Michigan Professional Athletes

Three Wolverines alumni wrote the most compelling storylines of the NHL's opening week — and they couldn't be more different in tone.

Kyle Connor Is Rewriting the Jets Record Books

Through the first four games of the 2026-27 season, Kyle Connor has been the most dominant forward in the league. The Michigan alum racked up five goals and seven points, including a two-goal, one-assist performance in Winnipeg's 3-2 win over Detroit, making his franchise-history production look almost effortless. Connor's torrid pace, if sustained, would shatter his career-best 47-goal season from 2021-22 — and analysts are already placing him in rare NHL territory alongside Mark Scheifele. Former NHL executive Doug MacLean pointed to Connor's play as the engine driving a revamped Jets squad that, after just four games, already looks like a legitimate playoff contender. The only blemish: a five-goal loss to Anaheim on Saturday in which Connor's lone goal wasn't enough.

Larkin's Return Was the Most Dramatic Night of the Young Season

Nothing in the opening week matched the theatre of Dylan Larkin's season debut for Detroit. The former Red Wings captain had requested a trade over the summer, and when he took his first shift at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday night against Ottawa, the home crowd booed. Then he scored — and they cheered.

Larkin was named the game's first star in Detroit's 5-3 win over the Senators, silencing any doubt about whether the trade-request drama would derail him on the ice. Head coach Todd McLellan had confirmed the return, and Larkin delivered immediately, helping the Red Wings to their first win of the season. Sports Illustrated called it a sign that the Larkin saga "could finally be left in the past." It won't be entirely — Elliotte Friedman noted that a trade remains a live storyline throughout the season — but for one electric night in Detroit, Larkin reminded everyone exactly who he is.

The week ended on a quieter note: Larkin was held off the scoresheet in a 6-3 loss to Seattle on Friday.

Blankenburg Scores in Maple Leafs Debut

Nick Blankenburg wasted no time introducing himself to Toronto. The Michigan defenseman scored a goal in his Maple Leafs debut Saturday, finishing with a plus-1 rating in a convincing 6-3 win over Colorado — his former team. The Maple Leafs dressed seven defensemen for the occasion, and Blankenburg justified the roster decision with a performance that could solidify his spot in the lineup going forward.

Around the League

The week wasn't without controversy for Michigan alumni. Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar was suspended multiple games after receiving a five-minute major and game misconduct for an illegal check to the head of Islanders center Bo Horvat. The hit triggered an automatic Department of Player Safety hearing, and Nazar will miss time as a result.

Elsewhere, Quinn Hughes (Wild) and Luke Hughes (Devils) each picked up assists Saturday, with Luke's Devils handling Vancouver 4-1. Kent Johnson scored for Columbus in a loss to St. Louis, while Adam Fantilli added an assist in the same game. Zach Hyman remains sidelined with an upper-body injury in Edmonton, though he indicated early in the week that he was trending toward a return. Owen Power and Josh Norris both finished minus-1 in Buffalo's 4-1 loss to Utah.

Dylan Larkin's Detroit Nightmare Reaches a New Low

No Michigan alum — maybe no player in the entire league — is carrying more off-ice weight into the 2026-27 season than Dylan Larkin. The former Red Wings captain requested a trade in the offseason, was stripped of his captaincy, and then watched the drama compound further: Detroit placed him on injured reserve on Oct. 2 with an upper-body injury, just as trade talks intensified.

The optics have been brutal. When Larkin did appear in the season opener against the Rangers — a shutout loss — he was booed by his own crowd at Little Caesars Arena. Head coach Todd McClellan addressed it postgame, saying simply, "I feel bad for him." The organization wasn't spared either; critics called the team's handling of Larkin's situation "bush league," pointing to decisions made around his status and role heading into the opener.

Trade talks are very much alive. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman identified Florida as a team Larkin would accept a trade to, with the Panthers expressing mutual interest — though the return package remains a sticking point. A separate pitch has surfaced shipping Larkin to Boston for a Casey Mittelstadt-led haul. Rival GMs, however, have flagged complications in Detroit's ask, suggesting a resolution won't come quickly. Meanwhile, the Red Wings' offense in their opener offered an early warning: replacing Larkin's production won't be easy.

