The Detroit Red Wings core four will entice potential free agents and trade pieces to make Hockeytown their next home. Captain Dylan Larkin leads the group, with forwards Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond following, while defenceman Moritz Seider has emerged into one of the game’s best blueliners.
Detroit Red Wings Core Four and the Upcoming Offseason
The Red Wings needed a lot to happen if they wanted their playoff drought to end. The Ottawa Senators needed to stagnate, or the Boston Bruins had to collapse, and the Wings had to win out. That didn’t happen. Unfortunate, because the core four in Detroit’s presence would have enjoyed an even greater advantage when the offseason rolled around.
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In that scenario, prospective free agents and trade acquisitions would have seen the Red Wings as a playoff team. A flawed playoff team with a strong foundation thanks to Larkin, DeBrincat, Raymond, and Seider, considering Detroit’s latest collapse but the ability to keep things interesting until the 80th game. Still, the Wings are close and they did enough this season to warrant a look from sound veterans.
These could be highly-valued top- and middle-six players at forward. Or a defenceman capable of playing in the top four. They could even play a major role to keep players like Patrick Kane around. Kane will be in his age-38 season, and is likely going to cede minutes. But with 16 goals and 57 points across 67 games this season, Kane’s still a productive player.
If Kane stayed and dropped into a third-line role, walked, or retired, it would leave a massive spot open at wing in the top six. Someone like Michael Brandsegg-Nygard could fill that void. But for a team like the Red Wings clearly on the verge of the playoffs, a proven, experienced top-six winger would be ideal. They would likely crave an opportunity to play alongside someone like DeBrincat. That is especially so, if he’s extended to a long-term deal, such as Larkin, or Raymond.
Red Wings Defensive Pairings Could Get Deeper
Since returning from injury, Justin Faulk played and finished the year on the same pairing as Ben Chiarot. Chiarot has shown he can still handle 20-plus minutes per game, but he will be in his age-35 year next season and would be better off partnering with a younger defenseman like Axel Sandin-Pellikka or Albert Johansson.
This would leave a void in the second pairing, with Seider and Simon Edvinsson likely making up the first. A good, shutdown defenceman bringing a similar bruising style that Chiarot possesses would be ideal for a team looking to get deeper.
With Seider looking like a Norris contender with a strong two-way game, 60 points and 10 goals, along with elite durability and Edvinsson making strides, it gives blueliners on the move next season an incentive to join the Wings rotation. The likelihood of this possibility would be null and void if Seider was still posting sub-50-point campaigns.
Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings Front Office Must Hard Sell its Talent
Steve Yzerman knows his seat’s getting warmer. While the 2025-26 version of the Red Wings is his best team, they’re still a few pieces away from breaking the now-10-year drought. It’s up to him to hard sell free agent and trade targets with clauses attached that Larkin, DeBrincat, Raymond, and Seider can bring a championship-calibre pedigree to Hockeytown.
That would be huge if the Buffalo Sabres can’t reach a deal with Alex Tuch. Or if the Dallas Stars can’t find a way to hang onto Jason Robertson. This is where Larkin’s, DeBrincat’s, and Raymond’s value comes in.
Bringing in experience with someone like Tuch or Robertson, even if it required trading for exclusive negotiating rights, would mean gold for the Wings. Sure, this would take a blockbuster deal that would involve multiple high-end prospects and picks (note that the Wings don’t have a first-rounder in 2026). The return? A proven NHL talent in the top six.
As a result, the Red Wings would be a deeper team, with them no longer falling short of the playoffs. So, Yzerman must use his four core players’ presence to his advantage and bring in much-needed talent. Even if it costs prospects, draft picks, or a veteran player needing a change of scenery.
Main Photo Credit: Keito Newman-Imagn Images
