In what can only be described as a prototypical case of putting the cart before the horse, a Swedish media site was reporting that the national team was interested in adding a couple of Detroit Red Wings farmhands for the IIHF World Championship.

Here’s the thing, though. Both Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Erik Gustafsson are currently otherwise occupied. They are busy helping the Grand Rapids Griffins make a bid for the AHL Calder Cup.

And they aren’t showing any signs that they want to put an end to that pursuit.

Swedish Hockey News speculated that the two NHL-experienced rearguards could strengthen a Swedish defense that includes just three current NHLers – Albert Johansson of the Red Wings, Mattias Ekholm of the Edmonton Oilers, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Tuesday, the Griffins worked overtime to stay alive in their Central Division final series against the Chicago Wolves. Grand Rapids won 4-3 on a goal by top Red Wings prospect Michael Brandsegg-Nygard.

They trail the best-of-five series 2-1. Game 4 is on Thursday in Chicago.

Swedes Step Up

It’s been a tough go at the worlds for Sweden. Wednesday, though, the Swedes ignited, led by current and former Red Wings players.

Both Lucas Raymond of the Red Wings and former Wings forward Jacob de la Rose scored twice as Sweden dumped Slovenia 6-0. De la Rose was celebrating his 31st birthday. He played 76 games in Detroit from 2018 to 2020.

Red Wings Russian Five Icon Looking For Work

Vyacheslav Kozlov, one-fifth of Detroit’s famous Russian Five, is in the market for a new coaching job in Russia. He finished the 2025-26 season as interim head coach of the KHL’s Moscow Dynamo.

However, Leonid Tambiev has since been hired as the club’s new head coach, leaving Kozlov out in the cold. He made it clear in an interview with Russian website Sport-Express that returning to his old role as a Dynamo assistant coach isn’t in the cards.

“If I were offered a job on Tambiev’s staff, I wouldn’t take it,” Kozlov said. “I need to reboot my career and look for a new challenge.”

He also has no plans to join the staff of his old Dynamo boss, Alexey Kudashov. He is the new coach of Avtomobilist.

“We haven’t spoken,” Kozlov said. “They don’t have any candidates available.”

Kozlov makes it clear that his ideal role would be a KHL coaching position.

“Everything is in progress,” Kozlov said. “There are conversations, but nothing concrete.”

Rare Brawl in Russian Junior Final

Red Wings defense prospect Nikita Tyurin and JHC Spartak are seeking to defend their title in Russia’s junior league, the MHL. Their best-of-seven series with Loko is deadlocked at 2-2. Game 5 is on Friday.

There’s plenty of intrigue heading into Game 5, and not merely because it is such a pivotal game in the series. Loko won Game 4 in overtime by a 3-2 count. After the winning tally was netted, a Loko player chirped at the Spartak goalie. With both teams already pouring on the ice at the end of the game, it resulted in that rarity of modern-day hockey, a bench-clearing brawl.

Selected 140th overall by Detroit in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, Tyurin has dished out eight assists and leads the team with a plus-nine rating. He earned honors as the top defenseman of the MHL semifinal round.