Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings will be without left-winger David Perron for six games thanks to his forceful cross-check of Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub during Saturday's contest.

NHL Player Safety announced Monday that Perron was suspended for the hit he dished out on Zub's head when play was already stopped because of another injury concern. The play in question happened during Ottawa's 5-1 victory.

"It is important to note that cross-checking is a common infraction that is often adequately penalized by the on-ice officials," the department of player safety said while explaining its decision. "However, in this case, multiple factors combine to elevate this play to the level where significant supplemental discipline is required.

"First, this is not a hockey play. This is an intentional strike with a stick, made with a purpose of exacting retribution on an opponent. This is not a case in which two players are jousting and are mutually aware that sticks are being raised."

The department of player safety also acknowledged one of Detroit's arguments.

"While we have heard the argument from the club that this is not a direct blow to the head, we disagree," the video said. "… The brunt of the impact of this blow is clearly absorbed by Zub's head due directly to the actions and choices made by Perron."

Perron was responding to an injury for teammate Dylan Larkin, but Sam Stockton of the Hockey News noted it was Mathieu Joseph and Parker Kelly instead of Zub who were responsible for that injury.

Joseph and Kelly were given two-minute penalties, while Perron was given a five-minute major and match penalty.

Detroit plays six games in the course of a 10-day stretch, which starts with Monday's contest against the Dallas Stars. It then faces the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, Anaheim Ducks on Monday and Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.

The Red Wings are in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with 32 points through 26 games.

"Show Time" is officially ready for action in Motown.

Patrick Kane is expected to make his Detroit Red Wings debut on Thursday night against the San Jose Sharks at Little Caesars Arena, head coach Derek Lalonde told reporters Wednesday.

Kane signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Red Wings last week after recovering from hip resurfacing surgery.

There were rumors about Kane potentially suiting up against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night but Lalonde held him out of the lineup so he could get another practice in before making his debut.

Kane spent the 2022-23 season between the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers. He was traded from Chicago, where he spent the first 15 and a half seasons of his career, to New York at the deadline.

The 35-year-old was underwhelming in his short stint with the Rangers, notching five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 19 games. He also tallied just one goal and five assists for six points in seven playoff games.

Kane told reporters earlier this month that his time in New York was "challenging," which could be why he didn't live up to expectations.

"Going to New York was a new challenge for me," Kane said. "I was really excited about it but it didn't really go the way I expected or the team expected. I figured at that point it was probably time to do something to give myself a chance to get back to a high level—almost more mentally rather than physically. I don't want to say [I was] miserable, but I was thinking about [my hip] every day."

The three-time Stanley Cup champion's decision to join the Red Wings was surprising to some, though he now gets to play alongside his former Chicago teammate in Alex DeBrincat.

Additionally, Kane's decision was influenced by his childhood. He played for a Triple-A program in Michigan when he was a teenager and "fell in love with Detroit, which was just as obsessed with hockey as he was. He adored the Red Wings' history and tradition."

The Red Wings have been one of the NHL's best surprises this season as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with a 14-7-3 record. The addition of Kane should only help Detroit better contend for a playoff spot.

The Red Wings haven't reached the postseason since the 2015-16 campaign, but considering how they've played through the early stages of the 2023-24 season, that's bound to change this year.

Veteran winger Patrick Kane is set to sign with the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet and Chris Johnston of The Athletic.

Friedman later reported it "sounds like" Kane agreed to a one-year contract worth $2.75M.

Of note, Detroit's Daniel Sprong wasted little time in offering to let Kane wear No. 88:

The timing of his decision comes as no surprise, as Larry Brooks of the New York Post reported on Nov. 14 that Kane was expected to sign around Thanksgiving and that the New York Rangers were out of the sweepstakes.

Kane spent the 2022-23 season split between the Chicago Blackhawks and Rangers, who acquired him from Chicago at the trade deadline.

The star winger hit the open market this summer in search of a lucrative deal. He underwent hip surgery in June and was projected to miss four-to-six months, so he began the 2023-24 season unsigned as he worked on his recovery.

