PREVIEW: Red Wings conclude season-opening, four-game homestand on Friday versus Kraken

DETROIT – Going for a split of their 2026-27 season-opening, four-game homestand, the Detroit Red Wings will host the Seattle Kraken at Little Caesars Arena on Friday night.

“We just got to keep going the way we’ve been the last couple of games,” William Wallinder said. “We’ve been pretty solid defensively, so we just got to keep that going and get some offense going.”

Puck drop between the Red Wings (1-2-0; 2 points) and Kraken (2-2-0; 4 points) is set for 7 p.m. ET, with broadcast coverage on Detroit SportsNet and the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket in Detroit). They’re set to meet again at Climate Pledge Arena on Oct. 20, which will also kick off Detroit’s annual road trek through Western Canada.

Detroit topped the Ottawa Senators, 5-3, on Tuesday night for its first win of the campaign. Alex DeBrincat led the offense with two goals and an assist, while Dylan Larkin, Viktor Arvidsson and Justin Faulk each found the back of the net.

“It was huge for the team,” Wallinder said of Tuesday’s game, which marked his NHL debut. “Coming off two straight losses after the home opener, I think it was really big for the team to get a win… Hopefully, we can get another one tonight.”

At 24, Wallinder is the third-youngest player on the Red Wings’ blue line, a group with just two players -- Ben Chiarot (35) and Justin Faulk (34) – older than 30. The number of blueliners and the mix of youth and experience has made for a unique rotation but largely encouraging results, according to head coach Todd McLellan.

“Our back end is an interesting mix right now – younger and older paired up that way,” McLellan said. “Not easy playing seven a night. Your rhythm as a player and your partner continuity gets messed up a little bit. Sometimes, you got two lefties out or two righties just to try to find them ice time.  So, it’s been a tougher task for them. The older players should be able to handle it. We’re always keeping an eye on the younger ones, but they’ve done well.”

McLellan added that he sees the blueliners improving together and adjusting as they go.

“When you look at our 5-on-5, stuff we’ve given up against, we’ve given up chances,” McLellan said. “We haven’t given up a lot of goals. And then penalty kill, for some of the newer players, is ever evolving. It is with some of our older players too, but it’s ever evolving and they’re starting to pick things up a little bit.”

Winless in regulation at Little Caesars Arena, the Kraken begin a five-game road trip in Detroit after a 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. They’re led by head coach Lane Lambert, a close friend of McLellan.

“Trent Yawney and I both played with Lane too in Saskatoon with the Blades,” McLellan said. “Actually, I probably didn’t play with him. I just felt like I played with him - I was always on the ice with him. He got drafted, came to Detroit, made the team and probably opened up a door for me to make the Blades. The three of us have had a long relationship. Picked his brain on hockey for years.”

Through four games this season, Seattle has four forwards – Jared McCann (one goal, four assists), Jordan Eberle (two goals, two assists), Chandler Stephenson (one goal, three assists) – averaging at least a point-per-game.

“I think they had six (goals) against Calgary twice, so those were big wins for them,” McLellan said. “They have a group of D-men that get activated pretty good…and those guys can really jump up and skate. So, we’re going to have to be aware of the second wave. They do a lot of low-to-high, feeder-type shots toward the net, so then there’s chaos there. We’ll have to be good coming back into our end. We’ll have to be good in our zone and good around our net.”