Detroit News staff and wires

The Toledo Walleye, a minor-league affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, postponed Friday’s home game as the ECHL and players’ union remain in a labor dispute that has led to a league-wide work stoppage.

The team announced that the game against the Wheeling Nailers at the Huntington Center in Toledo will be one of 13 ECHL games not played as scheduled.

Tickets purchased for Friday’s game can be exchanged for any future home game in the 2025-2026 season, including the rescheduled game or playoffs.

Tonight’s (12/26) game scheduled between the Toledo Walleye and Wheeling Nailers has been postponed.

Tickets purchased for Friday’s game can be exchanged for any future home game in the 2025-2026 season, including the rescheduled game or playoffs.

We will be in direct… pic.twitter.com/FLOjpeid9E

— Toledo Walleye (@ToledoWalleye) December 26, 2025

Earlier Friday, the league said the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) did not respond to what the ECHL calls its “last, best, and final offer” for a new collective bargaining agreement.

The ECHL said it had heard from certain players “that that they will not be reporting for their scheduled games.

“We strongly encouraged union leadership to submit our offer to a vote of its membership, but we do not believe that happened.”

The ECHL says its latest offer includes a 19.8 percent increase to the salary cap this season and more increases in future years, resulting in a total boost of 27 percent.

The offer also includes mandatory days off, custom sticks and five-star helmets and an increase in per diem.

The ECHL, formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League and now going just by the abbreviation, is a North American developmental league that is two levels below the NHL, with the American Hockey League in between.

The Red Wings have an AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids and provide players to Toledo, including Port Huron’s Jacob Truscott, a former captain of the Michigan Wolverines.

There are 30 teams, 29 of which are in the U.S. and one in Canada in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.

World Junior Championship

United States 6, Germany 3: Will Zellers scored twice and added an assist as the United States beat Germany 6-3 in both team’s opening game in St. Paul, Minn.

Zellers scored twice in the second period, picking up assists from Anthony Spellacy on both goals.

Red Wings draft pick Max Plante opened the scoring for the back-to-back defending champions, finishing a rebound from a Teddy Stiga shot 5:34 into the first period.

Zellers and Brandon McMorrow assisted Chase Reid on a second goal midway through the first period before Wolverines forward Will Horcoff netted a third with 4:05 remaining in the period.

Cole Eiserman’s goal with 1:53 left in the second period re-established the three-goal lead.

The U.S. has now outscored Germany 44-12 in the last six meetings. They are seeking to become first team to win three consecutive world junior titles since Canada won five straight from 2005 to 2009.

Both teams will continue Group A play on Saturday. Germany faces Slovakia and the U.S. faces Switzerland.

Sweden 3, Slovakia 2: Ivar Stenberg had two points and scored the winning goal with 3:57 remaining in the third period as Sweden held off Slovakia 3-2 in St. Paul.

Stenberg was assisted by Eddie Genborg, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound forward who was a second-round draft choice of the Detroit Red Wings in 2025. Stenberg finished a backhand goal around Slovakia’s Alan Lendak.

Slovakia has not beaten Sweden since the 2015 World Junior bronze medal game. Both of these teams continue their Group A play over the weekend, with Slovakia taking on Germany on Saturday, and Sweden facing Switzerland on Sunday.

Finland 6, Denmark 2: Jasper Kuhta led Finland with three assists, including two on goals from Roope Vesterinen in a 6-2 win over Denmark.

Both teams will continue Group B play over the weekend. Denmark will face Czechia on Saturday, while Finland will take on Latvia on Sunday.

