Maximilian Kilpinen

May 2026 — Detroit’s rights to Kilpinen expire June 1, and the player who once looked like a sensible mid-round center bet now profiles as an organizational long shot. Modo released him after relegation from the SHL to Hockey Allsvenskan, and his 2025-26 season told the story before the paperwork did. He split 31 games between Ostersunds IK of Hockey Allsvenskan and Hudiksvalls HC of HockeyEttan, and a productive run in Sweden’s third division (38 points in 33 games for Hudiksvalls) is not the same as holding a job two rungs up. The skating and hockey sense scouts liked at draft time still show on the rush, and at 6-1 he has the frame to play a pro role. What has not arrived is the pace and physical edge to survive Allsvenskan or SHL minutes, and a draft year hurt by injury and a missed spot on the Swedish junior national team compounded the gap. For fantasy purposes there is almost nothing here. He is a depth name whose NHL rights will likely go unsigned, and any path forward runs through earning a full-time Allsvenskan spot first. Where he signs for 2026-27 is the only thing worth tracking. A clear Allsvenskan role would be the first real evidence he is still a prospect rather than a career second-tier scorer. Andrew Epps