Red Wings Face Major Decisions With 9 Players Entering Contract Years

The Detroit Tigers have nine players on their current NHL roster who are entering the final year of their contracts.

Detroit Red Wings Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are plenty of questions surrounding the Detroit Red Wings coming into the 2026-27 season. The future of the franchise is in question, along with one of its stars. But there are more.

Some of the biggest questions revolve around players who are already on the roster. Nine of them, actually.

Detroit has nine NHL-roster players who are entering the final year of their contracts. Seven of those will become unrestricted free agents next summer: Alex DeBrincat, Andrew Copp, Mason Appleton, Just Faulk, Jacob Bryson, John Gibson, and Daniil Tarasov. Marco Kasper and Albert Johansson are scheduled to become restricted free agents.

Alex DeBrincat Headlines Red Wings’ Decisions

Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex DeBrincat Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The biggest stakes for the Red Wings lie with Alex DeBrincat. He is 28 years old now and entering the final season of his four-year contract. He carries a $7.875 million cap hit and will be eligible to be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

The Red Wings have to figure out where DeBrincat belongs in their long-term core and then make a move.

DeBrincat’s age won’t be a factor like it may be in some of the other pending free agents. He has established himself as an important offensive player for Detroit, and he is in his prime.

The Red Wings can’t afford to let DeBrincat actually reach unrestricted free agency. If they do, it will be a significant risk that they will lose him in the free market. If Detroit decides not to extend him, he will be an important trade piece for the organization.

Gibson, Faulk and Copp Also Face Uncertain Futures

Detroit Red Wings goalie John Gibson Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One situation that will be worth watching is John Gibson. The 33-year-old goaltender has a $6.4 million salary cap hit. He is another one who can be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Detroit acquired Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks in 2025. His upcoming season could go a long way toward determining where he fits into the Red Wings’ future.

Justin Faulk will be another interesting decision.

Detroit paid a significant price to acquire him at the 2026 trade deadline. The team sent Justin Holl, Dmitri Buchelnikov, and two draft picks, including a first-round selection, to St. Louis.

Faulk is entering the final season of his seven-year contract with a $6.5 million cap hit. He will be 35 and, at the end of the season, will be eligible to be an unrestricted free agent.

Andrew Copp is in the same situation. He is 32 and carries a $5.625 million cap hit in his final season of a five-year deal.

For these veterans, their performance in the coming season could determine whether or not Detroit keeps them, moves them before the deadline, or simply just allows their contracts to expire.

Younger Red Wings Face Different Decisions

Detroit Red Wings center Marco Kasper Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kasper and Johansson won’t be walking away next summer. They are scheduled to become restricted free agents, which means Detroit will have more control over their futures.

One thing remains true, though: their performances will determine what their next contracts look like. It might also determine whether the Red Wings find a future spot for them.

Kasper dealt with a knee issue last year that could have explained the drop in his production from 2024-25 to last season. He went from 37 points to 19. Everyone will be watching how he performs this year.

Appleton, Bryson, and Tarasov finish out the list of Detroit’s NHL players who are entering the final year of their contracts. Looking over the list, the Red Wings have decisions to be made all throughout the roster.

Puckpedia is showing only 13 players who will be under contract for 2027-28. It also projects $63 million in cap space. Of course, as players are signed, those numbers will change, but it clearly shows how unsettled this team is and how much things can change in the coming season.

The Red Wings aren’t under any pressure to make immediate decisions, even with the controversy surrounding the star, Dylan Larkin. As everyone knows, he has requested a trade, but in all honesty, it doesn’t mean the team has to honor that request, nor are they under any pressure to hurry and make a decision.

By the time the 2026-27 season is over, this team could look dramatically different. DeBrincat, Gibson, Faulk and Copp’s futures need to be determined, and some of these decisions could define the next era of Red Wings hockey.