• Detroit Currently Holds 27 Selections in Next Three NHL Entry Drafts

The Detroit Red Wings today acquired a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and center Dylan McLaughlin from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for left wing Jakub Vrana. The Red Wings will retain 50 percent of Vrana’s salary and have loaned McLaughlin to the American Hockey League’s Springfield Thunderbirds.

Vrana, 27, appeared in five games with the Red Wings this season, tallying a goal and an assist on Oct. 15 at New Jersey. The 6-foot, 190-pound forward also recorded 11 points (6-5-11) and four penalty minutes in 17 games with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. In all, Vrana tallied 32 points (22-10-32), 18 penalty minutes and a 21.2 shooting percentage in 42 games with the Red Wings after being acquired in a trade with the Washington Capitals on April 12, 2021. Originally selected by Washington in the first round (13th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Vrana has compiled 189 points (98-91-189), a plus-30 rating and 85 penalty minutes in 326 games between the Capitals and Red Wings. In his first full NHL season in 2017-18, Vrana helped the Capitals win a Stanley Cup championship, posting 27 points (13-14-27) in 73 regular-season games before adding eight points (3-5-8) in 23 postseason contests. A native of Prague, Czech Republic, Vrana has also registered 86 points (41-45-86), a plus-19 rating and 52 penalty minutes in 105 AHL games with the Hershey Bears and Griffins since 2014-15, in addition to 20 points (10-10-20) and eight penalty minutes in 38 postseason appearances. Prior to arriving in North America, Vrana spent four seasons developing in Sweden, where he debuted professionally with Linkoping in the Swedish Hockey League in 2012-13 and logged 27 points (14-13-27) and 14 penalty minutes in 73 games until 2014-15. He also racked up 58 points (35-23-58), a plus-11 rating and 77 penalty minutes in 59 games in Sweden’s top junior league. On the international stage, Vrana has represented his country at the last three IIHF World Championships, combining for 10 points (7-3-10) in 26 games. Vrana also recorded six points (3-3-6) in 16 games at three-straight IIHF World Junior Championships from 2013-15 along with 20 points (14-6-20) in 18 games at three-consecutive IIHF World Under-18 Championships from 2012-14.

The Red Wings have now accumulated 27 draft picks in the next three NHL Entry Drafts, including five first-round selections and five second-round picks.

• Forward Has Recorded 58 Points in 223 Games With Detroit Since 2019-20

The Detroit Red Wings today recalled left wing Adam Erne from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Erne, 27, has skated in 43 games with the Red Wings this season, recording 14 points (6-8-14), eight penalty minutes and 122 hits in 13:56 average time on ice. The 6-foot-1, 212-pound forward has also tallied five assists and four penalty minutes in nine appearances with the Griffins. Erne enjoyed a breakout season in his second campaign with Detroit in 2020-21, ranking among the team leaders with 11 goals (T1st), nine assists (T5th), 26 penalty minutes (T3rd), three power play goals (T1st), six power play points (T2nd), 71 shots (9th), a 15.5 shooting percentage (5th) and 82 hits (1st) in 45 games. Erne also authored Detroit’s longest point streak of the 2020-21 season, collecting eight points (5-3-8) in an eight-game span from April 1-15. Originally selected by Tampa Bay in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Erne has compiled 85 points (38-47-85) and 158 penalty minutes in 337 games between the Lightning and Red Wings since 2016-17. Erne made his Stanley Cup playoff debut with Tampa Bay in 2019, playing in three postseason contests. He has also logged 93 points (41-52-93) and 160 penalty minutes in 159 AHL games with the Syracuse Crunch and Griffins. Erne helped the Crunch reach the 2017 Calder Cup Final, showing 10 points (3-7-10) in 22 postseason games.

Prior to turning professional, Erne spent four seasons with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Quebec Remparts, racking up 275 points (118-157-275) and 266 penalty minutes in 240 games from 2011-15. In his final season with Quebec, he amassed a career-high 86 points (41-45-86) and 102 penalty minutes in 60 regular-season contests before notching 30 points (21-9-30) in 22 playoff games to win the Guy Lafleur Trophy as the postseason’s most valuable player. Additionally, Erne registered six points (3-3-6) in five games when the Remparts hosted the 2015 Memorial Cup. Before starting his major junior career, Erne showed 18 points (10-8-18) and 49 penalty minutes in 45 games with the United States Hockey League’s Indiana Ice in 2010-11. The New Haven, Conn., native represented Team USA at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship, recording one assist in five appearances. He also played for his country at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, posting six points (5-1-6) in four games.