Kane said in May he would welcome a return to the Rangers in 2023-24 and beyond, but he also appeared to acknowledge it may not happen due to other free agents the team needed to sign.

"With this team and with this opportunity, I would love that chance," he told reporters. "I know they have young guys to sign and probably other priorities—you know, I'm turning 35 next year, but it's not like I feel old. I still feel young. I feel like the passion is still there. I know that I could be a top player, you know, if my focus is like solely on hockey."

In 19 regular-season games with the Rangers during the 2022-23 season, Kane had five goals and seven assists for 12 points. He added one goal and five assists for six points in seven playoff games.

Kane primarily played on New York's second line alongside Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck.

It's unclear where he'll slot into the Red Wings' lineup, though he'll be playing alongside the likes of Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond.

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff initially reported on Oct. 17 that Kane was "keeping an eye on" the Red Wings. It's thus no surprise he found himself in Detroit.

"Certainly, a surprise to me when I first heard it, but I have to tell you that the idea of getting Kane and Alex DeBrincat relinked has stood out to many," Seravalli wrote.

Kane and DeBrincant were teammates for five seasons in Chicago, and they both enjoyed a great deal of success together, so the reunion makes plenty of sense.

Also, the Red Wings have been among the NHL's most pleasant surprises this season, as they have the fourth-most points in the Eastern Conference.

With Detroit looking to make a playoff push, it can benefit from a three-time Stanley Cup winner and future Hall of Famer like Kane.

The next landing spot for star forward Patrick Kane is still to be determined but it appears that a homecoming, a return to a strong team and a move to a former rival all appear to be on the table.

The winger is still a free agent and was projected to miss "four-to-six months" after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in the offseason. He remains highly sought after, especially for a playoff push, and Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff reported that the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers are contenders to sign Kane.

Seravalli wrote that the Rangers are "paying attention to Kane, while adding the star has also been "keeping an eye on" the Red Wings.

The 34-year-old remains a dominant force in the league. He has scored 451 goals and 1,237 points across his 16-season career, earning four All-Star selections, the 2015-16 Hart Trophy and helping the Chicago Blackhawks win three Stanley Cups.

He scored 21 goals and have 57 points in 73 games between Chicago and the Rangers in 2022-23 and a return to the Big Apple would certainly be appealing if the goal is to win another Stanley Cup. New York won 47 games in 2022-23 and look like a strong contender in the Eastern Conference.

The issue with a return to the Rangers comes with the salary cap as the team has just just $675,085 in salary cap space. While that may be enough to get Kane to agree to a one-year deal and set himself up for a healthy free-agency period next summer, the Rangers are not the best option when it comes to long-term stability.

The Red Wings are an up-and-coming team that is looking to take a step forward in 2023-24. The team has not qualified for the postseason since 2016, which ended the legendary 25-season playoff streak. Detroit has been building, and a dynamic playmaker like Kane could help the young core break through in the loaded Atlantic Division, even if it is nightmare fuel for Blackhawk fans.

Finally, the Sabres may be the most intriguing option. Kane is a Buffalo native, so potentially ending his career playing in front of his hometown crowd may be something of interest to him. The Sabres possess the longest postseason drought (12 seasons) in the NHL, but they do have a young core developing and are also a contender to make noise in the Atlantic.

Wherever Kane ends up, it will likely at least be a team that is in postseason contention, and he certainly could provide a late season offensive spark.

Veteran defenseman Jeff Petry is on the move for the third time in a little over a year.

The Detroit Red Wings announced that they've acquired Petry from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Gustav Lindström and a conditional 2025 fourth-round draft pick.

A 13-year veteran, Petry had spent seven-plus seasons with the Canadiens after being acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in 2015. Last summer, Montreal traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Unfortunately, he struggled in his new surroundings.

While Petry was able to produce 31 points, he was limited to 61 games on the season due to various injuries. The Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time in 17 years, and Kyle Dubas was tabbed to replace general manager Ron Hextail. Upon Dubas' hiring, reports surfaced that the new regime was looking to trade Petry.

