The market seems overly bearish on the Detroit Red Wings this season. In fact, judging by the numbers, oddsmarkers are looking at Detroit as a candidate to have the fewest points in the league this season.
With the entire mess going on, it’s not hard to see why.
Insider Frank Seravalli tackled this topic in a recent column published in Casino.org. In the piece, he expounded on how the Red Wings could face a lost season.
“But this is a bet on the dysfunction in Detroit with a Red Wings team closing in on training camp without a general manager. ‘It’s inexcusable how long this search has taken, truly baffling to me that a billion-dollar franchise would operate this way in 2026,’ an NHL GM said.”
To be fair, the Wings named Shawn Horcoff as the interim GM just a few days ago. Of course, the move was long overdue. The organization could have made that move two months ago.
That is just the tip of the iceberg, though.
Then, there’s the Dylan Larkin mess. Seravalli quoted an executive, stating his concern over the situation.
“’Why strip him of the ‘C’ and whose decision was that?’ one rival executive asked. ‘I get he requested a trade but he has been a good citizen. They could’ve played nice and created some appearance of stability before they traded him.’”
Indeed, the situation hardly looks promising for the Red Wings. That’s why Servalli has ventured out to conclude that the club could have trouble putting the puck in the back of the net.
“The concern is that these issues with the roster could be the main factor for a low scoring season.”
That’s just the beginning.
Larkin Is One of Just a Handful of Talented Players
Servalli pointed out another potentially bitter pill to swallow. While the Red Wings have a talented roster, there is a clear shortage of high-end players.
“By our count, the Red Wings only have five great players on their roster. Larkin is one of them; Simon Edvinsson is another and he does not have a contract yet.”
Yes, that’s right. Horcoff should just now get to figuring out a new contract for Simon Edvinsson. The RFA blueliner has indicated that he will report to camp despite not having a contract. While that’s a good sign, it’s not nearly enough to Red Wings fans to feel bullish about the team.
Larkin’s Departure Could Be the Death Knell to Red Wings’ Season
All told, Dylan Larkin’s departure could be the final blow to the Red Wings’ season. Seravalli drove this point home in the following statement:
“If Larkin departs midseason, look out for a team that played at the Canucks’ pace (.392) over the final 28 games of last season.”
The team announced on Wednesday that Larkin would not attend camp due to an upper-body injury. So, there’s the risk now that the team’s best center might not even start the season.
If that’s indeed the case, Detroit might get off to a rough start. And considering how competitive the Eastern Conference is, there might not be enough time to turn things around.
Red Wings Are Showing Warning Signs of a Lost Season