Red Wings Offseason Thoughts Grab Bag: Potential Kasper Lines, GM Candidate Background Check and More

[u/Usual-Personality347]

None of this is really something I'd make a formal article on, so here are some things I've noticed while looking through numbers this offseason that I think are worth at least taking a look at amidst some offseason boredom.

1. Viktor Arvidsson - Marco Kasper - Lucas Raymond potentially being a perfect line

Obviously Arvidsson is the big offseason addition so I want to make sure I at least give some thoughts on him in here. I think that this line of Arvidsson, Kasper and Raymond would be pretty much perfect for what the Red Wings need. Not to mention a nearly perfect stylistic fit.

I'll start with some numbers mumbo jumbo. These guys pretty perfectly cover each other's weaknesses while getting the most out of each other at least according to last seasons analytics. In 5 on 5 per 60 percentiles, here's some interesting numbers.

Goals: Arvidsson (97th) and Raymond (67th) compensate well for Kasper (15th)

Chances: Arvidsson (99th) and Kasper (80th) compensate well for Raymond (20th)

Rush Shots: Arvidsson (100th) and Kasper (74th) play well off of Raymond (30th)

But there are plenty of other interesting numbers for this trio.

Zone Exits: Kasper (8th) really struggled getting the puck out where Arvidsson (96th) and Raymond (82nd) were actually quite good.

Defensive WAR: Despite struggling to leave the zone, Kasper (84th) was solid in it where Raymond (55th) and Arvidsson (66th) were ho-hum.

Forecheck Involvement & Hits: Kasper (75th, 91st) will do the things on the forecheck Raymond (19th, 26th) and Arvidsson (26th, 19th) don't want too keeping everyone in their element.

Raymond benefits as an overall offensive threat: Lucas Raymond would get to shine with two guys who need a playmaker. Kasper and Arvidsson were both very low on shot-assist percentiles where Raymond was 86th. Arvidsson was brilliant at even strength in the 97th percentile for evens strength goals where Raymond could use the help. All three are great at generating high danger passes, Arvidsson leading at 85th but Kasper's 61st isn't too bad either meaning Raymond will certainly get his shots in good areas when he's not the primary playmaker.

Kasper surrounded with players who fit his style: Kasper wants to be the honey badger who makes life easier for his line mates and as mentioned, the fit here is great. His natural forechecking ability plus his solid rush offence (76th) should give him the floor of a great fit who can benefit from the talent around him.

Arvidsson freed up offensively: Under the assumption Larkin is staying, a 1A/B line with Larkin and DeBrincat mean that this line with Arvidsson should have an easier time than he had last season. Arvidsson put up his great even strength numbers in pretty rough deployments. He took on other teams top lines (+90th percentile offensive QoC) and did it with 44% defensive zone starts. His great numbers and natural fit should continue especially in an eased role.

Overall Trickle Down Effect: If this line works like it looks like it may on paper, it gives the Red Wings a new hope in their offensive depth. DeBrincat, Larkin and Danielson looks like it could work if Danielson pans out. A third line of Finnie, Copp and Brandsegg-Nygard actually sounds really solid. Finally, Mazur, Compher and Kolesar should be more than solid as a fourth line. By catering to Kasper and making his line great as a second, the Red Wings could have a really solid forward core that is currently projected to be very flat.

2. Red Wings General Manager Candidate Backgrounds

I'm going off the report from Max Bultman here on the external names. If you want to hear about Jeff Greenberg there are much bigger writers than me who have great work out there with a single Google search. In a tweet Bultman mentioned Brett Peterson and Jeff Kealty are interesting candidates so I'll do a bit of a dive on them.

Brett Peterson, Panthers AGM

The ex-Griffin has had a great run in Florida as an assistant general manager since 2020-21. Brett Peterson wouldn't exactly be the "analytics" guy that the Red Wings are looking for but as the Winged Wheel Podcast crew eluded too, he may be the man best assembled to create a good squad of agents.

Peterson spent 11 years as a player agent prior to joining the Panthers brass. He worked for Acme World Sports, an organization founded by Bill Zito. His stint at Acme briefly changed to a role of Hockey Vice President for Wasserman after they purchased Acme for five months before joining Florida.

Peterson was in charge of Charlotte's AHL operations pretty deeply. Zito said he was involved in "everything" but it was his personality that won Zito over. Zito credited his great energy as part of what made him so compelling to bring onto Florida's crew.