The Penguins got their wish earlier this month when they shipped the 35-year-old back to the Canadiens as part of a three-team deal that also involved the San Jose Sharks and sent seven-time All-Star and three-time Norris Memorial Trophy winner Erik Karlsson to Pittsburgh. However, it was immediately reported that Montreal GM Kent Hughes would look to flip Petry in a trade once again.

Petry will now be tasked with helping turn around a Red Wings team that ranked seventh in the Atlantic Division with a 35-37-10 record. Detroit has not made the playoffs in each of the last seven seasons, so the team surely will be motivated to end that streak in 2023-24.

Detroit Red Wings forward Daniel Sprong has been accused of assaulting former IndyCar driver Zachary Claman Demelo.

Demelo, 25, alleged in an Instagram story that Sprong assaulted him at a night club during IndyCar's Grand Prix weekend in Detroit, which ran from June 2 through June 4.

Recounting the experience, Demelo said Sprong grabbed his neck and pinned him against a wall before the two were separated. Sprong then allegedly sucker-punched him in the face after the former IndyCar driver believed the altercation was over.

Demelo said he required "brutal" dental work after the encounter and is still dealing with concussion symptoms.

"I just wanted to bring attention to this situation as no one has the right to act this way especially an athlete of Daniel's caliber," Demelo wrote in the post. "We must hold our self to the highest of standards and for him to do this is beyond disappointing. Due to legal reasons I can't say more at this time."

Sprong, who spent the 2022-23 season with the Seattle Kraken, signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Red Wings this offseason. Neither Sprong nor the Red Wings have commented on the alleged altercation.

The 26-year-old was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the 2015 NHL draft and has bounced around the league since making his debut with the franchise during the 2015-16 campaign.

Sprong has also played for the Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals. He has tallied 67 goals and 49 assists for 116 points in 268 games across his seven-year career.

The Detroit Red Wings acquired Alex DeBrincat from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Dominik Kubalik, defenseman Donovan Sebrango, a conditional first-round draft pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick.

The contract is worth $7.875 million per year, which will make DeBrincat the Red Wings' highest-paid player after captain Dylan Larkin.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman first reported the trade, with NHL Network's David Pagnotta initially reporting details of the contract.

DeBrincat recorded 66 points (27 goals, 39 assists) for the Ottawa Senators last season. That marks an offensive dip from his 41-goal 2021-22 campaign with the Chicago Blackhawks, but the Red Wings could be hoping he will bounce back on Larkin's wing.

DeBrincat is entering his seventh NHL campaign. He spent five seasons with the Blackhawks before he was traded to the Senators last summer.

The Red Wings will say goodbye to Kubalik, who spent most of last season on Larkin's line in the absence (due to injury, and then to his trade to the Boston Bruins) of Tyler Bertuzzi. Kubalik's production and ice time, especially on the power play, declined in the latter half of the campaign.

Also packaged in the trade is Sebrango, who split last season between the AHL and ECHL, in addition to a fourth-round pick and a conditional first-rounder in the 2024 draft.

Thanks to the Bertuzzi trade, Detroit currently holds two first-round picks (its own and Boston's) next year. Under the conditions of the DeBrincat deal, the Red Wings can choose to send the lesser of these two picks to Ottawa next year, with one condition. If the Bruins end up with a top-10 pick, they keep it, and the Red Wings wait until 2025 to complete the trade.

The loss of a 2024 or 2025 first-rounder is worth it for the Red Wings if the acquisition of DeBrincat helps get this team over the postseason hump.

Despite a promising first half of the 2022-23 season that had Detroit sitting in a playoff spot by February, the Red Wings ended up missing a seventh consecutive postseason in part due to the team's lack of top-25 NHL scorers.

Larkin came the closest he ever has to that mark last season, putting up a career-high 79 points (32 goals, 47 assists, and good for 34th in the league).

The Red Wings have committed to building around Larkin, whose eight-year contract kicks in next season. They need to find him a linemate who can help him climb the list of the NHL's top scorers. DeBrincat, who helped his former Chicago linemate Patrick Kane rack up 92 points in 2021-22, could be that winger.