Mitten State hockey, from the NHL to the NTDP.

Mitten Hockey story card: The Mitten Weekly roundup
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The Mitten Weekly: Oct. 26-Nov. 1

Dylan Larkin is suspended as the Red Wings go 2-1-0, Michigan splits in Columbus behind Michael Hage’s five-point night, and Western Michigan routs LIU twice.

Shaun
9–14 minutes
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Dylan Larkin’s trade request turned into a standoff last week, as the Red Wings suspended him without pay after his agent said he would not play again for Detroit, and the team went 2-1-0 without him settled. Top-ranked Michigan took its first loss of the season at Ohio State before Michael Hage’s five-point night salvaged the series in overtime, and Western Michigan scored 17 goals in a two-game sweep of LIU.

Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings (2-1-0 last week, 6-5-3 overall). The western trip ended Monday in Edmonton, where Michal Postava made 25 saves in his first NHL start and stopped all three shootout attempts in a 4-3 win. Larkin forced the shootout with an extra-attacker goal late in the third, and Lucas Raymond scored the only shootout goal. Postava is the third Red Wings goalie in 25 years to win his first NHL start, and Detroit finished the trip 2-1-1. Back at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, with Patrick Kane returning with Chicago, Viktor Arvidsson scored a hat trick and added an assist in a 4-1 win, and John Gibson made 18 saves, including a stop on a Frank Nazar penalty shot. In Saturday’s Halloween matinee, Keegan Kolesar scored his first goal as a Red Wing and Emmitt Finnie added a power-play goal for a 4-2 third-period lead, but St. Louis scored three times in the third, including two goals 18 seconds apart, to win 5-4. Raymond has five goals in his last six games.

Larkin suspended. Todd McLellan said Thursday that Larkin would not play against Chicago, and his agent said he would sit out until traded. Hours before puck drop, interim GM Shawn Horcoff suspended Larkin without pay. Horcoff said he is prepared to wait “as long as is necessary” for a deal that brings back NHL-ready players. Larkin has five seasons left on a contract carrying an $8.7 million cap hit.

Injuries and roster. Daniil Tarasov returned to practice Wednesday, and Postava was sent back to Grand Rapids. Albert Johansson was ruled out, and Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton remain about two weeks away. To cover for Larkin and the injuries, Detroit recalled Sheldon Dries on Thursday and John Leonard on Sunday. On the blue line, the Red Wings assigned Axel Sandin-Pellikka to the Griffins and recalled Jacob Bernard-Docker.

Rumors (unconfirmed). Elliotte Friedman said the line has moved on a possible Larkin deal with Montreal, and Chris Johnston reported Buffalo’s interest, though neither team is on Larkin’s 10-team approved list. Pierre LeBrun reported that Minnesota, which is on the list, has been the most aggressive suitor. On Saturday, Friedman said Larkin could alter his list within 24 to 48 hours; no change had been confirmed by Sunday night. On unsigned defenseman Simon Edvinsson, Friedman reported trade talks are picking up and that San Jose made a serious offer Detroit turned down. Edvinsson must sign or be traded by Dec. 1 to play this season. The Red Wings have confirmed none of these reports.

Prospect watch

  • Michal Postava (G, Grand Rapids Griffins; signed as an undrafted free agent in 2025) won his first NHL start in Edmonton, then made 25 saves in Sunday’s 5-1 win in Chicago to improve to 5-0 in the AHL.
  • Carter Bear (F, Grand Rapids Griffins; 2025, first round) had a goal and two assists in that win at Chicago.
  • Axel Sandin-Pellikka (D, Grand Rapids Griffins; 2023, first round) was sent down after seven games and one assist with Detroit and picked up an assist in his first game back with the Griffins.
  • J.P. Hurlbert (F, Michigan; 2026, first round) scored a power-play goal, his second of the season, in the Wolverines’ overtime win at Ohio State.
  • Emmitt Finnie (F, Detroit Red Wings; 2023, seventh round) scored twice this week, including his sixth goal of the season against St. Louis.

