OverDrive - Dreger on the Red Wings' franchise problems, McKenna's handling and Barkov's injury impact

Episode Date: October 6, 2026

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger joined OverDrive to discuss Dylan Larkin making his season debut with the Red Wings, Detroit's tumultnuous franchise, the future of Simon Edvinsson, Gavin McKenna's handling by the team and his start to the season, Linus Ullmark's injury for the Senators, Aleksander Barkov's next steps and more.

Sounds like Dylan Larkin may make his debut for Detroit at home tonight. Darren Dreger in the studio. Well, let me ask you guys, doesn't it almost seem like it's going to get worse with him on the ice? Well, it won't get better, especially the way that team is structured, unless, you know, he has a big start, which I guess is possibly he's a good hockey player. But otherwise, they're going to be relentlessly. And as it was unfolding on Friday when the booing was raining down, you know, not to go after an organization, But shouldn't you have predicted or expected that that was coming? Of course.

So, you know, to have Larkin out there, I don't know. That's probably a full paw. What do you do? Well, he doesn't come out. But do you announce him? Well, you could announce him. I mean, he's still part of the team. Oh, you just don't have to do anything.

You're just. Yeah. But, Dregs, I wanted to ask you, there was talk before Sidney Crosby got to Pittsburgh, that that Pittsburgh franchise was in big time trouble. Like, how bad could this get? Because there was pictures of the crowd, and it was a joke. So, a fan base that's starving to make the playoffs, and it seems like they hate their owner because they got the, you know, that's scoop that they think that he's behind a lot of this

nonsense. And they're not showing up. Like, how bad could this go? Well, when you're chanting, sell the team. That is awful. That's pretty tough. And, you know, for some of the historic former Detroit Red Wings, that was a lot of. was a tough experience for them, whether they were in the building or not in the building,

because it's not just about Chris Illich, who was the son. Like Marion Illich, you know, I don't know that she was at the game, but imagine, you know, here's an iconic person and family who have brought great things to the city of Detroit, historically speaking, right? An iconic franchise. And whether she's watching on TV or maybe she was in the building, I don't know. you know, she's listening now to a fan base, finally turn and go sell the team. So it's bad.

It's bad. But now in defense of the fan base here, long and coming too, right? 11 years without making the playoffs. What do you want fans to do? Wasn't it 21 years straight or something? More than that, I think. Yeah. You know, a new building, lots of reason to be an entertained Detroit Red Wings fan and a loyal fan,

except the team isn't any good. Yeah, and I don't, with or without Larkin, they're still not very good. Yeah. Like they, why would they be competitive this year? Yeah, and it's a curious approach. You know, so the primary pieces are, okay, the future of Dillian Larkin. I don't think Dillan Larkin is finishing the year in Detroit. That's not a news flash.

That's expected. And then you've got Simon Edvinson. Where do you go out and find a six-foot-six D-Man, who's a pretty good D-Man? 23 years of age. The plattful thing about it is some of the trades last year of whether it be Quincy Hughes coming up. They're like, they're not moving off of Edmondson. And then you don't sign the guy?

Like, give me a break. But that's the part that I think people are struggling with. Not that they didn't sign him because they haven't yet. But you've got to make a decision. I feel like that's what Sean Horcuff now is finally able to do. So, you know, he's continuing to have his conversations

with the agent JP Barry, right? They're not close on anything by way of contract for Edmondson. But in the meantime, Horkoff is talking to teams who are exploring trade interests as they should be in Edvenson. So at some point, what's a cutoff? December 1st where he's got to have a contract. Okay, well, there's your deadline, right? Horkoff's under the clock, under the gun until December 1st.

Are you signing this guy to the contract that he's demanding? Or is there a trade package whereby you move out Edmondson for what will be a decent, or should be a really good return, and potentially larking, and guess what you're doing again in Detroit? Yeah, you're starting. But as the Evansons, like, has his, like, he must look at the Luneo deal. I don't know what kind of number of money this kid's looking for. Yeah.