• Detroit Currently Holds 26 Selections in Next Three NHL Entry Drafts

The Detroit Red Wings today acquired a first-round selection in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft from the Boston Bruins in exchange for left wing Tyler Bertuzzi. The Red Wings will retain 50 percent of Bertuzzi’s salary.

Bertuzzi, 28, has been limited to 29 games this season due to injury, recording 14 points (4-10-14) and 23 penalty minutes in 16:29 average time on ice. The 6-foot-1, 186-pound forward ranked among the team leaders during the 2021-22 campaign with 30 goals (2nd), 32 assists (5th), 62 points (2nd), 47 penalty minutes (T3rd), six power play goals (T1st), 14 power play points (3rd), one shorthanded goal (T1st), five game-winning goals (1st), 180 shots (4th) and 19:52 average time on ice (4th) in 68 games. Originally selected by the Red Wings in the second round (58th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Bertuzzi represented Detroit at the 2020 NHL All-Star Game and compiled 202 points (88-114-202) along with 189 penalty minutes in 305 games since 2016-17. The Sudbury, Ont., native also registered 82 points (32-50-82) and 204 penalty minutes in 137 games with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins from 2014-18, in addition to 39 points (23-16-39) and 68 penalty minutes in 42 postseason contests. He helped the Griffins win the 2017 Calder Cup championship and was named the recipient of the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most-valuable player in the playoffs after collecting 19 points (9-10-19) and 50 penalty minutes in 19 postseason games. Prior to turning professional, Bertuzzi skated four seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm, earning 172 points (71-101-172), a plus-35 rating and 325 penalty minutes over 201 games from 2011-15. Bertuzzi won an OHL title with the Storm in 2014 alongside Red Wings forwards Robby Fabbri and Pius Suter, and was named an OHL Second-Team All-Star the following year after notching 98 points (43-55-98) in 68 games in his final season of major junior hockey. On the international stage, Bertuzzi made five appearances for Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.

The Red Wings have now accumulated 26 draft picks in the next three NHL Entry Drafts, including five first-round selections and five second-round picks.

• Detroit Currently Holds 17 Selections in Next Two NHL Entry

The Detroit Red Wings today acquired a conditional first-round selection and a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for defenseman Filip Hronek and a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

Hronek, 25, skated in 60 games with the Red Wings this season and ranks among the team leaders with nine goals (8th), 29 assists (2nd), 38 points (T2nd), a plus-eight rating (2nd), 34 penalty minutes (4th), four power play goals (T4th), 16 power play points (T2nd), 122 shots (4th) and 21:32 average time on ice (2nd). Originally selected by Detroit in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Hronek recorded 156 points (30-126-156) and 162 penalty minutes in 305 games with the Red Wings since 2018-19. The Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic, native began the 2020-21 campaign with his hometown club in the Czech Extraliga, notching 23 points (10-13-23) and 18 penalty minutes in 22 games. Hronek previously spent parts of three seasons with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins, racking up 65 points (19-46-65), a plus-25 rating and 93 penalty minutes in 108 games with the team from 2016-19. He earned a spot on the 2018 AHL All-Rookie Team in his first full AHL campaign. Prior to turning professional in North America, Hronek spent one season with the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit, where he was named an OHL Third-Team All-Star after tallying 61 points (14-47-61) in 59 contests. On the international stage, Hronek has represented his country at each of the last four IIHF World Championships, tallying 20 points (5-15-20) in 35 games. He won a bronze medal with the Czechs in 2022 and was named Best Defenseman at the 2019 tournament after leading all blueliners with 11 points (3-8-11) in 10 appearances. Hronek also competed in back-to-back IIHF World Junior Championships in 2016 and 2017, collecting six points (2-4-6) in 10 games.

The Red Wings have now accumulated 17 draft picks in the next two NHL Entry Drafts, including three first-round selections and four second-round picks.

• Captain and Three-Time NHL All-Star Leads Detroit With 57 Points in 59 Games

The Detroit Red Wings today signed center Dylan Larkin to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $8.7 million.

Larkin, 26, has skated in 59 games with the Red Wings this season and ranks among the team leaders with 22 goals (1st), 35 assists (1st), 57 points (1st), 11 power play goals (1st), 21 power play points (1st), one shorthanded goal (2nd), four game-winning goals (1st), 185 shots (1st) and 19:30 average time on ice (4th). The 6-foot-1, 198-pound center represented Detroit on the Atlantic Division team at the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Game, marking his second-consecutive All-Star roster selection and third of his career. He was named the NHL’s Second Star for the week ending Feb. 5 after helping the Atlantic Division claim its first 3-on-3 title, notching six points (5-1-6), a plus-seven rating, 14 shots and six takeaways in two games, including a hat trick in the championship game against the Central Division. Larkin was also named the NHL’s Third Star for the week ending Feb. 19 after tallying eight points (4-4-8) in a four-game span. He recorded his 400th career point with an assist on Jan. 24 vs. San Jose, becoming the fifth-youngest player in franchise history to reach the milestone.

