The youth movement arrived in Detroit prior to the 2025-26 season, when it was announced that three players, Emmitt Finnie, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård would be on the team’s opening night roster to make their National Hockey League debuts.
The latter was optioned to Grand Rapids to continue on the development path the Red Wings’ management hoped to see from the Norwegian-born forward, after appearing in the team’s first nine games and picking up his first career NHL point with an assist in a 7-2 loss on Oct. 23, against the New York Islanders.
Finnie and Sandin-Pellikka have remained with the team through the opening 30 games, providing strong play and giving the team an influx of youth to supplement the veteran core the Red Wings have built over the past few years.