PWHL

PWHL Detroit. The PWHL and its players’ union agreed to 24-player active rosters with no reserves and a $42,000 minimum salary for the 2026-27 season, which rises each year to $52,500 by 2030-31. Detroit’s players also met in two Women’s Worlds tune-ups: Daryl Watts scored for Canada in a 5-3 win in Windsor on Wednesday, and Hannah Bilka scored in the Americans’ 4-0 win at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth on Friday. Hilary Knight, Cayla Barnes, Bilka, and Jesse Compher made the 25-player U.S. roster for the World Championship, which runs Nov. 6-16 in Denmark. Training camp opens Nov. 18, and the home opener is Dec. 12 at Little Caesars Arena.

Minor Pro

Grand Rapids Griffins (1-0-0-0 last week, 8-1-1-1 overall). After a week off, the AHL-leading Griffins visited Chicago on Sunday and won 5-1, extending their point streak to seven games. Chase Stillman, Noah Dower Nilsson, and Kienan Draper scored their first goals of the season, and Dominik Shine added his fifth. The roster turned over all week: the Griffins sent Nolan Moyle to Toledo Monday (he was recalled Sunday), and Carter Gylander and Jacob Truscott followed him to the Walleye when Postava returned.

Toledo Walleye (1-1-0-0 last week, 3-2-0-0 overall). Toledo spoiled Kalamazoo’s home opener Friday, rallying from 2-0 down on goals by Kaden Bohlsen and Cooper Zech before Tag Bertuzzi won it 3-2 in overtime. The Walleye outshot the K-Wings 54-19. Saturday in Fort Wayne, Moyle scored and Gylander made 28 saves in a 2-1 loss. Jonathan Lemieux was named ECHL Goaltender of the Week on Monday.

NCAA

Michigan (1-1 last week, 8-1-0 overall, 1-1-0 Big Ten). The Wolverines opened Big Ten play in Columbus, where Ohio State handed them their first loss, 5-2, on Saturday despite goals from Garrett Schifsky and Cole McKinney. In Sunday’s rematch, Hage had a goal and four assists, Malcolm Spence scored twice, including the tying goal with 1:12 left, and Adam Valentini won it 5-4 in overtime (series wrap). Drew Schock opened the week as the Big Ten’s Second Star.

Michigan State (1-0 last week, 5-1-0 overall). At the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game in Cedar Park, Texas, Anthony Romani scored twice and Cayden Lindstrom scored the winner 19 seconds after North Dakota tied it late in the third, in a 5-3 win. Joshua Ravensbergen made 32 saves, and the win was reported to be Adam Nightingale’s 100th at Michigan State.

Western Michigan (2-0 last week, 6-1-0 overall). In Thursday’s opener with LIU, William Whitelaw scored four goals, tying the NCHC single-game record, and defenseman Joona Väisänen scored three in a 10-2 win; they are the first NCHC teammates to record hat tricks in the same game. Friday, the Broncos fell behind 2-0 before Zaccharya Wisdom scored twice and Adam Benák had a goal and two assists in a 7-4 win (series wrap). Quentin Miller started both games.

Michigan Tech: Off this week (6-2-0 overall, 1-1-0 CCHA).

Northern Michigan (0-2 last week, 2-6-0 overall, 0-2-0 CCHA). The Wildcats opened CCHA play at unbeaten Augustana, where freshman Jack Fuller made his college debut in a 12-0 loss Friday. Saturday was much closer: Merril Steenari tied it on the power play and Max Weilandt made 35 saves, but Augustana won 4-1 (series wrap).

Ferris State (0-1-1 last week, 1-5-2 overall, 1-2-1 CCHA). Nathan Mackie opened the scoring Friday at Bemidji State, but the Beavers answered with six straight in a 6-1 win. Saturday, Nathan Leek, Adyn Merrick, and Justin Stupka each had a goal and an assist and Alan Lendak made 26 saves in a 4-4 tie, with Bemidji State taking the shootout (series wrap).

Lake Superior State (0-0-2 last week, 2-4-2 overall, 0-2-2 CCHA). Both games at Minnesota State ended 2-2 after overtime. Anders Miller made 24 saves Friday before the Mavericks won the shootout. Saturday, Ethan Moore tied it with 25 seconds left and scored in an eight-round shootout the Lakers won for the extra point. Miller stopped 53 of 57 shots on the weekend (series wrap).

