The Red Wings Have a Captaincy Decision Bigger Than Dylan Larkin - Yahoo Sports
They took the C off the sweater and put nothing in its place. Leadership, Ilitch-style.
Current embarrassment
Headlines from the last couple of weeks that failed the “are they a serious hockey team” test. We quote titles and link out. We do not steal the article. If a story is glowing, it died in the filter. Good.
Detroit Red Wings Promote AHL Star Amid Dylan Larkin Trade Request Drama - Heavy.com
The captain asked for a map. It did not have Detroit on it.
Todd McLellan Sends Blunt Message After Red Wings’ Costly Mistakes - Sports Illustrated
Tim, Tom, and Bill already clocked out of this franchise. Catch up.
MN Wild Growing Frustrated with Red Wings’ Delusion - Minnesota Sports Fan
The Wings are not unlucky. They are the exhibit.
Red Wings Squander Third Period Lead in 5-4 Loss to Blues - Yahoo Sports
This is not a rebuild. This is a loop.
Lucas Raymond Confronts the Red Wings’ Third-Period Collapse - Detroit Sports Nation
Third straight spring collapse. At this point it's a tradition, like losing.
Todd McLellan Puts Red Wings on Notice After Collapse - Detroit Sports Nation
Third straight spring collapse. At this point it's a tradition, like losing.
Red Wings’ Late Collapse Helps Blues Rookie Accomplish Rare Feat - Heavy.com
Third straight spring collapse. At this point it's a tradition, like losing.
Red Wings Coach Defends Veteran After Ugly Number In Loss To Blues - Heavy.com
This is not a rebuild. This is a loop.
Red Wings show their best and worst in blown lead to Blues - The New York Times
If you still have hope, this headline is here to help.
Red Wings collapse, allow two goals in 18 seconds in loss to Blues - The Detroit News
Third straight spring collapse. At this point it's a tradition, like losing.
Red Wings collapse, allow 2 goals in 18 seconds in loss to Blues - Detroit Free Press
Third straight spring collapse. At this point it's a tradition, like losing.
Red Wings Suffer Spooky Halloween Collapse, Lose 5-4 To Blues - Yahoo Sports
Third straight spring collapse. At this point it's a tradition, like losing.
Lucas Raymond: Detroit Red Wings have to learn lesson from Blues loss - USA Today
If you still have hope, this headline is here to help.
Detroit Red Wings lose 5-4 to St. Louis as Kaskimaki's first NHL goal completes Blues rally - CBS News
Tim, Tom, and Bill already clocked out of this franchise. Catch up.
Red Wings collapse, allow 2 goals in 18 seconds in loss to Blues - Yahoo Sports
Third straight spring collapse. At this point it's a tradition, like losing.
Frightening Third-Period Performance Costs Red Wings in Loss to Blues - Detroit Hockey Now
This is not a rebuild. This is a loop.
Red Wings collapse in third period in tough loss to Blues - MLive.com
Third straight spring collapse. At this point it's a tradition, like losing.
PREVIEW: Red Wings host Blues for Hockeytown Halloween on Saturday afternoon - NHL.com
Tim, Tom, and Bill already clocked out of this franchise. Catch up.
Viktor Arvidsson is boosting Detroit Red Wings' energy − and offense - Detroit Free Press
Hockeytown found its voice. It was not singing.
Blackhawks Coach Identifies Troubling Difference in Loss to Red Wings - Yahoo Sports
This is not a rebuild. This is a loop.
Red Wings Make Final Dylan Larkin Decision After Trade Request Drama - Yahoo Sports
The captain asked for a map. It did not have Detroit on it.
Larkin suspended by Detroit Red Wings as standoff with former captain intensifies - FOX 2 Detroit
Tim, Tom, and Bill already clocked out of this franchise. Catch up.
Red Wings’ Larkin out ‘for foreseeable future’ amid trade request, reports say - ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4
The captain asked for a map. It did not have Detroit on it.
Red Wings' Dylan Larkin suspended after refusing to play amid trade request: What we know - Yahoo Sports
The captain asked for a map. It did not have Detroit on it.
Zach Hyman Injured in Oilers’ Loss to Red Wings - Yahoo Sports
If you still have hope, this headline is here to help.
Detroit Red Wings held to single goal in 4-1 loss to Calgary Flames - CBS News
Tim, Tom, and Bill already clocked out of this franchise. Catch up.
Detroit Red Wings takeaway: Loss to Flames shows how much growth is still needed - Detroit Free Press
The Wings are not unlucky. They are the exhibit.
Todd McLellan Makes Concerning Admission After Red Wings Loss To Flames - Heavy.com
This is not a rebuild. This is a loop.
Second-Period Misery Costs Red Wings in Loss to Calgary Flames - Yahoo Sports
If you still have hope, this headline is here to help.