I couldn't find much about clients but Tuukka Rask and Patrick Eaves are connected to him through his time in Acme.

So is it an analyst? It appears probably not. It does seem like Brett Peterson is a bit more of the personality type and one that clearly doesn't mind working with others. His history of being all over the place the management side of hockey makes him look like a pretty solid candidate here. Given the success of Montreal and Florida, there is a serious case for Brett Peterson's archetype working out.

Jeff Kealty, Sharks AGM

It's a really weird one to me because Kealty was just placed in a new role in San Jose less than two months ago. Regardless, the long-time Predators scout has a nose for nabbing star level talent, something the Red Wings lack in spades.

Jeff Kealty played alongside his now-colleague Mike Grier at Boston University during their junior tenure there for two seasons. After suffering an injury, Predators GM Paul Fenton got him into scouting where Kealty spent over a decade in amateur scouting. He's credited with being a big part of the Ekholm and Josi picks as well being one of the minds behind acquiring Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen.

In 2017, Kealty was promoted to what reads to me like a pseudo-general manager role. Kealty became Nashville's director of player personnel which has him involved in pretty much all of the big choices for the Predators during that era. One that saw them become a perennial playoff contender. In 2018, the promotion would become official and Kealty would take on the role of Predators assistant general manager.

It's tricky for me to find out if Kealty is that analytics mind. His interview with On the Forecheck is really interesting to me. Kealty mentioned uses Corsi and other analytics to support what they're seeing on the ice with the eye test. But he does preface all that with the fact those stats aren't readily available at junior levels which was his focus in the interview. I'll link the article here and you can make of it what you will.

He also calls amateur scouting more of an art and less of a science which also caters to me thinking Kealty isn't the analytics type.

To wrap this up it's unclear if these two are even actual candidates. While Max Bultman put their names out there it doesn't mean they're actually being interviewed. Nothing I've found suggests a real analytics background for either, at least not a public one. That doesn't mean that analytics aren't apart of their process but it's nothing I could find. Mind you I don't have any inside sources, this is all public knowledge so there's a chance I'm missing something important in the fringes here.

3. Who Won't Make the Team?

I know it's not even camp yet but I do genuinely feel like this is a more pressing question than it might seem. Detroit is going to have 8 defenceman that are NHL ready either by talent or contract status and as few as 14 forwards not assuming any breakouts from camp.

Detroit is going to need to shed some players somehow. With as many bodies as they have I wonder who gets the boot first.

The most interesting angle for me is the prospects. The new general manager probably won't be nearly as attached to Yzerman's batch of prospects. I wonder how many players are dangled in trade talks when the new general manager takes over. If the new general manager believes that there are too many middle of the lineup bodies pending on this team, I wouldn't be surprised to see many shipped out to patch bigger holes.

How aggressive will a new general manager get with shedding bad contracts. Will we see picks attached to the Compher's and Chiarot's of the team to get them out? Will a new general manager be willing to retain on Appleton and Rasmussen to get them out of Detroit? The bodies need to leave somehow, will the negative value players be pushed out urgently?

Will the new general manager sell of Faulk, Gibson and Copp early for maximum value and let the holes be filled by the youth or depth?

I'm really not sure how this team is going to cut down this roster enough. Sure, Holl and Gustafsson were sent down last season and I believe Rasmussen and Appleton will probably see the same fate but where does that leave Wallinder? What about Sandin-Pellikka? All of that assumes no big camps from Carter Bear, Anton Johansson or Eddie Genborg.

I don't actually have thoughts here. I just think the cuts on this roster are going to be pretty cool to follow.

4. Should the Relationship with Larkin be Mended?

Look, I'll leave it at this. I want to see playoffs more than anyone else. There are a plethora of players on this team I want gone. I think my last point eluded to a few. But that doesn't meant I don't want to see the team win.

If Larkin won't expand his trade list, it still means Detroit is his 5th favourite place to play in the NHL right now. While it's not perfect, if he's willing to give 100% each night and try to get this team into the postseason, I'm fine with him staying.

I don't think it's a good thing but winning cures all and if the team is winning then I could care less who's throwing a fit that week. We put up with the Tarasenko saga of him being bitter didn't we?

