defender working in as a depth option, meaning he needs to continue staying ahead of players like Ben Chiarot, Justin Holl and Erik Gustafsson, who have all seen their fair share of defensive mistakes in recent games that have led to scoring chances or goals. With several veteran players not bringing their best when it counts, it could present an opening for the 2023 first round pick to steal a spot in the bottom of the defense.
Saturday's lineup is not yet posted - Stay Tuned
Todd McLellan: Injury Delayed "Outstanding" Chance For Former First Rounder To Make Red Wings
Injuries are unfortunately a part of life in the National Hockey League, and a key prospect of the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Detroit Red Wings</a> found that out the hard way during pre-season play.
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