Little Cause For Optimism as Red Wings Open Camp

Mother Nature issued her scouting report on the Detroit Red Wings.

Early Thursday morning, dark clouds gathered in the skies over Metro Detroit. Soon, a heavy rain began cascading down from those clouds, like the collective tears of Red Wings fans already envisioning the hopelessness of the 2026-27 NHL campaign.

The first day of training camp is usually the most hopeful day of the season. There are 32 teams that are convinced that this is their year to win the Stanley Cup.

Of course, 31 of those teams will be wrong in that assessment, some of them spectacularly so.

There was a different tenor as Detroit’s NHL squad gathered for the first time.

For the Red Wings, it already seems as if all hope is lost.

Not internally, mind you.

Confidence was espoused from within the Detroit dressing room.

“We’ll be ready [for the season opener] October 2nd,” defenseman Ben Chiarot said. “I think all of us are on the same page: management, coaches, and players.

“We’re all moving forward as a team here. And I think the mentality in the room is good right now.”

Since we last left the Red Wings, following their 10th successive season without a playoff appearance, a lot has happened.

None of it was good.

Steve Yzerman was removed as GM. Dylan Larkin requested a trade, and when no move was immediately forthcoming, he was stripped of the captaincy.

Earlier this week, Shawn Horcoff was named interim GM because, apparently, the team couldn’t find someone to take the job on a full-time basis.

“No question, things were unsettled in the summer,” Chiarot said.

Amidst all this disruption, turmoil, and uncertainty, we’re supposed to expect that this will be the year the Wings finally get over the hump and make the playoffs?

Even Detroit coach Todd McLellan found that to be a hard sell when trying to assess how it all might play out.

“I don’t have the answer to that question,” McLellan said. “I could sit up here and lie and try and beat around the bush, but I have no idea what’s in front of us.”

We’re talking here about a team with a history of collapsing under pressure, of not coming through in the clutch.

Does that suddenly change?

“It’s a mindset,” Chiarot said. “It’s the guys in the room being harder, being mentally stronger, physically stronger.

“All things that we’ve talked about in here.”

Does all this mean that the Red Wings will definitely miss the playoffs again?

No. There’s always a chance. Sure, it might be the Lloyd Christmas type of chance, but it’s still a chance.

In 1999, when Barry Sanders bolted from the Detroit Lions, epic disaster was projected for the team.

Those Lions made the NFL playoffs that season.

Perhaps the Wings can use Larkin’s desire to depart as their rallying cry.

Maybe by seeking to get out, Larkin will give the team he wants to leave all the motivation they need to finally get in the playoffs.