'My confidence has been growing': Finnie earning trust, showing talent with Red Wings

DETROIT -- Ranked second among all NHL rookies in scoring with eight points (four goals, four assists) in nine games as of Sunday morning, Emmitt Finnie has been one of the brightest spots for the Detroit Red Wings early in the 2025-26 season.

When asked how he would sum up his first few weeks of NHL action, Finnie, who just turned 20 this past June, said he’s simply doing what he can do to adapt and grow at the game’s highest level.

“I feel like it’s been going pretty well so far,” Finnie told DetroitRedWings.com following Sunday afternoon’s practice at Little Caesars Arena. “Obviously, it took some adjusting in the first couple of games, just to the League. The pace is also a lot different than the preseason, but I feel good.”

Whether it was at the 2025 NHL Prospect Games in Frisco, Texas, the start of the Red Wings’ Training Camp in Traverse City, Mich., or their eight-game NHL preseason slate, Finnie worked hard to soak in as much as he could from his more experienced teammates and members of the organization’s player development as well as coaching staffs.

But Finnie didn’t blend in during that early-fall stretch leading up to the League-wide 5 p.m. ET deadline on Oct. 6, when clubs had to submit their first active rosters of the campaign -- the former seventh-round pick (No. 201 overall) in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft proved he belonged.

Detroit head coach Todd McLellan acknowledged that Finnie’s impact so far this season has obviously been greater than he expected it to be.

“Our thoughts were fairly realistic,” McLellan said after Saturday night's 6-4 win over the St. Louis Blues at Little Caesars Arena. “We were going to play him, let’s see what ends up happening. We obviously believed in him. We certainly did, but he continues to just push the envelope. We can talk about his points, goals and all that stuff. The blocked shots [in Saturday’s game], the checking skills and abilities that he plays with – there’s nothing better that a player can have than to be trusted by the coaches and teammates. He has that right now.”

Also going into Sunday's NHL slate, Finnie was averaging 16:15 of ice time, trailing only Beckett Sennecke of the Anaheim Ducks (17:23) for the most among all rookie forwards. What’s more, his 25 hits were the third-most among all NHL first-year skaters, trailing only Chicago Blackhawks forward Colton Dach (37) and fellow Red Wings rookie Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (28).

“I feel like my confidence has been growing every time I step out on the ice, so it definitely plays a factor,” Finnie said. “I feel more comfortable out there.”

Having a linemate like captain Dylan Larkin has also helped Finnie grow as a skater and contribute to the team’s success on the scoresheet

“Larks is a great player,” Finnie said. “He makes lots of plays, so he’s a guy that’s easy to play with. I enjoy playing with him.”

In 2024-25, Finnie produced five points (one goal, four assists) in 10 regular-season games and appeared in three Calder Cup Playoff contests with the Grand Rapids Griffins after captaining the Western Hockey League’s Kamloops Blazers. As a member of the Blazers, Finnie led them in goals (37), assists (47) and points (84) in 55 games.

Personal development continued, Finnie said understanding just how big of a role mental readiness is in the NHL has been an eye-opening experience.

“Back in Juniors, I feel that you couldn’t, not take nights off, but take teams lighter,” he said. “You can’t do that here. Every team is dangerous. You have to bring your all every game, so that’s definitely been something I’ve had to adjust to.”