Red Wings News & Rumors: Danielson, Quarter-Season Awards, Trades to Upgrade the Offense & More

Red Wings News & Rumors: Danielson, Quarter-Season Awards, Trades to Upgrade the Offense & More

Hello everybody and welcome into another Red Wings news and rumors here at the Hockey Riders. I’m your host Matthew Zatour and as always joined in by Jordan Orth. Uh Jordan, how’s it going? Good. It’s been a up and down week for the Wings. It’s going to be a it was it was an interesting one. We’ll leave it at that. Yeah. Uh their last 10 have been they’re around 500 54 and one. Uh but they still only are a point out of first in the Atlantic. So it’s still it’s still looking pretty well. Still looking pretty good. Um, but yeah, there I mean it has been a bit of a It was a really crazy game last game. Uh, the Red Wings won, but it was a a bench brawl right at the end of the game there, which uh was kind of uh interesting. I haven’t really seen that in a while. And the two jerseys, which which really made it kind of interesting to the pictures were great uh from that game. So, um but yeah, it was a a bit of a a crazy game there. Uh but I mean the the Red Wings have uh played pretty well this season and even with the up and downs, they’re still looking really good in the standings. So uh but one guy I want to start with him and that’s Nate Danielson. Uh he’s played four games so far in the NHL. Uh no points, not not have anything in the stat sheet yet, but how have you uh seen his game kind of be over? I mean in four games it’s not a long time, but how has he looked in the NHL so far? I think he I think he looks fine so far. I mean, obviously you would like to see some numbers attached to his name, but you look I mean, he’s not he’s shown he’s not afraid to go to them dirty areas. He’s kind of kind of plays that game where he’s going to go muck it up if he has to to make a play. And I mean, you look at look at his defensive game. Conor Baddard straight up said when he was drafted that he was the hardest guy to play against defensively. So, I mean, it’s you can see the signs of it early on. I think once he gets more of that confidence, more of his feet underneath him and in the swing of things, I think he’s gonna I think he might take off. I’m not saying he’s gonna light the world on fire. But bottom six needs anything they can get for help. So, yeah, for sure. And and the thing is is, you know, when he was drafted, he was more going to be a two-way uh type forward. And I mean, I don’t think he’s going to end up putting up a ton of numbers. I think he’s going to be more like a Jonathan Taves. He might have a season where he has like 70 points, but I think he’s not going to be a 100point guy. He’s going to be a really just solid top six guy. Although I said that about Bo Horvat, and Horvette’s looking pretty good lately with his goal scoring. So, I mean, he might surprise me as well, but I’d see him as more of that two-way um guy that won’t put up a lot of numbers, but still be a real valuable guy to have in the lineup. Right. We spoke about the offense. It’s been really topheavy. I mean, you look at the three guys that really lead the way and there’s a big drop off after Nate, you know, after Lucas Raymond, Dylan Lurin, and uh and De Brinkat, all three of those guys over 20 points yet the rest of them, I mean, Patrick Kane, he’d probably be around there now if he didn’t get hurt because his point per game was pretty good um before he came back. So, I, you know, very topheavy. Do they need to make a trade to maybe boost or upgrade this offense? Because can you really go through a whole season and be successful with just three guys putting up numbers? Yeah, I I don’t think that’s obviously it’s not sustainable. Would a trade make sense? The way Mlen made it seem when they brought Danielson up that they wanted to see what they’ve got with him before making any ideas or moves with anybody else on the roster. I think they might have things in in motion trying to do something. The problem is is how log jammed the entire I guess the entire league is. Every there’s really not a whole lot of teams that are out of it. So, you’re going to see teams want to hang on to their guys as long as possible. So, I think you’re going to have a tough time trying to get a trade worked out for someone that’s going to be able to make a decent impact. Not a again a top six guy, but someone’s gonna add that secondary scoring. But it would make sense in my mind to definitely try and try and get something in there, get some fresh blood, something, whether it’s a trade, whether it’s bringing somebody up. I mean, there’s there’s a few avenues you could go down, but they definitely need that that spark in that bottom half of the lineup. Yeah, I mean, they’re they’re great in the top half. All three of those guys are on pace for some really good numbers. And I mean, they’re all just putting up points almost every game. So, I mean, it it can be sustainable for a little bit, but yeah, it’s it could drop off and all of a sudden you have nothing. And that that’s where you’re you’re a you’ll get in trouble, especially as you gain, you know, get closer where you’re playing all these uh more competitive teams. Um, yeah. So, hopefully some other guys because