In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus Podcast, the guys project launch full speed into mock offseason mode. Tony and Devin make their predictions for Detroit’s trades, buyouts, and signings. Adding scoring throughout the lineup, solidifying the defense, and making the team tougher to play against were the common themes. The fellas then shift gears to Roger McQueen for this week’s draft prospect profile. The Brandon Wheat Kings center entered the year as a likely top-5 pick, but suffered a back injury and watched his draft stock plummet. Could he be a fit in Detroit?

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus Podcast, the guys project new contracts for Detroit’s RFAs: Jonatan Berggren, Albert Johansson, and Elmer Soderblom. Plus, identifying what a new deal for Patrick Kane could look like. The fellas then pivot to Cole Reschny and his draft profile. The 5-foot-11 center posted 92 points in 62 games for the Victoria Royals of the WHL. Finally, the show wraps up with news and notes, including Detroit signing goalie Michal Postava, a new home for Dmitri Buchelnikov, and trade rumors involving Vladimir Tarasenko and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nic Hague.

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus Podcast, the guys recap the hockey hot stove now that we’ve reached the Stanley Cup Final, including Jason Robertson reportedly being on the trade block and what it would take to acquire him. Plus, additional trade targets and the impacts they could have in Detroit. The fellas then pivot to Victor Eklund and his draft profile. The Swedish winger could be available when the Red Wings pick at No. 13 this year. Finally, the show wraps up with news and notes about Dmitri Buchelnikov, Jesse Kiiskinen, and Jay Varady. 

Description: In this weeks episode the Hockeytown West Podcast joins The Flying Octopus and previews the Kelly Cup finals as the Toledo Walleye get set for Game 1 on Saturday. We also take a look back at the Grand Rapids Griffins' 2024-25 season and discuss what players took the next step in their development while predicting who makes a run at a roster spot in Detroit next season. All that and more on Episode 37 of The Flying Octopus Podcast. 

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus Podcast, the guys dive into the summer of Mitch Marner. Do the Red Wings have enough cap space to host their own Mitch-a-Palooza? Should they even pursue Marner? The fellas discuss the pros and cons there. Next, the guys offer up two bold moves that the Red Wings should make this offseason. Offense firepower, defensive stalwarts - you name it. And finally, the episode wraps up with an overview of 2025 draft eligible forward Justin Carbonneau of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. Could the QMJHL product be a fit for the Red Wings?

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus Podcast, the fellas dive into Detroit’s goaltending as the final installment of a four-part team review series. Cam Talbot, Alex Lyon, and Petr Mrazek combined to form a better goaltending core than what we’ve seen in years passed, but still left a bit to be desired. Now, Talbot and Mrazek look to hold down Detroit’s crease in 2025-26. The guys then pivot to Kashawn Aitcheson for this week’s draft prospect profile. The Barrie Colts blueliner racked up 26 goals this season and plays a physical game. Might he be Detroit’s pick at 13? And finally, the show wraps up with some news, including a post-mortem on the Grand Rapids Griffins, World Championships updates, and Ken Holland being named the general manager of the Los Angeles Kings, plus what that might mean for the Red Wings. Link for the article mentioned in the last segment: https://thehockeywriters.com/red-wings-kings-future-trade-partners/

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus Podcast, the fellas do a deep dive on Detroit’s special teams from the 2024-25 season as the third installment of a four-part team review series. The Red Wings had one of the hottest power plays in the league, but also THE coldest penalty kill. Next up are evaluations of Patrick Kane, Marco Kasper, and Vladimir Tarasenko. What does the future hold for these three? The guys then pivot to Carter Bear, one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2025 draft class. The Everett Silvertips forward finished the year with 50 goals and 82 points in 57 games, but also suffered a lacerated achilles. Will that allow him to fall to the Red Wings? And finally, the show wraps up with some news, including a farewell to Trevor Thompson and Mickey York, who were let go from FanDuel Sports, plus notes on Isaac Howard, the Utah Mammoth, and Nicklas Lidstrom.

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus Podcast, the guys do a deep dive on Detroit’s five-on-five defense from 2024-25 as the second part of a four-part team review series. The Red Wings ranked poorly relative to the league in defensive metrics, but improved year-over-year. Next up are evaluations of Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson, and Ben Chiarot as the defensive focus continues. What did these players do well? Where can they improve? Also, reactions to Steve Yzerman and Todd McLellan’s end-of-year press conference. Finally, the fellas highlight 2025 draft prospect Jackson Smith, a left defenseman from the Tri-City Americans of the WHL. As one of the top defensemen in the draft, Smith could be an excellent addition to Detroit’s prospect pipeline

 In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus Podcast, the fellas review Detroit’s five-on-five offense from the 2024-25 as part of a four-part team review series. The Red Wings ranked poorly relative to the league in offensive production, and the guys analyze why that was the case, plus what changed from a year ago. Next up are evaluations of Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, and Alex DeBrincat. What did these players do well? (A lot.) Where can they improve? Also, reactions to Larkin’s end-of-year press conference comments about Detroit’s lack of trade deadline additions and the impact on the locker room. Finally, the guys bring it home with the first 2025 draft prospect profile of the season, which featured Jake O’Brien, a high-scoring center from the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL.