But it's like the price of doing business has gone way up since the whole mess is started. So he must be saying, you know what? Now the number's this. Yeah. Yeah. And then I don't know what that does to the negotiation, but he's got to be sitting there saying, I'm not even talking about those numbers we were discussing before.

Now what's this? Yeah. And again, every owner is involved. Majority of owners are involved when it comes to spending their money, right? And the term and the annual average obviously have to make sense to them. I think if they put something in the way of a five-year deal on the table, whatever that value is, you know, you can make the comparisons to some of the other young demon and what they've been signed of late.

He deserves to get paid. He deserves to get paid. So they're not there yet. they're not close. No, they're not. Darren Dregger in studio. I saw your own with Gino earlier, early trading, and the headline is,

how the lease are handling McKenna. What do we mean by that, Greg? That's a loaded headline. What can you tell us about how they're handling McKenna? To me, it should be, it's a positive headline, right? And, I mean, Tornis is there all the time, and I don't,

I'm not part of the assembled gaggle of media that's there in those scrums. and whatnot, but it felt like, at least from a somewhat social media perspective, that there was starting to be a little bit of negative twist directed at Gavin McKenna because he's opting out of optional skates and things like that. Well, it's not really true, right? I mean, you're lucky at an 18-year-old kid who has lost weight through this process. Like, he is a slightly built young man.

What do you mean by that? Like since the games, like the season started? Well, I don't know about season, but I think through camp, I think I read somewhere he's down like six or seven pounds, which on that frame is saying something. So guess what happens? You know, and I'm not saying it's directly related to that, but rest and recovery matters to everybody.

It doesn't matter if Sergey Barbowski at the tail end of his career or an 18-year-old kid. So the sports science people get involved, and they consult with the coaching staff, and then they decide, okay, well, it's a good day, where Gavin McKenna to take an option, and the option is not to skate versus a playing option where I... Well, you're shaking your head, Joe.

He's not buying it? It was the first game of the season. He's in a ignorant, man. He shakes his head at all the stuff we say. But by doing that, you're saying that Gavin McKenna should stand up to all the coaching and the sports science people, the Toronto Maple Leaf say, I don't give a rat, you know what you're telling me.

I don't need rest and recovery. I need to be on the ice. As far as I know, there's like an unwritten rule when you're young the league, you don't get an option. And that was like the first, I don't know. Like, I kind of got that one. That one doesn't look great. Like, that, to me, feels like a bit of a so unforced error.

Like, you just don't, like, just go out for 10 minutes and come back. And I, like, if I'm Easton Cowan, I'm like, I have to go out. Why doesn't he have to go out? Like, what's the difference? Well, yeah, I would lean on the veterans. Someone probably should have. Should have said to him. Or Morris or Matthews.

Go out. But do we think he had a choice? That's what I'm saying. Clearly, the least support him. The bottom line is, and Paul Coffey used to say this all the time. We make these big deals about, we're talking about 15 minutes during a game. 15 minutes during a game. Go out for a 10-minute little buzz around the ice and then go lift some weights.

You could have done both. Everything is so over kind of analyzed and it's like it's crazy. And the flip side of the coin is if he had seven points in three games, no one would care about anything he's doing. The fact is the line has struggled. He's pointless. And that's what's adding to it. And he's the first overall pick.

Yeah. Like that's another difference. And he's 18. He's the lightest forward in the NHH. Yeah, exactly. Like he's, you know, it's been a challenge for him. It doesn't change the projection of his career. What's happened in the first three games.