Todd McLellan Calls Out Red Wings After Ugly Loss to Calgary Flames - Yahoo Sports
Tim, Tom, and Bill already clocked out of this franchise. Catch up.
PREVIEW: Red Wings, riding six-game point streak, pay final visit to Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday - NHL.com
The Wings are not unlucky. They are the exhibit.
Canucks’ Offence Stalls In 5–2 Loss To The Detroit Red Wings - Yahoo Sports
This is not a rebuild. This is a loop.
Red Wings' Injury Problems Are Giving Young Forwards an Early Opportunity - Yahoo Sports
If you still have hope, this headline is here to help.
Red Wings exec says Dylan Larkin and team made up – but trade request stands - Detroit Free Press
The captain asked for a map. It did not have Detroit on it.
Watch Todd McLellan on Detroit Red Wings' shootout loss to Kraken - Detroit Free Press
The Wings are not unlucky. They are the exhibit.
Detroit radio, doing the Lord’s work
97.1 The Ticket is currently a gold mine. Valenti will say the quiet part. Costa and Jansen will pick the bones. Woodward will clip the chant. We do not host their audio. Press listen and let professionals be mean.
The Valenti Show with Rico
97.1 The Ticket · Weekdays 2–6pm ET
Detroit's default setting for calling a fraud a fraud. When the Wings are a turd, Valenti will smell it on air.
97.1 The Ticket — live
WXYT-FM · All day, especially after losses
Costa, Jansen, Stoney, Riger — local hosts who have to talk about this team whether they want to or not. Lately they do not want to.
Woodward Sports
Independent Detroit · Daily video / clips
Unfiltered Detroit sports yelling. When LCA chants 'sell the team,' these guys clip it before the PR department finishes the statement.
The Knee Jerks
Podcast · Weekly
Eno, Nick, Big Al. They will have Ken Kal on and still ask why nobody is allowed to blame the front office.
Detroit City Sports Cast
TMSNX / independent · Weekly
Already titled an episode 'The Captain Abandons Ship.' They are not here to sell you hope.
Shows talking bad about them, lately
YouTube and podcast episodes whose titles mention this circus. Filtered. Dated. Linked. If the Ticket is live, skip this and go there.
Best Of The Red Wings on 97.1 The Ticket: Dylan Larkin And Red Wings Are Done With Each Other. Whose Side Are You On?
This is not a rebuild. This is a loop.
Hall of Shame — 2026 edition
The current era’s rap sheet, locked so a quiet news day cannot gaslight you. This is not ancient history. This is the last six months.
Ten. Straight. Years. Out.
The Red Wings missed the playoffs for a 10th consecutive season in 2025-26, the longest drought in the franchise's 100-year history and the longest active drought in the NHL. They were 32-16-5 on Jan. 25, tied for the East's best record, then went 9-15-5 and died on the vine. Third straight late-season collapse.
They mortgaged a first-rounder for a rental and still missed
Detroit traded its 2026 first-round pick (and a third) to St. Louis for Justin Faulk in March while sitting pretty in the playoff race. Then they lost 13 of their last 19. The pick is gone. The playoffs are gone. Faulk is a monument to panic.
Season funeral in Sunrise: 8-1
The Panthers beat Detroit 8-1 in the finale. Todd McLellan said he was embarrassed. The tape agreed.
The captain asked out of Hockeytown
Dylan Larkin requested a trade shortly after the season. Yzerman confirmed the agent called, then a short list of teams Larkin would waive his no-trade for. Five years left at $8.7M AAV. Yzerman would not guarantee a deal. Preferred destination talk included actual contenders, which Detroit is not.
Yzerman removed as GM. Rebuild still 'out of the question.'
Steve Yzerman was removed as president/GM on July 15 after seven seasons, zero playoffs. Moved to senior adviser. Shawn Horcoff named interim GM Sept. 15. Horcoff's public posture: a rebuild is out of the question. They fired the architect and kept the blueprint.
Stripped the C. Did not name a replacement.
Larkin was stripped of the captaincy. He reported to camp anyway. The club opened 2026-27 without a captain. Leadership by shrug.
Lowballed their own top defenseman
Simon Edvinsson's contract became a public mess. Reporting described an embarrassing lowball. He was not in the opening-night lineup picture with Larkin already dinged. McLellan later urged the club to 'work fast and fair' to sign him. Fast and fair is not how this summer went.
Opening night: boos, 'sell the team,' shutout
Home opener vs the Rangers. Larkin (injured, in street clothes) was introduced and the building booed him. Arena staff cranked music to drown it out. TNT's Paul Bissonnette called the whole thing bush league and said it will cost them in free agency. Fans chanted 'sell the team' at Christopher Ilitch. Final: Rangers 2, Wings 0. McLellan was not impressed. There is no captain. There is no GM. There is a drought clock.
Patrick Kane did not come back
Kane signed with Chicago. Detroit, which needed goals and a pulse, watched a rental walk home.