Kyle Connor Makes NHL History in Winnipeg

While Larkin's week was defined by turbulence, Kyle Connor's was defined by a milestone that belongs in the record books. In the Jets' season opener on Friday, Connor scored a power-play goal in the second period — assisted by Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Perfetti — extending his consecutive-game power-play goal streak to a mark no NHL player has ever reached. The Jets lost a heartbreaker despite the moment, but Connor's accomplishment stands on its own: an outright NHL record, extended to what one outlet called "absurd territory."

It's a remarkable individual achievement for the Ann Arbor product, who continues to be one of the most dangerous power-play weapons in the Western Conference.

Brock Faber Sidelined; Quinn Hughes Adds Intrigue in Minnesota

The Wild enter the new season with two Michigan alumni and two significant storylines. Wild GM Bill Guerin confirmed a "grim update" on defenseman Brock Faber, who has been ruled out as the team opens its campaign. Faber's injury is a genuine blow to Minnesota's blue line — he was already being counted on to anchor the defensive corps alongside offseason acquisition Quinn Hughes.

Hughes brings his own subplot. The Michigan-bred defenseman is in the final year of a contract that insiders widely consider one of the most team-friendly deals in the NHL. His long-term future in Minnesota is unresolved, but a massive payday is coming regardless of where he lands. For Wild fans, the combination of Faber's absence and Hughes' contractual uncertainty makes for an uneasy start to the season.

Around the Rest of the Wolverine Alumni Network

Matty Beniers turned in a goal and an assist as the Seattle Kraken routed the Calgary Flames 6-1 in a dominant opener. Zach Hyman is expected to miss approximately two weeks with an undisclosed injury for the Oilers — a minor but real dent in Edmonton's forward depth early in the season. And Andrew Cogliano, two years removed from his playing career, is quietly building a front-office future with the Avalanche, ascending the organizational ladder in Colorado.

Fantilli Gets Paid — Big

The biggest Michigan story of the preseason isn't close. Adam Fantilli ended his training camp holdout in dramatic fashion, signing a six-year, $82.5 million extension with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 21-year-old — a Hobey Baker winner at Michigan before going third overall in the 2023 NHL Draft — had missed the first week of camp as negotiations dragged on. The deal puts him among the highest-paid young centers in the league and signals Columbus is building its next chapter around him.

The extension didn't come without noise. During the standoff, The Hockey News floated the idea of a Detroit Red Wings offer sheet for Fantilli — a scenario that never materialized but underscored just how coveted he is league-wide. The Blue Jackets held firm, and now they have their franchise center locked up. Meanwhile, fellow Wolverine and Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski is generating his own front-office anxiety: insiders offered an unwelcome update on his extension talks, suggesting that situation remains unresolved heading into the season.

Larkin's Detroit Drama Continues

While Fantilli's situation got resolved, Dylan Larkin's remains a slow-burning saga. The Red Wings captain reportedly expanded his trade list during the preseason window, and Detroit entered a shortened training camp with his future still clouding everything. Sports Illustrated noted that the Red Wings can't afford to waste camp time — and yet the Larkin uncertainty is doing exactly that.

The good news: Larkin did take to the ice for a full practice with Detroit during the week, which SI framed as an important first step toward some kind of resolution. Whether that's a trade or a reset in the relationship remains unclear. Trade odds have the usual suspects — Edmonton among them — generating blockbuster pitch traffic. One proposal circulating had Larkin heading to the Oilers for a Matthew Savoie-led package. Nothing has moved past speculation, but the clock on camp isn't stopping.

Hughes Arrives in Minnesota — Without a Deal

Quinn Hughes made the offseason leap from Vancouver to Minnesota, but Wild fans have a reason for nerves: he's heading into a contract year without an extension in place. The expectation had been that a deal would get done before camp; it hasn't. An analyst broke down the real reasons behind Hughes's departure from the Canucks, and now the pressure shifts to Minnesota to lock up one of the premier offensive defensemen in the league before he hits the open market. For a franchise banking on this being a competitive window, leaving Hughes unsigned is a high-wire act.

