Former Detroit Red Wings player Luke Glendening, one of the NHL’s most effective faceoff artists, is now scrambling to earn a roster spot.
Glendening, 36, will be in the New Jersey Devils training camp on a professional tryout. The Grand Rapids native played 77 games (registering four goals and three assists) for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2024-25. He played eight seasons for Detroit from 2013-21 before playing in Dallas and then with the Lightning.
One of Glendening’s lures is his faceoff expertise. His career faceoff percentage is 55.8%, and it has been at 56% or better for six consecutive seasons. Last season, he was at 57% for Tampa Bay.
To put that into perspective, Dylan Larkin is Detroit’s only above-average faceoff man and he’s at 54.8%.
#NEWS: We’ve signed Kevin Rooney, Luke Glendening, Adam Scheel and Georgi Romanov to PTOs.
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) September 5, 2025
Red Wings in Case You Missed It
Brogan Rafferty, a Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman last season, has signed with Vaxjo in the Swedish Hockey League.
Dimitri Buchelnikov was scoreless in CSKA’s win against Moscow Dynamo in the team’s 2025-26 season opener. The Red Wings prospect played on CSKA’s top line.
The Red Wings already seem to have an eye on a Swedish prospect Viggo Bjorck for the 2026 NHL draft.
Red Wings Extra
Grand Rapids Griffins’ single-game tickets for 36 regular-season home games at Van Andel Arena are now on sale. The home opener is Friday, Oct. 17 against the Manitoba Moose. Tickets can be ordered online through griffinshockey.com/buytickets; Or, fans can order by phone at (616) 774-4585 or (800) 2-HOCKEY.
Hockey Now Network
Colorado: Aarif Deen sees five UFAs the Avalanche should consider bringing in on PTOs. Colorado Avalanche.
Montreal: Marc Dumont writes that the late Habs goalie Ken Dryden represented the best of us. Montreal Canadiens.