Todd McLellan didn’t shy away from talking about Emmitt Finnie’s role as a center following the Detroit Red Wings‘ loss on Tuesday night.
Via Jonathan Mills of the Red Wings team site, McLellan said, “(Finnie), with his speed, we weren’t sure that he would grasp the center-ice position right away. He’s been trained as a winger in the League, but we believe he’s a center.”
The Red Wings originally signed Finnie as a center in Mar. 2024. Come Sep. 2026, the Red Wings listed Finnie as a center on their training camp roster. That said, it looked like a matter of time before Finnie finally got his chance to lock down the position full-time.
Emmitt Finnie Finally Got His Chance To Lock Down The Center Position
Injuries to Marco Kasper and J.T. Compher forced Finnie to play center, starting on Oct. 4 vs. the Winnipeg Jets. Since then, Finnie has three points and two goals, with two of those points coming in Tuesday night’s loss vs. the New Jersey Devils.
Finnie has also become part of a lethal top-six trio that includes Alex DeBrincat and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. This line may not be breaking up soon. All signs point to DeBrincat finalizing a deal to keep him in Detroit and Brandsegg-Nygard playing lights-out.
The trio has given the Red Wings one of the best young lines in the game. Finnie is in his second full season, while Brandsegg-Nygard is in his first after seeing 14 games last year. DeBrincat, though productive, came into this season searching for a new set of linemates after longtime teammate Patrick Kane returned to the Chicago Blackhawks.
With the line playing so well — including potting all four goals on Tuesday (one each for Brandsegg-Nygard and Finnie, and two for DeBrincat) it would be foolish to kick Finnie back out to winger. Chances are, McLellan will keep Finnie centering Brandsegg-Nygard and DeBrincat even when Kasper and Compher return.
Todd McLellan Could Have A Better-Than-Expected Top Six
Of course, questions will continue surrounding Dylan Larkin’s status. But for the time being, Larkin is centering a solid first line that includes Viktor Arvidsson and Lucas Raymond. If that trio clicks in the same way as Finnie’s line, the Red Wings will be tougher to play against.
Detroit won’t always get the production Finnie’s line gave them on Tuesday night. But the Red Wings’ fortunes will start changing when they have the puck if the line consistently produces half of what they did on Tuesday. At some point, Larkin’s line will click, and someone will get the bottom six going — whether it’s a seasoned veteran or a younger player.
It’s still early, and players like Larkin, Raymond, and Andrew Copp are still getting back on form. Therefore, there is still reason for optimism that Detroit turns things around as opposed to falling out of contention early.
The Red Wings have a perfect opportunity to make that happen this Thursday. They are playing the winless Philadelphia Flyers — a team that has struggled in every phase of the game. A win against a weak opponent, especially a sound win, will be a confidence-booster. The Red Wings can’t let that opportunity slip away.
Todd McLellan Makes Key Admission About Emmitt Finnie