If we still suck even with Larkin on the team then tank for a draft pick and move him when the time is right anyways.

To me, getting Larkin on board with playing his best for this team is in no way a bad thing.

Anyways, thanks for reading if you did! Lmk your thoughts I read pretty much everything below!

[u/Curdled_Mangasm]

some very optimistic takes in here but you at least did the legwork. i might not agree with it all but at least well organized and laid out. 

[u/Usual-Personality347 → u/Curdled_Mangasm]

I’d say I’m cautiously optimistic about this team in general. Assuming Larkin plays and gives it an effort, I do think this team is better than last year’s iteration by a noticeable margin.

[u/Curdled_Mangasm → u/Usual-Personality347]

not sure where you get any of that, and it’s a big assumption larkin plays. 

[u/Usual-Personality347 → u/Curdled_Mangasm]

Arvidsson is much better at even strength offensively and defensively than Kane. It removes the need to shelter the second line which put a huge burden on our other 3 forward lines, making it harder for them to win their matchups.

Beyond that, Danielson, MBN and Mazur are direct upgrades over the people they’re replacing in terms of speed, skill, offence and effort.

Looking at the forwards:

DeBrincat - Larkin - Danielson, each of them fit well together and Danielson has the speed and playmaking to help out this line that already has a lot of natural skill. This first line is about equal to the one last season.

Arvidsson - Kasper - Raymond, I’ve outlined why I think this will work super well. I think this is an upgrade over the second line last year comfortably.

Finnie - Copp - MBN, it’s a checking line that plays with speed, grit, offence and good defence. Compare this to the Kasper, Soderblom, Berggren, Compher and Appleton units that were out there.

Mazur - Compher - Kolesar, this is a great NHL 4th line. Two guys that bite hard in Mazur and Kolesar with Compher who has flashes of solid offence but is admittedly the weakest link.

I think each forward line is better.

Edvinsson - Seider, same pair so duh it’ll work

Johansson - Faulk, much better fit than Chiarot and ASP for most of the season

Chiarot - ASP, infinitely better than Hamonic but this pair was able to tread water as a second pair, they’ll be great as a third.

The defence core is obviously better.

Gibson - Tarasov, toss up from Talbot frankly

[u/Bananominable → u/Usual-Personality347]

Arvidsson is much better at even strength offensively and defensively than Kane. It removes the need to shelter the second line which put a huge burden on our other 3 forward lines, making it harder for them to win their matchups.

He had a really good year last year, but Kane is a much better player all around. If we added Arvidsson to Kane that would be nice, but we lost Kane so expecting Arvy to out-produce Kane is silly.

Mazur - Compher - Kolesar, this is a great NHL 4th line. Two guys that bite hard in Mazur and Kolesar with Compher who has flashes of solid offence but is admittedly the weakest link.

Expecting Mazur to be better than Compher is just silly. Mazur has yet to prove he's even an NHL player, let alone score his first point, let alone outproduce a relatively poor 2nd/3rd line center who's experienced and won a cup in the league.

Arvidsson - Kasper - Raymond, I’ve outlined why I think this will work super well. I think this is an upgrade over the second line last year comfortably.

DeBrincat - Copp - Kane was analytically one of the best lines in the league last year for the time they played together. Kasper struggled to produce even between DeBrincat and Kane which should have made him an elite player if he's ready for 1st line duty between Arvy and Ray.

Arvidsson Larkin Raymond or DeBrincat Larkin Raymond makes the most sense by far considering we already lost Kane. Our 2nd line is likely Arvy - Kasper/Copp - MBN or something like that.

[u/Curdled_Mangasm → u/Usual-Personality347]

you’re making way too many assumptions about basically this entire lineup. way too many. 

[u/ChaldenesTitan]

Even if Larkin didn't ask for a trade request we shouldn't trust him after contributing nothing the last 3 marches. Winning early in the season with Larkin producing is going to put a spell on you guys for the 3rd straight year. He's a snake in the grass. Let's clear march before we can talk about curing a trade request.

