First Place Feels Good, Doesn’t It?
There was so much happening in Michigan sports last night that something had to get bumped to the morning watch slot. So I woke up early, poured a fresh cup of Tim Horton’s, and queued up the entire Wings game — and I’m glad I did. After a frustrating stretch earlier last week, the Red Wings now find themselves in unfamiliar — and very welcome — territory.
Take a second and soak this in, Hockeytown: for the first time since the 2011–12 season, the Detroit Red Wings have stacked 12 wins in their first 20 games. After grinding out a 4–2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night at Little Caesars Arena, Detroit sits alone atop the Atlantic Division at 12–7–1 and riding a four-game point streak.
It wasn’t the prettiest game — the coaching staff said as much — but it was a character win from a team trying to reestablish itself among the league’s best. A night of breakthroughs, milestones, and a crystal-clear look at a future that’s arriving faster than anyone expected.
📊 Stat Capsule: Red Wings 4, Kraken 2
Team Record: 12–7–1 (1st in Atlantic Division)
Point Streak: 4 straight games
Scoring Summary:
- Lucas Raymond — 1 goal, 1 assist
- Nate Danielson — 1 goal (first NHL goal), 1 assist
- Emmitt Finnie — 1 goal (GWG)
- Dylan Larkin — 1 empty-net goal (600th career point)
Goaltending:
- Cam Talbot — 20 saves, steady throughout
Rookie Impact:
- Danielson & Sandin-Pellikka combine on Danielson’s first NHL goal
- Danielson assists on Finnie’s GWG
- Rookies account for 4 points
Hot Hands:
- Raymond: 4 straight multipoint games, 10 points in last 5
Next Up:
vs. Islanders — November 20
A “Tough” But Telling Victory
Todd McLellan didn’t sugarcoat it afterward. He called it a “tough game to play,” pointing to the lack of flow and rhythm. “It felt like the first team to score three goals was going to win, because there wasn’t much offense,” he said. And he wasn’t wrong — this was trench hockey.
Seattle struck first late in the opening period on a Jordan Eberle power-play goal. But Detroit didn’t blink. Cam Talbot gave his group exactly what they needed: 20 steady saves, controlled rebounds, and a calm presence that let the skaters find their footing.
The Future Is Now: Rookies Take Over the Second Period
If you’re still looking for evidence that the Yzerplan is taking shape, the second period was your billboard.
Just over a minute into the frame, Lucas Raymond tied the game with a slick finish. Less than 60 seconds later, the moment fans have been waiting for arrived:
Nate Danielson scored his first NHL goal, a gritty bounce off a point shot by fellow rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Not a highlight-reel blast, but a goal that mattered and a confidence jolt that could shape his season.
Seattle tied it again — but the kids weren’t done. On a power play later in the period, Danielson added his second career point, feeding Emmitt Finnie, who buried the go-ahead — and ultimately game-winning — goal. Detroit’s rookies combined for four points in the second period alone, and every one of them felt like a glimpse of what’s coming.
Milestone Moment for the Captain
While the rookies grabbed the spotlight, the captain handled the closing act.
With time winding down, Dylan Larkin, the heartbeat of this team, iced the game with an empty-netter — the 600th point of his NHL career. That puts him at 254 goals and 346 assists in 754 games. For a hometown kid who’s ridden every high and low of this rebuild, hitting a milestone like that while sitting in first place feels like pure storybook symmetry.
The Raymond Train Keeps Rolling
Lucas Raymond has officially caught fire. With a goal and an assist in this one, he’s now posted:
- 4 straight multipoint games
- 2 goals and 8 assists in his last 5
He isn’t just a contributor right now — he’s driving this offense. Every. Single. Night.
On the Horizon: Islanders and Trade Winds
Detroit continues its homestand Thursday, November 20, against the New York Islanders — a team known for its tight structure and ability to turn games into grind-fests.
But the buzz isn’t limited to the ice. The internet loves to stoke the fires of in-season trade rumors — and there’s at least some smoke behind a few of them. With Patrick Kane on a one-year deal and his future in Detroit uncertain beyond this season, some analysts have floated Jordan Kyrou as a possible long-term replacement if Kane were to move on.
One source making the rounds — including Red Wing Insider referencing Bleacher Nation and The Athletic — notes that the Blues have fielded calls on Kyrou ever since his surprising healthy scratch on November 6. His contract is big ($8.13M through 2030-31), but Detroit is one of the few teams with the cap space to absorb it.
Nothing is imminent, nothing concrete, and Kane is fully healthy and playing well — but the idea of Kyrou in Detroit has gained some traction among insiders and fans. It’s the type of discussion that naturally pops up when a team starts to look ahead of schedule and has both cap flexibility and assets to work with.
First place next to “Detroit Red Wings” in the standings. Feels good, doesn’t it? Who knows how long it lasts, but right now this team has earned every bit of it — and tonight, Hockeytown should enjoy the view from the top.
What impressed you most about this performance against the Kraken— the youngsters teaming up, Larking with his 600th point, or moving into first place in the Atlantic? Drop a comment below, or join the conversation in the Red Wings Wheelhouse — where fans break down every game, every angle.
Info gathered from team reports, pressers & trusted media outlets — the way we always do it at Mitten Sports Talk.