they do have some other players that can step up. And that leads me to my next thing is that who needs to uh step up offensively beyond those three because the rest of the lineup there have EMTT Finny has kind of slowed down uh since bit of a hot streak there. Uh you’re looking at JT Comfort. I mean he’s he should be able to put up some better numbers. Patrick Kane’s back now. So you’re hoping that maybe he can keep going and and continue from what he started with. Uh, who else really needs to kind of boost their numbers here because and to help out because they really need it. I think you you need Marco Casper to step up. I mean, he’s got what, three goals, three points all season. I mean, he started off obviously they’re shuffling the lines around, but he’s in that on that third line with uh Danielson right now, but he he was a guy I thought would be able to take that next jump to be a 25, maybe even a 30 goal scorer with the way he plays. And it’s not like he’s been invisible on the ice. And I don’t want to say he’s played bad, but he definitely needs to pick that offense up. I mean, you can look at him, you can look at there’s there’s a handful of guys, like you said, the the top three and then it drops off to 11 points is your second high or fourth highest. You need a little bit more from everybody outside those top three. But someone like him, if he could get going and he could it could be a trickle down effect. He keeps playing on the line with Danielson. Maybe Danielson starts getting getting in on the action. I mean, it it it’s for me it’s definitely Casper because like I said, he’s definitely the guy I thought that would take that next step after how he played last year. Yeah, I agree with that. I mean, again, he’s another guy I don’t think he’s going to put up a ton of big numbers, but he can definitely do more. I mean, three goals, it’s okay, but you’re you’re looking for a bit more than that. And is I mean, I think that’s all he got. He’s got three goals and nothing else. He doesn’t have any assists either. So, it’s like he’s not really setting up anything either. That’s a bit of a you know, even if he was just setting up some goals, which would help. All right. Well, we’re at not technically at the quarter season mark, but 19 games. I’d say they’re pretty close. Uh one more game and they’re at the 20 game mark, which is where I always see where trends are. You know, you kind of look at it. I and I want to do some quarter season awards quickly uh on this one because by the next time we’re going to be over the 20 games. Uh so let’s start with uh MVP. Who’s I mean you could probably pick one of those three guys that are really leading the way. But who is who would you pick as I think it’s the captain. I think Larkin’s he’s it’s not even just the points. It’s just the way he plays. He plays with the energy. He brings it every game. And it’s it’s it’s to that point in his career it’s like, okay, he wants to take that next step, not just as a player himself, but as the team, the hometown boy, wants to get his team back to where they belong. And he’s I mean, he’s doing everything that he possibly can, whether it’s scoring goals, setting guys up, going going and getting in scrum, standing up for guys like I mean, kind of like he did last night with the whole thing. I mean, he’s he’s leading by example 100%. I think that’s that’s what you’re looking for. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I agree. I mean, you could pick and you wouldn’t be wrong by picking, you know, Lucas Raymond as well. I mean, he he’s there maybe a three-way threeheaded monster for MVP because, you know, the Brinkat’s looking pretty good, too. I I mean, lately, I I think he started off the season a bit slow, but he’s been really on fire in the last bunch of games. All right. Uh, you could pick a bunch of different guys that are, you know, top newcomer. You could pick a rookie. Uh, you could pick some young guys that are kind of new to the team, but who’s your top newcomer right now? It’s it’s going to be a rookie. I think it’s Finny. I just again, like you said, his numbers and his plays kind of I don’t want to say fallen off. It’s kind of plateaued after that first handful of games, but I just think the way he plays it it’s if it’s kind of I don’t want to kind of contagious. He plays with that energy kind of like Larkin. They had they he has no problem doing whatever he’s got to do on the ice. He gets in again for last night. He’s in the right in the middle of the Yeah. everything last night. I mean, he he has he just in the story he has coming from seventh round pick to being in the NHL. I just he he’s looked really well for what people obviously nobody really knew what to expect with him coming out of camp on the team, but he’s he’s looked really well in my mind so far. For sure. I mean, he’s still holding his own on that top six. He hasn’t been demoted. He hasn’t been thrown down to a fourth line or something like that. I still playing pretty good. So, I mean, there’s ups and downs throughout the season and and he wasn’t going to be a 30 goal scorer. He was on kind of on pace as you’re looking at the numbers, but he’s still I mean, like I say, looking pretty good. All right, this is probably a repeat, but who’s