Kolesar primed to make his mark in Detroit as a ‘veteran presence on the front end’

DETROIT -- Keegan Kolesar hasn’t met all his new Detroit Red Wings teammates or coaches just yet, but the 29-year-old forward believes he already has a clear understanding of the role he hopes to fill with the Original Six franchise.

“Really excited to join a group that, playing against them for years now, they have a tremendous amount of skill and talent in their lineup,” Kolesar said in his introductory Zoom call with the media on July 2. “Just talking to guys now, they felt that there was a missing piece, maybe an identity of just having that -- not the fighting aspect, but more of the toughness and being hard to play against, being a veteran presence on the front end, bringing guys into the fight. I think that’s something I can provide.”

Kolesar was acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on July 1 for Detroit’s third-round pick in the 2029 NHL Entry Draft and seventh-round selection in the 2027 NHL Entry Draft. He appeared in all 82 regular-season games for Vegas in 2025-26, recording 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) before tallying one goal in 21 Stanley Cup Playoff matchups.

“You can call me an old-school type of player,” he said. “Forecheck, backcheck, paycheck. I just want to help the team win. I’ve always felt the team comes first in every scenario. If there is any way I can help the team win, that’s what I’ll do.”

Few players have imposed themselves physically more consistently over the past few seasons than Kolesar, who piled up 270 hits in 2025-26 -- the seventh-most in the NHL.

“It can be a pretty big toll on the body,” Kolesar said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to be pretty healthy throughout my career. I mean, knock on wood, nothing too bad…That’s an aspect that I try to bring. I think when you have that in your lineup, it makes everyone play a little bit tougher. You can play a little bit more confident when you have someone that is going to go into the trenches and do all the dirty work like that.”

The 6-foot-2, 216-pound forward also doesn’t shy away from dropping the gloves when the situation calls for it.

“I’m a prideful guy in that sense, and I’ve always felt that as teammates we look out for each other,” Kolesar said. “I think there’s been a number of cases in my career where someone’s been taken advantage of, and I’ll go to boot for them. And there’s been times where I’ve been taken advantage of, and I know my teammates have had my back. I think that comes from just being a brotherhood in the locker room. It doesn’t matter how big the opponent is. If you show up to play and you strike out or whatever, at least you gave it your shot. I don’t think anyone faults anyone for those.”

That no-quit attitude and toughness helped Kolesar become not only a difference-maker but also a fan favorite during his time with the Golden Knights. Since 2019-20, Kolesar played 439 regular-season games and 77 postseason contests for them, even helping the club win the Stanley Cup in 2023.

"You play your entire career in one spot, it's very rare,” said Kolesar, who was originally selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third round (No. 69 overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. “It'll take some time to get over it because I've made so many great relationships in [Las Vegas]. It'll take some time to turn the page, but that's just the human side of it.”

One thing Kolesar won’t have to worry about as he settles in Michigan is adjusting to the Midwest’s chilly winters.

“The part-owner of Vegas was part of Canada Goose, so I’ve had quite a few jackets gifted to me over the years,” Kolesar said. “I actually kept them, thank God.”