Red Wings Activate J.T. Compher, Recall Michal Postava as Tarasov Sits

J.T. Compher’s return gives Detroit a familiar two-way center as the Red Wings prepare to face Vancouver, while an injury to backup goalie Daniil Tarasov has opened an NHL roster spot for Michal Postava. Detroit activated Compher from injured reserve, recalled Postava under emergency conditions and sent Sheldon Dries to the Grand Rapids Griffins.

The moves address two different needs. Compher can resume the middle-six and penalty-kill work he handled before his injury, and Postava gives the club another goaltender while Tarasov is day-to-day. The Red Wings have not provided further details about either injury.

Compher has played 660 NHL games, but his season has so far consisted of just the first two. He was injured in early October and missed seven straight games before this activation. His return restores a veteran option down the middle and a player Detroit used in several situations last season.

Detroit shared the roster moves ahead of the Vancouver game. Compher’s expected value goes beyond his scoring: last season, he averaged 15:40 of ice time per game, ranking sixth among Red Wings forwards. That workload included 1:32 per game on the penalty kill, plus occasional power-play shifts. Those responsibilities give the coaching staff a ready replacement for minutes that had been spread among other forwards during his absence.

Compher signed a five-year contract with a $5.1 million average annual value in the summer of 2023. His first season in Detroit was his most productive with the club: in 2023-24, he scored 19 goals and 48 points in 77 games. His totals then fell to 11 goals and 32 points in 2024-25, followed by 11 goals and 28 points last season.

The recent scoring trend matters when assessing his place in the lineup, but it doesn’t erase his defensive utility. Compher remains a capable two-way center and a regular penalty-kill option. Detroit can use him to stabilize a middle-six role, though his return alone doesn’t answer how much offense the team will get from him this season.

That’s the roster calculation behind Dries’ reassignment. The 32-year-old played six NHL games while Compher was unavailable, recording no points. He did take on short-handed work, averaging 1:21 per game on the penalty kill. A strong scorer in the American Hockey League, Dries has been a useful call-up for Detroit, but Compher offers more experience and a broader NHL role. Dries now returns to Grand Rapids, where the club can keep him in the mix as forward depth.

Postava gets an NHL opportunity

In goal, Tarasov’s day-to-day status prompted Detroit to bring up Postava to back up starter John Gibson. The 24-year-old has yet to appear in an NHL game, and this emergency recall may amount to a short-term chance to practise and dress behind Gibson. With Tarasov’s return date unclear, though, Postava is now close enough to the NHL roster that a debut is at least possible.

Postava’s route to this opportunity has been unusual. He was undrafted and playing in the second tier of Czech hockey with HC Přerov in 2023-24. His .943 save percentage over 42 games earned him the league’s top-goaltender honour. He moved up to the Czech Extraliga the following season, took over as HC Kometa Brno’s No. 1 and posted a .921 save percentage in 42 regular-season games.

He kept that form through the playoffs. Across 17 games, Postava recorded a .940 save percentage as Brno won the Extraliga championship. The run drew NHL scouting attention, and Detroit signed him to a two-year entry-level contract in the summer of 2025.

His numbers have held up since arriving in North America. Postava backed up Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa with Grand Rapids last season, going 17-6-0 in 25 games with a .937 save percentage. This season, he is 4-0-0 with a .954 save percentage and a 1.25 goals-against average. Those results strengthen the case that he can handle a larger role, although his NHL readiness remains untested in a game.

Elite Prospects scout Max Lee described Postava as a potential NHL backup “if he continues to elevate his game” in a report posted earlier this week. The emergency recall doesn’t guarantee the young goalie will see the crease: Gibson is the likelier starter while Tarasov is out. Still, Detroit now has a chance to assess Postava at the NHL level if circumstances call for it. For now, Compher’s return is the immediate lineup boost, and Postava’s presence gives the team another option in goal.

Photos courtesy of Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images