Larkin is currently in his third season as the Red Wings’ captain after being named the 37th captain in franchise history on Jan. 13, 2021. He became the first Michigander and native metro Detroiter to wear the ‘C’ for the Red Wings, assuming a captaincy that had been vacant for two seasons following the end of Henrik Zetterberg’s career in 2017-18 due to injury. The Waterford, Mich., native is just the second American to serve as captain for Detroit after Reed Larson (Minneapolis, Minn.) and fifth player to wear the ‘C’ under Ilitch ownership (since 1982-83).

Originally selected by the Red Wings in the first round (15th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Larkin has played in 563 games with Detroit and compiled 415 points (169-246-415), which is tied for the fifth-most among his draft class. He is currently tied with Vyacheslav Kozlov for 20th place on the franchise’s all-time scoring list. Larkin recorded a goal and an assist in his NHL debut as a 19-year-old on Oct. 9, 2015 vs. Toronto, becoming the first teenager to play in the team’s opening-night lineup since Mike Sillinger in 1990-91. During his rookie campaign in 2015-16, Larkin was named to the NHL All-Star Game and set the NHL’s fastest skater record during the Skills Competition, posting a lap time of 13.172 seconds to break Mike Gartner’s 20-year-old record. Larkin also made his Stanley Cup playoff debut with the Red Wings in 2016, contributing one goal and 18 penalty minutes in five postseason contests.

Prior to turning professional, Larkin spent two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2012-14 before playing one season at the University of Michigan in 2014-15. He was named the Big Ten Rookie of the Year while earning a spot on the conference’s First All-Star Team after producing 47 points (15-32-47) in 35 games for the Wolverines. Larkin signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Red Wings on May 21, 2015 and made his professional debut with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins during their postseason run, logging five points (3-2-5) in six games. On the international stage, Larkin represented the United States at five-consecutive IIHF World Championships from 2015-19, totaling 34 points (10-24-34), a plus-15 rating and 32 penalty minutes in 45 games. He captured a bronze medal while serving as an alternate captain in 2018, and also won bronze at the 2015 tournament. Larkin also skated for Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, posting one assist in two appearances. He played for his country at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, collecting seven points (5-2-7) in five games. Larkin previously helped Team USA win a gold medal at the 2014 IIHF World Under-18 Championship with four points (2-2-4) in six games, and claimed a bronze medal at the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge with seven points (2-5-7) in six contests.

• Winger Leads All QMJHL Skaters With 45 Goals in 58 Games

The Detroit Red Wings today signed right wing Alexandre Doucet to a three-year entry-level contract.

Doucet, 21, has skated in 58 games between the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Val d’Or Foreurs and Halifax Mooseheads this season, ranking among the league leaders with 45 goals (1st), 44 assists (T11th), 89 points (4th), 11 power play goals (T6th), eight shorthanded goals (1st) and a 26.9 shooting percentage (1st). The 6-foot, 187-pound forward has recorded 36 points (18-18-36), a plus-21 rating, 12 penalty minutes, four power play goals, one shorthanded goal and a 25.7 shooting percentage in 24 games since being acquired by Halifax from Val d’Or on Dec. 21. He established a career-high 14-game point streak from Dec. 11-Jan. 21, racking up 27 points (10-17-27) in that span. In total, Doucet has accumulated 221 points (95-126-221), a plus-35 rating, 78 penalty minutes and a 20.4 shooting percentage in 228 games with Val D’Or and Halifax since 2018-19. The Sherbrooke, Quebec, native has also registered 11 points (4-7-11), a plus-nine rating and 20 penalty minutes in 19 postseason contests with Val d’Or, helping the club reach the 2021 President Cup Final.

Prior to his major junior career, Doucet tallied 56 points (29-27-56), a plus-44 rating and 20 penalty minutes in 39 games with the Magog Cantonniers of the Quebec Midget AAA League from 2017-19, along with 27 points (24-3-27) in 27 postseason appearances. He led Magog to the QMAAA championship in 2019 after posting 23 points (21-2-23) in 15 playoff games. Doucet also collected 39 points (19-20-39) in 31 games at the under-17 level with the Triolet Harfangs Midget Esploir team from 2016-18. He logged 24 points (10-14-24) in 29 games with the Triolet Harfangs Bantam AAA team in 2016-17, and 49 points (27-22-49) in 31 games with the Triolet Harfangs Bantam AA squad during the 2015-16 campaign.

