RED WINGS SEASON IN REVIEW – Detroit 2025/2026 Recap

We couldn’t wait for Steve Yzerman any longer. This Detroit Red Wings podcast breaks down the 2025-26 season in review as Hockeytown misses the playoffs yet again. Full season analysis, grades for every forward, defenseman, & goalie, & reviews on McLellan, Yzerman, & what went wrong.

(0:00) Intro Jim Rutherford’s wild presser throwing Patrik Allvin under the bus and why he should hold a press conference every morning.

(5:35) Season in Review Intro & DeBrincat and Raymond Setting the table for the annual grading episode – forwards, defense, goalies, coaching, and special teams. Alex DeBrincat’s 41 goal season to lead the Red Wings forwards. Plus, the Lucas Raymond shoulder injury that quietly defined his 76-point season.

(17:05) Dylan Larkin’s Complicated Season Larkin’s 34 goal campaign, the non-contact knee injury after Olympic gold, and the five-on-five drought that hurt Detroit most.

(26:20) Kane, Copp, and Finnie Patrick Kane defeating Father Time next to DeBrincat. Andrew Copp’s finishing issues as the emergency 2C, and Emmitt Finnie earning a full 82 as a seventh-round rookie.

(44:35) Kasper’s Sophomore Slump Marco Kasper’s “lost golf swing”, what it means for the second-line center hole, and whether the offensive ceiling is a real concern.

(49:20) JVR, Compher, Appleton, Rasmussen The “jersey” problem – who should be back, who shouldn’t, & why J.T. Compher’s contract is the most frustrating watch on the roster.

(1:07:55) Defense Breakdown Moritz Seider’s Norris-worthy season & Simon Edvinsson’s RFA extension looming. Axel Sandin Pellikka’s rookie year, how the Justin Faulk trade panned out on ice. Plus, the Hamonic/Holl/Gustafsson mess.

(1:29:50) Goaltending and Team Grade John Gibson’s nuclear December, Cam Talbot’s rough year, what Sebastian Cossa’s runway is like, and a D for Disappointment across the board.

(1:42:35) NHL News and Notes Draft lottery odds on the St. Louis pick, John Leonard’s extension, and takeaways from player exit interviews before Steve Yzerman speaks.

(1:47:10) Overtime: Patron Questions Cossa vs. Trey Augustine in a hypothetical trade, Kasper vs. Nate Danielson, and who we’re rooting for in the playoffs.

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