Detroit Red Wings forward Emmitt Finnie, who was named to Team Canada's roster for the 2026 IIHF World Championship, was named their Player of the Game in their recent win over Slovakia.
Not many were sure what to expect from Detroit Red Wings rookie forward Emmitt Finnie, who was a surprise addition to the team out of Training Camp and the pre-season and soon found himself regularly playing on the club's first line.
Finnie, whom Detroit selected in the seventh round (201st overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft, played in all 82 regular season games for the Red Wings in 2025-26, scoring 13 goals with 17 assists.
He was later named to Team Canada's roster for the 2026 IIHF World Championships, and he's already making a considerable impact.
During Friday's 3-1 win over Slovakia, Finnie scored his first goal of the tournament, deflecting a shot from Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly into the net for his first career goal with Team Canada.
Finnie, who barely skated in six minutes of ice time for the contest, also had an assist on Denton Mateychuk's goal and was later voted Canada's Player of the Game.
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Speaking after the game, Finnie said he felt the quick start by Canada more played into their overall team identity.
"Yeah, I thought that was a lot better," he said. "We want to be a heavy team and get behind teams, and I think we have all the skill. If we go to the hard areas, we'll get pucks in the net."
"It felt good," he said of scoring. "It definitely feels good."
As far as the total experience of suiting up for his native country in international play, Finnie continues to take the experience in.
"I mean, I feel like coming here was such a cool experience, and getting to play in these games has been a lot of fun," he said.
The Red Wings will be hoping that Finnie will not only lean on his experience from his first NHL season, but also the positive impact he's making for Canada in the ongoing tournament for what will be his sophomore season in 2026-27.
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