Guy's going to be a great player. He's going to put up great numbers. And you're looking around the league too, right? The comparisons are going to come. And it's not just point related. You're going to look at style of play, all of those. things. But the one thing we know about Gavin McKenna, and you can look back to his entry days playing Madison at in the Western Hockey League, certainly Penn State. A year ago,

his first 10 games, we're looking at this kid going, I don't think he's going first picked overall. Like he's been one of those players so out his young career, not the NHL level, but where he's been a slow starter. So I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, even with the optional skates. Yep. I think he was out there twirling around today. Just for you, Joe. I think it's enough now. Like, we don't need to focus on it every single day. It was notable over the first game, for sure.

It's enough. We don't need to document it every single day. Totally. Come on. Yeah, exactly. We don't need the live shots and the live updates. So, anyway, you know, leaves Preds tonight. Yeah.

And Stollars starting tonight. I guess Hiller said, I think he indicated that this was the preseason plan. I think so. It was going to be what they were going to split the back-to-back, Bob on Saturday, solar's tonight. What is your understanding of the plan for these two? Let's presume health, which is impossible to do and unlikely to happen. But let's presume they're both healthy all year.

How do you project the starts are going to go down? Go ahead. Before you start, Darren, these two both were afraid to admit that this combination is a tandem. He thinks they're already a tandem. I mean, literally they are a tandem, right there too. Yeah, but you're saying it's a wall. Solar. This guy right here.

No, no, he was almost offended when I said. Yeah, it's like if Tony Stolars keeps playing good. They told us by what they did in the summer. They gave him a three-year contract at 7 mil per year. He's not the backup. Yeah, they got rid of the old. He was the backup. He's not 1B.

If Stolars can kind of keep playing good, it's like, no chance. 40, 40, like just give me. But I don't understand the issue here. You're offended that. No, this guy, at 38 years old, he's like, Boboski's the starter and the other guy's the backup. He is.

Okay, but as long as Stolaris can provide you great goaltending, it just buys your time. You don't have to wear down Bob. I'm 100% with O-W on this. Why are you getting caught up in the label of tandem or backup? Why does it do? I'm not. He is. Like, no, but that's what the scribes do.

They get caught up in these titles. Do you think that Bob is going to get 57 to 60 starts? No chance. Do you think Stoller is getting 40? Well, maybe, but what if they're closer to 40? See, his argument is Stolars can. can only play 30 max, and he said anything over that, historically, that is factual.

Jonas is right, though. If you think Stoloz is starting 42 games this year, I think you're crazy. You're crazy. It has never happened. But if he did, and he's healthy enough to do that, I'd be okay with that. That'd be fine. Your goal tend to be rock solid, and you'd have a legit.

But it's the chicken or the egg. You start playing him more, and he's likelyer to get hurt. Right. And also, as you guys know, because you're, playing this up. There is, there are goalies in the league and Bob has been one of them for 15 years that are true number ones. Like Schisturkin has a backup. It's not a tandem, right? Hallibuck when he's playing has a backup. It's not a tandem. It's been the same thing for Bob. I think in a perfect world, Bob is a true define number one. That's because he's playing so well. Yeah. I think they'd love

to give him 55 starts if he's got a 915 say percentage, but I don't think they believe they can have both. And I think that's what you're driving at, Joan. Correct. I think the bottom line is I think you can get the boast of the most out of the goaltending situation if it's 1A and 1B, and they're both kind of going back and forth, and they're playing fantastic. You agree, you just don't think it's realistic. You don't think it's possible. He acts like he is Bobrovsky. He's offended. Because you're calling it one, I mean, call whatever you want. He's one, he's two.

One, one, A. Whatever it is, whatever guy goes in the net, they got to provide good goaltending. End of story. That's right. Darren Dregor in studio. So on some injury notes for Canadian teams, Lena Solmark, he left the game last night. Is he going to be okay?

Well, they described it as precautionary. This morning I followed up, and I was told it's very, very minor. They had Sam Erison getting the start anyway in Detroit against the Red Wing, so it was just easier to make sure that he has a little bit extra time. But, you know, we play this game on an annual basis, whether it's in Ottawa,

with Lena Solmirk specifically, or we certainly have done that here in Toronto with injury scenarios. Austin Matthews comes to mind where it's not serious, it's minor until you're talking about it two weeks later and it's maybe a bit more of an issue. And Mike Babcock used to have the day-to-day meant seven to ten days. Yeah. But he still does.