your top forward right now? Yeah, we we’ll stick with Larkin. He’s been just he’s been the most consistent. I mean, like you said, the Brinket was a little snake bitten at the beginning of the year. Raymond kind of went through the drought lately with the goal scoring. So just all around I mean he plays in every situation. Power play, penalty kill, five on five. He’s just he’s led the way. Yeah. So two time award there. I defenseman. Uh they could be a few guys here too. Uh who’s the top defenseman? I might be Mor Cider, but it could be any someone else. Yeah, I I think I think it’s it’s Cider. I mean, Edmonson, I mean, you listen another quote that Mlullen had the other night about the game against Buffalo with how his decision- making was a little iffy. I mean, he Cider looks he won’t I don’t think he’ll get consideration for Norris just because he doesn’t put up the points, but the allaround defensive game that he plays and the way that he plays the game. I was listening to Mickey Redmond last night and he said the fact that he’s only taken going into last night five penalties all year with the how physical and how how much he is in the play is really impressive. I just like the way he plays. He’s just a smooth defenseman. Yeah. So still the top defenseman uh for sure. All right, final thing. Uh we talked about who needs to step off offensively, but uh in the next 20 games by the time we hit the half season around the mid-season mark, uh who do you need to what do you need to see more of? Who I’ll repeat who do you need to see more from? I think it the the the goalending I mean Talbot hasn’t looked bad. Gibson has been it’s kind of been a little bit of a roller coaster and with the fact that they keep having that revolving door the last few years we’ve talked about I think if it Gibson needs to step up and obviously the defense I mean there’s lapses not as bad as last year but you can still see him that don’t necessarily help him out but he’s Gibson’s definitely got to be he’s got to be that last line of defense that can make the save and the key moments and there’s been times where it’s either a goal that you looking at it say how how does that go in Mhm. Or it’s just you need a little bit more out of someone like him. Yeah, I agree. And I mean Cam Talba does look I mean he has the bulk of the wins. His his record is really good. Um so I mean I think I think look Gibson’s under 500 and his record. So I mean I it’s something that he definitely I mean when he was brought in he was supposed to be the number one goalender. Uh really I mean Cam Talbot’s kind of been they’ve kind of gone between the two but Talbot seems to have kind of taken a bit more of the starts. Uh so I mean he’s see seven and two uh right now. I mean 896 say percentage 2.71 goals against average. Not great numbers but I mean Gibson’s around those two. So it’s like the goalending I think we talked about it goalending being something that needs to be better. Uh overall, I think that’s something that still needs to go. Um has to be a bit better as this as the next 20 games for sure. I you’re hoping that Gibson can maybe start recapturing a bit from what he looked in in Anaheim at times where and I don’t think we’ve seen that yet. No, definitely not. Yeah, that’s something that definitely needs to needs to change. uh he is under 500, four and five, 875 save percentage and 3.31 goals against average. So yeah uh those numbers have to be a lot better uh in the next 20 how many starts he gets and yeah that I think goalending in general like you said. So we’ll see. All right. Well, that’s another uh news and rumors of the Red Wings. Uh hopefully they can keep it going and start another win streak as uh they won last night. Um, but yeah, it uh they’re still having a really good season. Like I say, point one point out of the Atlantic Division lead. Bruins leading it for some reason, which I don’t think we were really anticipating at this point of the season. Um, and even the Red Wings being in second, I think I think the Atlantic division in general has been a bit of a surprise. uh having the Bruins, Red Wings, and Canadians leading it while instead of the usual suspects of the Maple Leafs and the Lightning and the Pan Well, the Panthers um I mean the Panthers weren’t in the top when they last season either. But yeah, we’ll see how the how it all plays out in the next 20 games if they can all stay in that same vicinity. But make sure to check out everything at thethhogars.com. We got great articles throughout the site of the Red Wings uh and everything else that we have on the YouTube channel and in our Substack newsletters as well. But till our next video, we will see you next

In this Detroit Red Wings News & Rumors update, Matthew Zator and Jordan Orth break down Nate Danielson’s first four NHL games and what his early performance means for the Red Wings’ lineup going forward. They also explore whether Steve Yzerman should pursue a trade to upgrade the offense and identify potential targets that could help Detroit stay in the playoff race. Plus, the guys hand out their quarter-season awards, highlighting standout performances and surprises from the first 20 games of the 2025-26 season.

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