The Detroit Red Wings keep using the same word when discussing Simon Edvinsson: priority.

The problem is that their priority is now in Sweden.

Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff addressed Edvinsson’s increasingly uncomfortable contract situation Friday before Detroit’s season opener against the New York Rangers. Horcoff reiterated that signing the 23-year-old restricted free agent remains near the top of Detroit’s agenda, but he also acknowledged something we had not previously heard from the organization.

The Red Wings did not expect Edvinsson to leave Detroit.

Edvinsson returned to Sweden earlier this week after negotiations failed to produce a contract before the regular season. He was spotted Wednesday skating with Frölunda, the organization he played for before Detroit selected him sixth overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, according to Max Bultman’s reporting on the latest negotiations.

That makes Horcoff’s latest comments more revealing than another generic contract update.

Horcoff Calls Edvinsson’s Departure ‘Disappointing’

Edvinsson originally did something rather unusual for an unsigned restricted free agent: he showed up.

He reported to training camp without a contract and practiced with Detroit while negotiations continued. Todd McLellan publicly praised that decision, while Horcoff said shortly after taking over as interim GM that he hoped the organization could get Edvinsson signed quickly.

That optimism never produced a deal.

“We were excited when he came over (for camp), it was encouraging,” Horcoff told Max Bultman. “Of course it’s disappointing when he went back, but again, he’s a priority for us. We’re still working through this.”

Detroit’s position Monday had already changed considerably when Edvinsson stopped practicing with the Red Wings. His subsequent flight home made the separation physical as well as contractual.

Detroit’s ‘Priority’ Is Now Missing Actual Games

There is an obvious difference between missing September practices and missing NHL games.

Edvinsson played 72 games last season, producing nine goals and 25 points while averaging 22:21 of ice time. That workload ranked second on Detroit behind Moritz Seider, which helps explain why Horcoff immediately identified Edvinsson’s contract as one of his first priorities after becoming interim GM.

Now the regular season has arrived without him.

Detroit has young defensemen capable of absorbing minutes, including Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Anton Johansson and William Wallinder. That depth makes the situation survivable in the short term, but it doesn’t make Edvinsson replaceable.

At 23, Edvinsson is supposed to be entering the stage where Detroit benefits from years invested in his development. Instead, one of the most important players in the organization’s future watched Opening Night from another continent.

That is a considerably different problem than an unsigned RFA missing a few September scrimmages.

Horcoff Won’t Reveal What Is Holding Up the Deal

The most frustrating part for anyone trying to determine how close the sides are is that Horcoff isn’t providing clues.

“He remains a priority,” Horcoff told Bultman. “We’re doing everything (we) can, working closely with the agents. He’s a big part of our club, and we’d like to get him signed.”

Horcoff declined to say whether Detroit prefers a bridge contract or a longer agreement, keeping the substance of negotiations private. Previous reporting suggested Detroit could prefer a shorter bridge deal, but neither the Red Wings nor Edvinsson’s representatives have publicly confirmed that is the sticking point.

That distinction matters because we still don’t know whether term, salary, structure or some combination of those issues is preventing an agreement.

We do know the consequences.

The Leverage Has Changed

Edvinsson initially reporting to camp reduced the practical pressure on both sides. Detroit still had its defenseman on the ice, and Edvinsson could prepare for the season while his representatives negotiated.

That arrangement is gone.

Detroit now plays meaningful games without one of its top defensemen, while Edvinsson can remain in Sweden and skate rather than participate in NHL competition without a contract. The longer this lasts, the more tangible the cost becomes for both sides.

Where the Simon Edvinsson Contract Stands Now

There is another wrinkle worth remembering. Because the NHL’s new collective bargaining rules took effect Sept. 16, Detroit already lost the ability to sign Edvinsson for eight years. The maximum term available on a new deal with Detroit is now seven years.

None of this means Edvinsson is leaving the organization. As a restricted free agent, Detroit still controls his NHL rights, and Horcoff’s comments make clear that the Red Wings want him back.

But the situation has unquestionably moved backward.

Two weeks ago, Edvinsson was an unsigned priority practicing in Detroit.

Now he’s an unsigned priority skating in Sweden while the Red Wings play without him.

At some point, “priority” has to become “signed.”