The Detroit Red Wings are missing a major chance to build some badly needed positive momentum after a turbulent offseason.
On Wednesday morning, news broke that Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who remains a restricted free agent without a contract, had returned to his native Sweden and is training with Frölunda of the SHL.
Perhaps the most startling element of this saga is not only that Edvinsson is now on the other side of the world with the start of the regular season on deck, but that the club wasn't able to hammer out a new contract with him despite his reporting to Training Camp.
Edvinsson skated with his teammates during camp, taking part in non-scrimmage drills, but he did not appear in any of the team's four preseason contests.
The Swedish defenseman, whom the Red Wings selected in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, gave every indication that he wants to be part of the club, making his feelings clear by reporting to camp without a contract.
But for reasons that remain officially unknown, what appeared to be a layup for Red Wings interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has now turned into an extremely precarious situation for a club already facing more questions than answers.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
There have been unconfirmed reports that the Red Wings would like to sign Edvinsson to a bridge-style contract, which could prove to be a considerable miscalculation given that the salary cap is expected to rise in the near future, potentially making Edvinsson's next contract even more expensive.
For a club that needs to rebuild some goodwill after a turbulent offseason, this was an unfortunate missed opportunity to build positive momentum.
Dylan Larkin wouldn't confirm whether he still wants to be traded, and he won't play in either of Detroit's first two games of the season.
Meanwhile, the club still doesn't have a permanent general manager, having spent two months before naming Horcoff, its former AGM, as interim GM, following Steve Yzerman's departure from the role on July 15.
Additionally, there has been no update on a contract extension for goal-scoring forward Alex DeBrincat, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming season.
All of that is on top of the NHL's longest current postseason drought, 10 years and counting.
Short of boarding a defunct Concorde jet, Edvinsson won't be in Detroit on Friday evening when the Red Wings open the season against the visiting New York Rangers at Little Caesars Arena.
For now, that means the Red Wings will have to make do without their second-best defenseman, who made it clear he wanted to be with the team by reporting to Training Camp despite being unsigned in a show of good faith.
Unfortunately, this only adds to the mounting uncertainty surrounding the Red Wings as they begin their 101st NHL season, with the expectation of legitimate Stanley Cup contention now feeling like a distant memory and the organization facing increasingly pressing questions about where it goes from here.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