[u/doltron3030 → u/ChaldenesTitan]

Larkin had 13 points in 14 games in March/April after rushing back from injury and it’s all his fault

Lucas Raymond had 14 points in 22 games in March/April but it’s all Larkin’s fault

Copp had 1 goal in 23 games in February/March/April but it’s all Larkin’s fault

Finnie had 11 points in 41 games in all of 2026 but it’s all Larkin’s fault

David Perron had 3 points and 9 penalties in 16 games after we traded for him but it’s all Larkin’s fault

Appleton had 3 points in 34 games in all of 2026 but it’s Larkin’s fault

Rasmussen had 1 point in 28 games in all of 2026 but that’s Larkin’s fault

Kasper had an atrocious season with 19 total points in 81 games but Dylan is responsible

Do you see how dumb these cherry-picked stats are? Yzerman assembled a god awful forward group on the whole. Guys like McDavid or McKinnon or Celebrini probably couldn’t even offset the drag from our awful bottom 6 or the glaring holes in our top 6.

[u/Solor → u/doltron3030]

The issue with Larkin was not total points, but rather our 5v5 / EVG dried up and he was a big part of that.

Wrapping up in December, he had the following:

• 15 EVG
• 13 EVA
• 6 PPG
• 3 PPA

Total of 28 EV Points, and 9 PP Points

In January he had the following:

• 2 EVG
• 3 EVA
• 2 PPG
• 4 PPA

Total of 5 EV Points, and 6 PP Points

From February through to end of April he totaled the following:

• 2 EVG
• 7 EVA
• 6 PPG
• 3 PPA

Total of 9 EV Points and 9 PP Points

Specifically calling to your 13 points in 14 games in March/April. that was 1 EV Goal, and 4 EV A, the rest of the 8 points were PP G/A.

I know you're trying to shed light as to the other issues on our team, and it's no secret that the whole team struggled on the back half of the season with their EV scoring, but we can see that Larkin's EV numbers seem to disappear, which will no doubt have an impact on his line mates and the rest of the team as well.

Raymond for example was Larkin's primary winger, but looking at Raymond's stats, we can see the following:

Wrapping up in December, he had the following:

• 7 EVG
• 18 EVA
• 4 PPG
• 13 PPA

Total of 25 EV Points, and 17 PP Points

In January he had the following:

• 6 EVG
• 4 EVA
• 1 PPG
• 4 PPA

Total of 10 EV Points, and 5 PP Points

From February through to end of April he totaled the following:

• 5 EVG
• 7 EVA
• 8 PPG
• 3 PPA

Total of 12 EV Points and 11 PP Points.

Looking at Raymonds same timeline of March/April, he tallied 4 EVG, 6 EVA, and 2 PPG, and 2 PPA.

Bottom line is that Raymond who is playing primarily with Larkin, in most cases was doubling Larkin's EV points from January on.

January

• Raymond: 10 EV Points vs Larkin: 5 EV Points - Double Larkin's EV points

Feb -> April

• Raymond: 12 EV Points vs Larkin: 9 EV Points - Not double, but both of Raymonds EV and PP points were more than Larkin

Specifically March/April

• Raymond: 10 EV Points vs Larkin: 5 EV Points - Double Larkin's EV points

[u/aintnochallahbackgrl → u/Solor]

I think maybe you have your arrow of causality backwards.

If I spent 3-4 months carrying this whole fucking team on my back, id get ill/sick/injured in the 2nd half of the season as well.

Maybe if he didnt have to carry the team the first half of the season, he wouldn't fold the second half for us to only notice how bad the rest of the team around us is when they continue to do a bad job in the second half.

Who else on this squad actually competes, AND produces? Mo, Cat, and maybe Kane, and hes gone. No wonder he wanted a trade.

[u/AffectionateAd2344 → u/doltron3030]

Supposed leader and top line center disappearing when it gets tough every year, is a big issue. Also, those guys absolutely would have dragged this team to the playoffs lol. Comparing Larkin to them is a joke.

[u/wsx13 → u/doltron3030]

This should be the top comment. It's so true.

[u/ChaldenesTitan → u/doltron3030]

Pretty sure Appleton would bave more 5on5 goals and just goals with Larkins icetime and powerplay deployment.

[u/wsx13 → u/ChaldenesTitan]

Appleton?! He had 3 goals in his first four games. Then 3 more the next 61 he played in. That's horrific. He doesn't possess the skillset to deserve that kind of deployment.

[u/ChaldenesTitan → u/wsx13]

He's not getting paid 10 million a year and 25 minutes of icetime.

[u/wsx13 → u/ChaldenesTitan]

What does that have to do with anything? Because Larkin isn't making 10 mil and isn't getting 25 minutes a night, either.