• Chris Ilitch Accepts Role as Senior Corporate Chair
• 68^th Annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner to take Place June 25

Continuing a 34-year legacy of supporting the Detroit Branch NAACP, Chris Ilitch, CEO,  Ilitch Companies, accepted the role of Senior Corporate Chair of the 68^th Annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner at the Passing of the Gavel an event held earlier this week at The Roostertail.

The Freedom Fund Dinner, the largest sit-down dinner in the world, will take place on June 25 at Huntington Place, culminating a weekend-long commemoration of the 60^th Anniversary of the Freedom Walk, led by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King on Woodward Avenue in 1963.  

“I’m honored that my chairmanship occurs during the anniversary year of the Walk to Freedom. While much has been accomplished since 1963, we still have much more to do to fulfill the promise of equal opportunity for all,” said Ilitch. “I am excited about working together now – because this is our time to make progress and impact the lives of this generation and others to come.”

At the Passing of the Gavel event, Ilitch accepted the corporate chair’s gavel from outgoing Senior Corporate Chair, Gary Torgow, chairman of Huntington National Bank. Additionally, Charity Dean, president and CEO of the Metro Black Business Association, accepted the Senior Community Chair gavel from Ray Curry, president of the UAW.,

“We are excited to have Chris serve as Senior Corporate Chair,” said Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit Branch NAACP. “Remembering the words of Mike Ilitch, ‘One person can have a tremendous effect on a team.’  As a leader in our community Chris will bring a high level of determination to ensure our team success for the Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner.”

Mike Ilitch, who, along with his wife Marian Ilitch, founded Little Caesars, held the Detroit Branch NAACP Senior Corporate Chair position in 1989, and the following year Little Caesar Enterprises was named a lifetime member of the NAACP.

Guests at the Passing of the Gavel event this week included NAACP board members, dinner committee members, elected officials and others. To underscore Ilitch Companies’ small business legacy, each attendee received a gift box featuring curated items from Detroit-based Black-owned businesses, including some of those who have partnered with the Ilitch organization to pop up at Comerica Park and Little Caesars Arena over the past year.

Tickets for the 68^th Annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner will be available for purchase at https://www.detroitnaacp.org.

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• Defenseman Has Recorded 10 Points and a Plus-17 Rating in 40 Games

The Detroit Red Wings today signed defenseman Jake Walman to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.4 million.

Walman, 27, has skated in 40 games with the Red Wings this season, recording 10 points (5-5-10), a plus-17 rating and 29 penalty minutes in 18:55 average time on ice. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound defenseman scored his first career overtime goal on Dec. 28 at Pittsburgh and netted three goals in a four-game span from Jan. 7-14. Walman split the 2021-22 campaign between the St. Louis Blues and Red Wings, collecting 10 points (3-7-10) and 10 penalty minutes in 51 contests. He was acquired by Detroit from St. Louis on March 21, 2022 with center Oskar Sundqvist and a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for defensemen Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski. Originally selected by St. Louis in the third round (82nd overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Walman has logged 22 points (9-13-22), a plus-eight rating and 47 penalty minutes in 116 career NHL games since 2019-20. Walman made his Stanley Cup playoff debut with the Blues in Game 4 of the 2021 Western Conference First Round against Colorado, tallying one shot in 15:24 time on ice. The Toronto, Ont., native has also played in 169 American Hockey League games between the Chicago Wolves, Binghamton Devils and San Antonio Rampage, totaling 63 points (17-46-63) and 106 penalty minutes.

Prior to turning professional, Walman played three seasons at Providence College, registering 69 points (21-48-69), a plus-28 rating and 106 penalty minutes in 107 games from 2014-17. During his freshman season, Walman helped the Friars win the program’s first-ever NCAA National Championship and was named to the NCAA All-East Regional Team. He led all NCAA defensemen in goals (13), points per game (1.04), power-play goals (8) and game-winning goals (4) during his sophomore campaign and was named to the CCM All-American First Team. Walman was also a First Team Hockey East All-Star during his sophomore and junior seasons, in addition to being named a Hobey Baker Nominee following his junior year. Before joining Providence, Walman had a decorated season with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, contributing 33 points (7-26-33) in 43 games en route to being named the league’s Rookie of the Year.

An overhead look at the Detroit Tigers media day at spring training!

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