USHL

Muskegon Lumberjacks (1-0 last week, 6-5-0-2 overall). Lars Hutson had three assists and Muskegon scored three times in the third period to win 5-1 in Plymouth on Wednesday. Louis Jonerheim and Drew Fox scored early, and Samuel Doyon-Cataquiz made 21 saves.

USA Hockey NTDP U17 (0-1 last week). RJ Thompson scored his first NTDP goal in the loss to Muskegon before the team left for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Oakville, Ontario.

USA Hockey NTDP U18: Off this week.

OHL

Flint Firebirds (2-1-0-0 last week, 11-3-1-0 overall). Trenten Bennett opened the week as the OHL Goaltender of the Week, then made 27 saves in a 3-0 loss at Kitchener on Friday that ended Flint’s eight-game point streak. Saturday at the Dort, Martins Klaucans had a career-high three points and Rylan Fellinger won it 4-3 in overtime against Barrie, Flint’s sixth straight home win. Sunday in Sarnia, Josh Bonnyman scored twice and Carter Beauchesne had three assists in a 5-1 win. Flint leads the West Division.

Saginaw Spirit (0-3-0-0 last week, 6-7-2-1 overall). Seven Spirit players made NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary 2027 list, the most in the CHL, with Dima Zhilkin and Levi Harper earning A ratings. On the ice, Tyler Martyniuk scored his first OHL goal in a 5-2 loss at the Soo, where Zhilkin’s assist stretched his point streak to 14 games. Barrie’s Hagan Bach made 32 saves in a 2-0 shutout Friday that ended the streak, and top-ranked Guelph scored a late power-play goal to win 5-3 on Saturday. Help is on the way: Anaheim returned Nikita Klepov, last season’s OHL scoring champion, after four NHL games, and Harper joined Zhilkin on Team CHL for the Dec. 1-2 Prospects Challenge against the NTDP U18s.

Around the hockey world

  • Red Wings great and team executive Nicklas Lidstrom said Sweden’s first thought should be a boycott after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ordered the IIHF to readmit Russia.
  • Michigan freshman Landon DuPont earned an A rating as 17 NTDP players and prospects from Muskegon and Flint made Central Scouting’s 2027 watch list.
  • PWHL Detroit’s Watts (Canada) and Knight, Barnes, Bilka, and Compher (United States) open the Women’s World Championship in Denmark on Friday.

High School

Practice opened Oct. 26 for the MHSAA season, and the season preview sets up three title defenses: Detroit Catholic Central chasing an eighth straight Division 1 crown, Flint Powers Catholic going for a third straight in Division 2, and Houghton defending its first Division 3 title since 1982. Games begin today, Nov. 2, with the Finals set for March 6 at USA Hockey Arena.

Features this week

Looking ahead

  • Red Wings: At Florida tonight and Tampa Bay on Tuesday, home vs. Vegas on Thursday, and at Colorado on Saturday.
  • PWHL Detroit: Its national-team players open the Women’s World Championship on Friday.
  • Griffins: Host Texas (Wednesday) and Milwaukee (Friday), then visit Rockford (Saturday).
  • Walleye: At Kalamazoo on Wednesday and Friday, then the home opener against Fort Wayne on Saturday.
  • NCAA: Michigan is off; Michigan State hosts Boston University (Friday and Saturday); Western Michigan opens NCHC play at North Dakota (Friday and Saturday); Michigan Tech hosts Augustana and Northern Michigan hosts Minnesota State (both Friday and Saturday); Lake Superior State hosts Maryville (Thursday and Friday); Ferris State hosts Maryville (Saturday).
  • USHL: Muskegon is at Dubuque (Friday and Saturday). The NTDP U17s play Canada Red tonight and Finland on Tuesday at the World Under-17 Challenge, and the U18s are at the Five Nations Tournament in Switzerland.
  • OHL: Flint hosts Erie (Friday) and Brampton (Saturday); Saginaw is at London (Friday) and hosts Erie (Saturday) and Brampton (Sunday).

Sources

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