Earlier this summer, I projected the Detroit Red Wings’ opening night roster based on their offseason moves. Then training camp happened. And the preseason.
Now, with more data at my disposal, I have an updated projection. This is what Detroit’s lineup could very well look like when they open the season October 9 against the Montreal Canadiens. Let’s dive in.
Projecting the Red Wings’ Opening Night Lineup (Again)
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Nate Danielson, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Carter Mazur, William Wallinder, and Emmitt Finnie have all made strong impressions during the preseason. But have they done enough to earn a roster spot from the jump?
Emmitt Finnie has the most impressive storyline of any Red Wings player this preseason. (Ross Bonander / Texas Stars)
Here are the forward lines, defense pairs, goalies, and scratches I anticipate being in Detroit once all of the organization’s preseason moves have been completed.
LW
C
RW
Emmitt Finnie
Dylan Larkin
Lucas Raymond
Alex DeBrincat
Marco Kasper
Patrick Kane
James van Riemsdyk
J.T. Compher
Elmer Soderblom
Michael Rasmussen
Andrew Copp
Mason Appleton
Jonatan Berggren
LD
RD
G
Ben Chiarot
Moritz Seider
John Gibson
Simon Edvinsson
Albert Johansson
Cam Talbot
Erik Gustafsson
Justin Holl
Travis Hamonic
Jacob Bernard-Docker
Position
PP1
PP2
Quarterback
Moritz Seider
Erik Gustafsson
Left Flank
Lucas Raymond
Jonatan Berggren
Right Flank
Patrick Kane
Marco Kasper
Bumper
Dylan Larkin
J.T. Compher
Net Front/Side of Net
Alex DeBrincat
James van Riemsdyk
Position
PK1
PK2PK3
Forward 1
Dylan Larkin
Andrew Copp
J.T. Compher
Forward 2
Lucas Raymond
Mason Appleton
Michael Rasmussen
Defense 1
Ben Chiarot
Simon Edvinsson
Defense 2
Moritz Seider
Justin Holl
Notes on Detroit’s Roster
There’s a little more context to the team beyond the players listed above. Below are my notes on what to expect as the season progresses.
Finnie won’t be on Larkin’s wing all season, nor will he be in Detroit the entire time.
Todd McLellan tested Finnie in a checking, bottom-six role and could slot him in there at some point.
In addition to Finnie, we’ll see Copp, van Riemsdyk, Soderblom, and Kasper flanking Larkin at some point, plus Kane and DeBrincat with Raymond dropping down to the second line.
Should Kasper move up, Copp would be next in line to be the 2C; Nate Danielson could get a look there as well once fully healthy.
On that note, expect Kasper to have a big year.
We’ll see multiple versions of a checking/heavy line; Rasmussen-Copp-Appleton is only one option.
Soderblom and/or van Riemsdyk could swap in for any of the players mentioned above to give the heavy line a little more skill.
Seider and Edvinsson will be paired together at some point, likely for at least half of Detroit’s games.
Holl, Gustafsson, Hamonic, and Bernard-Docker are completely interchangeable on the bottom pair; who dresses depends on who is performing well and that night’s particular matchup.
Hamonic could even see time on the second pair if the Red Wings want a “shutdown pair” with Chiarot as the other blueliner.
Gibson and Talbot will likely split starts 50/50 as the 1A and 1B – not a traditional starter/backup tandem.
In addition to Danielson, expect Carter Mazur, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Amadeus Lombardi, William Wallinder, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka get into at least one game; Austin Watson, too, when physicality is needed.
Related: Red Wings News & Rumors: Edvinsson, van Riemsdyk, Danielson & More
Final Word
One trend you may have noticed above is the flexibility in Detroit’s lineup. Several players—Finnie, Copp, van Riemsdyk, and Soderblom—can play on any of the four forward lines. It’s a similar story on defense, where the bottom pair will be decided on a nightly basis.
This is a good thing. It’s built-in competition. If you play well, you’ll be rewarded. The Red Wings don’t have four locked-in forward lines and three immoveable defensive pairs. And with this level of competition, we should see a hungrier Red Wings team in 2025-26.
