In Red Wings Land

Roster decisions at forward loom for Red Wings as preseason concludes – MLive

If everyone (except Vrana) is healthy, this is what the Red Wings’ lineup might look like for the season-opener:

Forward lines:

Bertuzzi-Larkin-Zadina
Fabbri-Suter-Ryan
Erne-Rasmussen-Namestnikov
Smith-Stephens-Gagner
Rowney (extra)

That’s Khan’s take.  I don’t like it but I’m not going to say he’s out in left field on this one.  The waiver-exemptions of the two biggest names missing from this list loom large.  Here’s what he said about Raymond:

Chances are, he’ll start the season in Grand Rapids, logging a lot of ice time in all situations and continuing his development before being recalled at some point this season

Around the League

Aleksander Barkov signs 8-year contract extension with Panthers – LBC

Barkov gets a full No Move Clause for the first six years of the deal. The final two seasons of the contract carry a Modified No-Trade Clause. $72 million of the contract will be paid as salary bonus.

That’s 72 of the total 80 million dollars he’ll be paid coming in lump sums on the first day of each season.  That’s a ton of buyout protection.  If the Panthers are trash at the end of this deal and Barkov needs to be moved (and he’s willing to do so), that also helps a cap floor team take on his huge hit without having to give him too much actual money.

NHL power rankings: Lightning tops preseason edition, and Kraken sits in middle of pack – Seattle Times

29. Detroit Red Wings

Is it a true hockey season in the 2010s-20s without the Red Wings being projected to be bad? Player to watch: Dylan Larkin.

Eh that doesn’t offend me.