Brindley Fighting for His Spot in Colorado

Gavin Brindley isn't taking anything for granted. The Michigan product surprisingly cracked Colorado's opening-night roster last season, and he's reportedly making his case again early in camp. Sports Illustrated noted that Brindley is working hard to show the Avalanche he belongs — no small task on a team with serious forward depth. His situation is one of the more compelling bubble battles in the Western Conference.

Elsewhere in the Wolverine NHL World

Nick Blankenburg quietly had a strong preseason week. The Michigan defenseman, skating on a professional tryout with Toronto, impressed the Maple Leafs enough that the organization is expected to sign him to a contract, per The Athletic's Jonas Siegel. Toronto waived forward Steven Lorentz to create the necessary roster flexibility. And in Seattle, Matty Beniers posted two assists in a 4-3 preseason win over Calgary — a reminder that the Kraken center is ready to build on a promising trajectory of his own.

Two of Michigan's most prominent NHL alumni are headlining the league's ugliest training camp storylines — and neither situation shows signs of a clean resolution.

Larkin's Detroit Drama Reaches a Breaking Point

Dylan Larkin arrived at Red Wings camp this week not as captain, not as a centerpiece, and barely as a participant. Detroit stripped the Ann Arbor native of his captaincy after he formally requested a trade this offseason, and an upper-body injury kept him off the ice when camp opened, compounding the franchise's misery.

When Larkin finally broke his silence in front of reporters, he gave them almost nothing. He confirmed the trade request is personal, declined to explain his reasons, and wouldn't say definitively whether he still wants out. The Hockey News called it a "vague media appearance" that left fans more frustrated than informed. Bleacher Report noted he "declined to explain the reasons behind his trade request" entirely.

The organizational chaos surrounding him isn't helping. Interim GM Shawn Horcoff addressed a rumored trade list at a press conference but offered little clarity, while owner Chris Ilitch sent a public message that Detroit won't rush any deal. That posture may be backfiring — Heavy Sports reported that the Minnesota Wild, where former Wolverine Quinn Hughes landed after Vancouver's teardown, may have emerged as Larkin's only realistic destination after his leverage evaporated. The Canadiens are also in the mix, with trade pitches circulating involving Kirby Dach.

Meanwhile, teammates are doing their best to compartmentalize. Alex DeBrincat told The Hockey News he believes the Red Wings are "closer than people give us credit for," a line that reads more like organizational PR than genuine optimism given the circumstances. Veteran defenseman Ben Chiarot also spoke at camp, trying to project stability amid the noise.

Larkin, 29, is in the fourth year of his deal and stuck in Detroit until a trade materializes — which, per the owner's comments, won't happen on anyone's timeline but the organization's.

Fantilli's Columbus Standoff Turns Ugly

Across Ohio, fellow Wolverine Adam Fantilli is locked in his own standoff. The Blue Jackets and their young star center have been unable to agree on a new contract, and The Hockey News didn't mince words: "The Jackets are playing with fire." Columbus made minimal additions this offseason, and the franchise's inability to sign its most important young player has fans rightfully alarmed.

Heavy Sports reported Fantilli could miss some or all of training camp as the stalemate drags on — a damaging outcome for a Blue Jackets team that desperately needs continuity and development momentum. The situation has also spilled over into broader organizational anxiety: Kirill Marchenko's agent made comments that stirred additional trade rumors, and Heavy Sports noted the Blue Jackets have major concerns extending well beyond Fantilli's contract.

For Fantilli, a 2023 third-overall pick, the timing is critical. These are the developmental seasons that define a career trajectory. Sitting out camp isn't just a negotiating tactic — it's lost reps.

Fellow Wolverine Zach Werenski adds another layer to the Columbus picture. Heavy Sports floated him as the logical next captain for Columbus — with caveats — as the organization navigates an increasingly complicated offseason.

The Bigger Picture

Two elite Michigan products, two franchises in various states of dysfunction. Larkin's saga is the louder one, but Fantilli's contract fight may carry longer-term consequences. For Wolverines fans, it's a week to monitor both situations closely — and hope cooler heads prevail before the regular season makes these disputes irreversible.