The Detroit Red Wings are already behind the 8-ball to begin the campaign, having lost both their opening contest and a key forward in center Marco Kasper.
The Detroit Red Wings are already facing considerable adversity to begin the 2026-27 NHL campaign.
Not only are they without top-pairing defenseman Simon Edvinsson because of a contract dispute, but they also don't have top center Dylan Larkin available to play just yet because of an off-ice injury he sustained prior to Training Camp.
Meanwhile, the 2-0 setback against the New York Rangers at Little Caesars Arena on Friday evening wasn't the only loss Detroit experienced.
Forward Marco Kasper was nowhere to be found during Detroit's practice session on Friday morning, and head coach Todd McLellan explained that he sustained an upper-body injury and isn't available for Sunday's matinee contest against the Winnipeg Jets.
"He's out tomorrow, and Monday/Tuesday we'll get a better chance to evaluate him," McLellan said of Kasper.
He also confirmed that the injury wasn't as a result of his fight against Rangers forward Sean Durzi in the second period of Friday's loss.
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After Friday's contest, McLellan explained that he liked seeing Kasper stand up for himself.
"He stood his ground; it was a good competitive situation, and that's Marco," McLellan said of Kasper's bout.
Kasper's absence means Detroit's center depth, already stretched thin without Larkin, will be tested even further.
During Friday's game, Kasper centered Detroit's third line flanked by Michael Rasmussen and first-year Red Wings forward Keegan Kolesar; he skated in just 10:50 of ice time, but registered four shots.
After a tremendous second half of the 2024-25 season, Kasper experienced the dreaded sophomore slump in 2026-27. He skated in 81 games, scoring just nine goals with 10 assists.
Without Kasper, the Red Wings drop the puck against the Jets on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
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