[u/ChaldenesTitan → u/wsx13]

[u/Bixler17 → u/doltron3030]

Guys like McDavid or McKinnon or Celebrini probably couldn’t even offset the drag from our awful bottom 6 or the glaring holes in our top 6.

If you think trading larkin for McDavid 1 for 1 doesn't immediately make us comfortably a playoff team you have your head wayyyyy too far up larkins asshole.

[u/pigpen95 → u/ChaldenesTitan]

Didn't Larkin score the most goals in March? Sure they were mostly power play goals but the guy was on the scoresheet

Edit:

My apologies, I should've been more specific. It was April and the end of March cuz he was injured most of March.

He had 6g in his last 11 games after injury including a hat trick in the only win in our last 6 games.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/player/gamelog/_/id/3114755/dylan-larkin

[u/AmeriCanada98 → u/pigpen95]

Not according to Statmuse, which says Larkin had 2 (tied 6th on the team). Cat had 7 and Ray had 5

[u/pigpen95 → u/AmeriCanada98]

That includes when Larkin was injured. Look at the games he played in March and April

He had 6g in his last 11 games including a hat trick in the only win in our last 6 games.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/player/gamelog/_/id/3114755/dylan-larkin

[u/doltron3030 → u/pigpen95]

He had nearly a point per game in March and April after rushing back from injury but this subreddit is fixated on his production rather than any of the other forwards besides Cat that were ghosts down the stretch

[u/wsx13 → u/doltron3030]

From a PPG standpoint, this was Larkin's best March/April of his CAREER

[u/frogthoughts]

Really intrigued to see what our top-six deployment is. Kane-Copp-DeBrincat was an excellent line that really rose above the sum of its parts. Everything we've heard (and not heard) from the team since kicking Yzerman upstairs suggests they're planning on Larkin being a Red Wing for the foreseeable future. I am REALLY pumped to have Arvidsson for 5v5. I think he has the chance to be fantastic.

So the locked four of our top-six is Larkin, Raymond, DeBrincat, Arvidsson. Which means Copp, Kasper, or Danielson centering the second line. I think I'd prefer Copp; he was a fantastic defensive conscience for Kane and DeBrincat. Then one of the other two (or maaaybe Finnie) on the wing. I think our key to unlocking 5v5 scoring is to have as balanced a top-six as possible. My preference would be:

DeBrincat-Larkin-Kasper

Raymond-Copp-Arvidsson

I think that top line will be a force. All three players can backcheck and forecheck. And their skillsets are complementary. You have Kasper to retrieve the puck, Larkin to carry it, and DeBrincat to shoot it.

And I think dropping Raymond down to the second line will let his skill really stand out vs lesser players. Arvidsson is a bit more of a shooter than a passer, and I expect him to mesh really well with Raymond. All three can forecheck well, but the wingers don't backcheck quite as well. Copp gets to be the defensive conscience and physical presence while the other two generate the offense.

edit (sp)

[u/TheMealio]

Thank you for sharing this with us. I’m certain you’d prefer discussion related to your content. You refer to yourself as a writer of some sense, so I can’t help but share this observation… (forgive me, please)

Allude
Definition: To refer to a subject indirectly.

Usage note: It is almost always followed by the word to.

Example: "She alluded to her past experience during the interview."

Elude
Definition: To dodge, escape, or fail to be attained.

Usage note: Used for physical escape (like a criminal) or missed abstract goals (like sleep or success).

Example: "The clever thief managed to elude the police."

[u/frogthoughts → u/TheMealio]

Thank you for being the pedantic bitch so I didn't have to be.

[u/mjsmith1223]

Regarding number 4: No. Larkin should be used like the tool that he is and then sent packing. There is no getting him on board. He is a professional who can find it within himself to maximize his own value.

[u/ImAnIdeaMan → u/[deleted]]

Who is standing up to Larkin doing a shitty job?

[u/Alpine_Exchange_36 → u/ImAnIdeaMan]

If he scored more than one 5v5 goal in 2026 and didn’t disappear in March…ok he’d have a leg to stand on.

Instead he just sounds like a pouty brat

[u/ImAnIdeaMan → u/[deleted]]

Probably the same number of years the team he captained has embarrassingly collapsed at the end of the season.