3 Players Who Could Surprisingly Make the Red Wings’ Opening Night Roster

There has been a lot of drama surrounding the Detroit Red Wings this offseason, including the sudden news of Steve Yzerman stepping away from the role of General Manager, as well as the Dylan Larkin trade request, but they seem poised to try and make a push for a playoff spot this season.

They have lost Patrick Kane, who decided to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks, as well as Sebastian Cossa, who they decided to trade to the Utah Mammoth, but did add Viktor Arvidsson and Daniil Tarasov. With some changes, they hope they have done enough to sneak into the postseason.

However, they will have some players who are on the outside looking in who could crack their opening night roster, and in this article, we will take a look at three players who could surprisingly be on the Red Wings’ roster on opening night.

Carter Bear

The Red Wings drafted Carter Bear in the first round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft at 13th overall after a dominant showing in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Everett Silvertips, where he scored 40 goals and added 42 assists for 82 points through 56 games.

He returned to the Silvertips last season, where he scored 36 goals and added 41 assists for 77 points through 53 games. Bear also played two games at the U20 World Junior Championship representing Team Canada, but had no points.

His offensive dominance, combined with a strong showing at training camp, could give him a fair shot at making the Red Wings. Adding some youth to their middle-six forward group could be exactly what they need to take that next step and push for a playoff spot, and if Bear can translate his offensive game from the WHL to the NHL, that would be a huge help.

Shai Buium

Shai Buium, a 23-year-old defenseman, was drafted by the Red Wings in the second round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft at 36th overall, and over the last three seasons, he has played 104 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL, scoring five goals and adding 34 assists for 39 points.

His offensive output doesn’t jump off the page in any way, but his two-way game is solid and he could be someone that adds value on the Red Wings’ bottom pairing.

Buium’s game is well-rounded, and he has a strong mindset in the defensive zone. He would likely have to beat out Albert Johansson or Jacob Bernard-Docker for that final spot on the blue line, but a strong training camp would give him a good shot at earning some NHL games out of the gates heading into the 2026-27 season.

Trey Augustine

A new trend around the NHL is for teams to run with a three-goalie tandem, and if the Red Wings choose to do that, Trey Augustine could be the third goalie in the rotation.

In the NCAA with Michigan State University last season, Augustine played 34 games, posting a 2.11 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .929 save percentage (SV%). It may take him some time to get used to the NHL level, but giving him a few starts at the beginning of the season before sending him back to the AHL could be a good move for his development.

His ceiling is high, and within a few seasons, he could be their full-time starter. After trading Cossa, it’s clear that they believe in Augustine more, so giving him that nod would make sense.

Giving him the chance to see what the NHL level looks like before sending him down to the AHL to be their starter should be something the Red Wings consider, especially if Augustine has a strong training camp.

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