Local schedules

Friday

World Junior Championship

â–¶ Sweden 3, Slovakia 2

â–¶ Finland 6, Denmark 2

â–¶ United States 6, Germany 3

â–¶ Canada vs. Czechia, 8:30

Saturday

â–¶ Red Wings at Carolina, 7

â–¶ Grand Rapids at Milwaukee, 7

â–¶ Muskegon at NTDP U18, 7

World Junior Championship

â–¶ Slovakia vs. Germany, 2

â–¶ Latvia vs. Canada, 4:30

â–¶ United States vs. Switzerland, 6

â–¶ Denmark vs. Czechia, 8:30

Sunday

â–¶ Toronto at Red Wings, 7

â–¶ Great Lakes Invitational at Grand Rapids

â–¶ Michigan Tech vs. Miami, 3:37

â–¶ Michigan State vs. Ferris State, 7

â–¶ NTDP U17 at Muskegon, 3

â–¶ NTDP U18 at Bowling Green, 7

World Junior Championship

â–¶ Sweden vs. Switzerland, 2

â–¶ Finland vs. Latvia, 4:30

Monday, Dec. 29

â–¶ Great Lakes Invitational at Grand Rapids

â–¶ MSU vs. Michigan Tech or Miami, TBA

World Junior Championship

â–¶ Germany vs. Sweden, 1

â–¶ Finland vs. Czechia, 3:30

â–¶ Slovakia vs. United States, 6

â–¶ Canada vs. Denmark, 8:30

Tuesday, Dec. 30

â–¶ Utica University at NTDP U18, 7

World Junior Championship

â–¶ Switzerland vs. Germany, 2

â–¶ Latvia vs. Denmark, 4:30

Wednesday, Dec. 31

â–¶ Winnipeg at Red Wings, 6:30

â–¶ Milwaukee at Grand Rapids, 6

World Junior Championship

â–¶ Switzerland vs. Slovakia, 1

â–¶ Czechia vs. Latvia, 3:30

â–¶ United States vs. Sweden, 6

â–¶ Canada vs. Finland, 8:30

January

Thursday, Jan. 1

â–¶ Red Wings at Pittsburgh, 7

Friday, Jan. 2

â–¶ Chicago at Grand Rapids, 7

â–¶ Western Michigan at Notre Dame, 7

â–¶ Michigan Tech vs. Air Force in Tempe, 5

â–¶ Sioux City at NTDP U17, 7

Saturday, Jan. 3

â–¶ Pittsburgh at Red Wings, noon

â–¶ Grand Rapids at Chicago, 8

â–¶ NTDP U18 at Michigan, 7

â–¶ Notre Dame at Western Michigan, 6

â–¶ Michigan Tech vs. Alaska Anchorage or Arizona State in Tempe, TBA

â–¶ Northern Michigan at Lake Superior State, 6:07

â–¶ Sioux City at NTDP 17, 7

Sunday, Jan. 4

â–¶ NTDP 18 at Michigan State

â–¶ Northern Michigan at Lake Superior State, 6:07

Monday, Jan. 5

â–¶ Red Wings at Ottawa, 7:30

Wednesday, Jan. 7

â–¶ Texas at Grand Rapids, 7

Thursday, Jan. 8

â–¶ Vancouver at Red Wings, 7

Friday, Jan. 9

â–¶ Texas at Grand Rapids, 7

â–¶ Notre Dame at Michigan, 7

â–¶ Michigan State at Ohio State, 6:30

â–¶ Western Michigan at Denver, 9

â–¶ Michigan Tech at Bemidji State, 8:07

â–¶ Augustana at Northern Michigan, 7:07

â–¶ Adrian College at NTDP U18, 7

â–¶ NTDP U17 at Dubuque, 8:05

Saturday, Jan. 10

â–¶ Red Wings at Montreal, 7

â–¶ Notre Dame at Michigan, 7

â–¶ Michigan State at Ohio State, 5

â–¶ Western Michigan at Denver, 8

â–¶ Michigan Tech at Bemidji State, 7:07

â–¶ Augustana at Northern Michigan, 6:07

â–¶ Trine University at NTDP U18, 7

â–¶ NTDP U17 at Dubuque, 8:05

Monday, Jan. 12

â–¶ Carolina at Red Wings, 7

Tuesday, Jan. 13

â–¶ Red Wings at Boston, 7:30

â–¶ Grand Rapids at Milwaukee, 8

Wednesday, Jan. 14

â–¶ NTDP 17 at Youngstown, 7:05

Thursday, Jan. 15

â–¶ Michigan State at Wisconsin, 9

Friday, Jan. 16

â–¶ San Jose at Red Wings, 7

â–¶ Rockford at Grand Rapids, 7

â–¶ Michigan at Minnesota, 8

â–¶ Michigan State at Wisconsin, 8

â–¶ Minnesota State at Michigan Tech, 7:07

Saturday, Jan. 17

â–¶ Ottawa at Red Wings, 5

â–¶ Milwaukee at Grand Rapids, 7

â–¶ Michigan at Minnesota, 7

â–¶ Minnesota State at Michigan Tech, 6:07

â–¶ Green Bay at NTDP U17, 7

Sunday, Jan. 18

â–¶ Green Bay at NTDP U18, 4

Wednesday, Jan. 21

â–¶ Red Wings at Toronto, 7

â–¶ Milwaukee at Grand Rapids, 7

Thursday, Jan. 22

â–¶ Red Wings at Minnesota, 9:30

Friday, Jan. 23

â–¶ Grand Rapids at Manitoba, 8

â–¶ Minnesota at Michigan State, 7

â–¶ Western Michigan at Minnesota Duluth, 8

â–¶ Michigan Tech at Northern Michigan, 7:07

â–¶ NTDP U17 at Youngstown, 7:05

â–¶ NTDP U18 at Cedar Rapids, 8:05

Saturday, Jan. 24

â–¶ Red Wings at Winnipeg, 7

â–¶ Minnesota at Michigan State, 6

â–¶ Western Michigan at Minnesota Duluth, 7

â–¶ Northern Michigan at Michigan Tech, 6:07

â–¶ NTDP U17 at Youngstown, 6:05

â–¶ NTDP U18 at Cedar Rapids, 8:05

Sunday, Jan. 25

â–¶ Grand Rapids at Manitoba, 3

Tuesday, Jan. 27

â–¶ L.A. Kings at Red Wings, 7

Wednesday, Jan. 28

â–¶ Cleveland at Grand Rapids, 7

â–¶ Youngstown at NTDP U18, 10:30 a.m.

Thursday, Jan. 29

â–¶ Washington at Red Wings, 7:30

Friday, Jan. 30

â–¶ Michigan at Ohio State, 6:30

â–¶ Michigan State at Penn State, 6

â–¶ Nebraska at Omaha at Western Michigan, 7

â–¶ Michigan Tech at St. Thomas, 8:07

â–¶ Bemidgi State at Northern Michigan, 6:07

â–¶ Muskegon at NTDP U18, 7

Saturday, Jan. 31

â–¶ Colorado at Red Wings, 1

â–¶ Michigan at Ohio State, 5

â–¶ Michigan State at Penn State, 1

â–¶ Nebraska at Omaha at Western Michigan, 6

â–¶ Michigan Tech at St. Thomas, 7:07

â–¶ Bemidgi State at Northern Michigan, 6:07

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