He still uses that line. I mean, Jake Sanderson's an example too, right? He's all right, he's all right. Then he played and he couldn't get through his first game and now he's out. A couple games, yeah. at least a couple games, and Demidov's out two to four weeks as well? He has something nagging. Like, I don't believe it was anything that happened in-game,

something that he's been playing through, and they just decided, look, let's not fool around with this. Let's just shut him down for a couple, maybe four weeks, maybe four weeks. Well, they have their home opener tonight. Like, Bell Center, I'll be rocking tonight. And then Barkov, you were tweeting out earlier that they actually going to be, like, four to six weeks, maybe? Dodged the bullet there, in my opinion.

Yeah, oh, big time. The way it looked when he left the sheet the other day, I mean, just by his obvious reaction, you thought, oh. Throwing the gloves would look like game over. It looked like, okay, my season is in question here. So, yeah, four to six weeks, and just as important in that timeline is its rehab. It's non-surgical. So, you know, he's a strong guy.

He's very focused. And otherwise, the Florida Panthers are pretty healthy. And I think that Paul Maurice made that distinction, too. You know, when it happened a year ago, when he missed the season, it was way more catastrophic because of not only Barkoff, they just had a slew, a lengthy list of guys that weren't available. So knock on wood, if you're a Florida fan, that they stay together. Yeah, they're in L.A., I think, tonight wrapping up the California trip.

And, like, Brady's not off to the greatest start statistically. Anyway, Brady Kach. Yeah. He's not in Ottawa anymore, so I'm sure it's not a huge story down there. Yeah, the eye test, like, you're not noticing. It's kind of a blending in early, very early. And again, that's going to be tough for him because he's walking into a built house, right?

Like that team's won cups, not his team. Like, that's got to be, that's challenging for a lot of sense. You know what the best guy he should lean on is Brad Marchand. Exactly. How did you get here and how did you kind of, you know, weave your way in and be the impact player? And I understand where you're slotted in the lineup is a factor in that. He just went on that third line with those two young kids. and it was dynamite.

But there's the guy you should lean on. And Paul Maurice would say that the expectation of Brady isn't the same that it was in Ottawa, right? Now, that's a bit of an excuse built in early in the season. I mean, what are you expecting Brady-Cuchuk to be? You know, you're expecting to be the physical force that he can be. All right, maybe he doesn't have to score every night, but he does have to contribute offensively.

You know, we made a big deal in our preseason show about how the Ottawa senators replace the offense of Brady-Kichuk. and through a couple of games, it looks like they're doing that by committee, but that offense has to present in Florida for that to be a success. I'll tell you what, two periods I watched last night of the Ottawa Senators is the best two periods I watched of any team played this year. It's another big win.

Like they look fast, like they were cooking, and that's, I'm not trying to overball it, but that was the best two periods of any team that I've watched this year. Other than Colorado maybe pumping a couple of teams. And then you watch Philadelphia. Oh, trouble. They're getting rocked. Like the shot, the scrap and see is absolutely crazy. Oh.

All right, Treggs, catch on a panel tonight. Okay, guys. There's Darren Treggar, TSN Hockey Insider. You've heard the chaos. Now you can see it. Hello. My gosh. Watch all your favorite podcasts from start to finish,

right inside the free IHR radio app. Gets the blood going up. Catch every laugh and eye roll on shows like the Tom Green Farmcast and park the bus. Now with full video. We're building a ramp for Tony Hawk. It's the same hosts and the same chemistry. with all the hilarious moments you've been missing right on your screen.

Cheers. Open the free IHRRadio app. Search video podcasts and tap watch.