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus Podcast, the guys discuss the final three Detroit Red Wings games of the 2024-25 season: a 6-4 win over the Dallas Stars, a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils, and a heartbreaking 4-3 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on the final day of the season. The conversation then turns to key takeaways from the 2024-25 season, including the youth movement, Detroit’s decision to hire Todd McLellan, and a few scoring milestones along the way. Finally, the fellas look ahead to the offseason - the first The Flying Octopus Podcast will cover as a team. Coming up, you can expect wall-to-wall coverage that includes player and team evaluations, draft targets and strategy (with boots on the ground at the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles), free agents, buyouts, trade candidates, and much more. Thank you for following along for the 2024-25 season - it’s been an honor to share Red Wings content with the greatest fans in the world. We’re already looking forward to what’s next.

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus Podcast, the guys discuss Detroit’s outings against Montreal and Florida that effectively ended their playoff hopes. The games also illuminated a season-long trend: Detroit’s inability to generate offense on a consistent basis. The fellas talk about the timing of the Red Wings’ offensive woes, offseason priorities, and the forwards heading into 2025-26. The discussion then turns to Detroit’s prospects and who might get a cameo in the remaining games. Sebastian Cossa? Nate Danielson? Amadeus Lombardi? Axel Sandin Pellikka or Michael Brandsegg-Nygard? Also updates on Dmitri Buchelnikov and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Isaac Howard, who, like Trey Augustine, will be returning to Michigan State for another crack at the title. Finally, the guys covered Alex Ovechkin’s goal-scoring record, his impact on the metro-Washington D.C. area, and his rockstar status. Oh, and some gentle parenting for Red Wings Social Media and the meltdowns there.

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus podcast, the guys discuss the Red Wings’ remaining schedule and what to watch for down the stretch, including the young core playing pivotal roles, an improved penalty kill, and more. The discussion then turns to the positives to take away from the 2024-25 season and why the Red Wings are in great shape heading into the offseason. Finally, the fellas discuss Trey Augustine’s decision to return to Michigan State for his junior campaign, plus what that means for the Red Wings and Grand Rapid Griffins next year.

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus podcast, the guys discuss the Red Wings’ three games this week – their 5-1 win over Utah, the 5-2 loss to Colorado, and Thursday’s 4-3 loss to Ottawa. It’s not all doom and gloom, though – there are plenty of positive and neutral takeaways from the latest loss and the season as a whole. Next, the fellas turn to the 2025 NHL Draft where the Red Wings are likely to pick in the 9-12 range. Could they land a Jackson Smith or Victor Eklund to bolster their prospect pool? How about Carter Bear, Jake O’Brien, or even Roger McQueen? And finally, the episode wraps up with a discussion about Jakob Chychrun’s 8-year, $9 million AAV contract with the Capitals, what it means for the Red Wings, and the new reality we’re living in when it comes to the NHL salary cap.

 In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus podcast, the guys discuss the current state of the Red Wings heading into a critical road trip. Detroit faces off against Vegas on Saturday, Utah on Monday, and Colorado on Tuesday before returning home to take on the Senators on Thursday. The discussion then turns to Detroit’s faltering offensive output and what the Red Wings can do to put more pucks in the net. The fellas also touch on playoff odds, Axel Sandin Pellikka, and the Avengers.

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus podcast, the guys discuss Tony and Devin’s experience at the Navy Federal NHL Stadium Series. Next up, the fellas recap Detroit’s 7-3 win vs. Buffalo, including the dominance of the DeBrincat-Kasper-Kane line, Marco Kasper’s emergence as a true 2C, and Petr Mrazek’s second debut in Detroit. The discussion then turns to Jonatan Berggren, who has been scratched the last two games - what is his future? Is it in Detroit? And finally, the focus turns to Red Wings prospect Anton Johansson, who signed an entry-level contract Thursday. What does his future hold? What can Grand Rapids Griffins fans expect from him down the stretch and beyond?

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus podcast, the guys revisit the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. Included are thoughts on the Red Wings trade with Chicago for Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith for Joe Veleno. We'll also discuss the biggest trades of the day and discuss what moves we were hoping to see Detroit make. Carter Mazur's debut did not go as planned and Devin breaks down what's next for one of the Red Wings top prospects. Plus we'll revisit the Jake Walman trade and try to analyze how the former Red Wing fetched a first round pick in a trade from San Jose to Edmonton.  All that and more coming up on Episode 25 of The Flying Octopus Podcast

Episode 24: The crew breaks down the Red Wings Blue Jackets game from Thursday night. Then they discuss the impact of Andrew Copp's injury and look at possible lineup changes. Where does Detroit go from here? Potential trade targets with some big names could be available. Will Yzerman bite? Plus we'll look ahead to Devin and Tony's trip to the Stadium Series on Saturday. 

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus Podcast, the guys recap the 4 Nations Face-Off, its impact on the popularity of hockey, and the critical roles Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond played for their respective countries. Next, the discussion turns to the Red Wings returning to action on Saturday vs. the Minnesota Wild. The fellas discuss Detroit’s playoff push, the trade deadline, and what the team needs to do to make the playoffs a reality. Plus, updates on Vladimir Tarasenko, trade targets, and more.  

In this week’s episode of The Flying Octopus Podcast, the fellas analyze Detroit’s successful four-game road trip and the impact it had on the Eastern Conference playoff race. After touching on how Elmer Soderblom, Albert Johansson, and Marco Kasper have adapted to the NHL pace of play, the guys transition to a deep dive on how Detroit’s roster is constructed and their confidence level in the player groups.  

The fellas took a different approach with this week’s episode – a full trade deadline preview from the perspective of Detroit’s front office. Tony and Devin play the roles of Steve Yzerman and Shawn Horcoff/Kris Draper, respectively, and examine the state of the Red Wings, Detroit’s playoff chances, team needs, pending free agents, and the salary cap. Then, the guys dissect trade proposals and their implications now and in the future.