Pro Hockey Rumors

The Detroit Red Wings haven’t reached the playoffs in nearly ten years and are at a pivotal point after a season of highs and lows last year. They remained relatively quiet this summer, but they did address some goaltending concerns by adding John Gibson. While he is expected to bring more stability in goal, Detroit still needs to strengthen other areas, especially defensively, where its core could benefit from an upgrade.

Ideally, the Red Wings would have already acquired a right-shot defenseman capable of playing in their top four and logging significant minutes while generating offense from the back end. Detroit already has Moritz Seider on the right side, but adding a veteran with some playoff experience could help their inexperienced star while adding a bit of leadership to a team that hasn’t experienced regular-season success in years. Detroit needs to balance veteran stability with the potential of its young players without blocking any of their development pathways. This challenging balancing act will affect all of the Red Wings’ future decisions and may have already influenced them this summer, as Detroit stayed relatively quiet.

Detroit did add a right-shot defender this summer by signing Jacob Bernard-Docker to a one-year deal worth $875K. Bernard-Docker was a first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators (chosen 26th overall in 2018), but he hasn’t yet proven himself as a regular NHL player. He isn’t the answer to Detroit’s top four concerns on the right side, and if he is put there, the team’s defense could run into serious problems next season. There’s nothing inherently wrong with using a player with Bernard-Docker’s skill set, but he isn’t what Detroit needs for their top two pairings.

The same can be said for another right-shot defender Detroit signed this summer, Travis Hamonic. At 35 years old, he didn’t look like an NHL defenseman last season and was a drag on anyone he paired with. Still, his signing shows Detroit’s desperation to add depth on their right side, which might be a futile effort at this point, considering they have a lot of below-replacement-level talent in the pipeline.

Unfortunately for them, an impact right-shot defender is one of the most complex player types to acquire in today’s NHL. Each year, teams overpay for righties – a pertinent case study being someone like Matt Dumba, who earned $7.5MM last summer on a two-year deal only to be traded away this summer with a sweetener.

Detroit has nearly $12MM in cap space available for the upcoming season, per PuckPedia. They also possess almost a full slate of draft picks for the next three seasons, except for their 2027 second-rounder, along with a top-five prospect pool, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. They could easily target a player like Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames, who is a realistic option and would provide the Red Wings with a smooth puck mover that could add a dynamic element to their defense.

Such a move involves significant risk, chiefly concerning Andersson’s contract situation. The 28-year-old has one year remaining on his deal and might be interested in exploring free agency. The Red Wings would likely want to negotiate an extension before completing a trade, which also carries risks given that Andersson is coming off a trying 2024-25 campaign in his own end and may not even want to entertain a long-term commitment to a team that’s not a surefire contender. While Andersson won’t suddenly turn Detroit into a Stanley Cup challenger, he could support their efforts to return to the playoffs.

If the Wings wanted to scout emerging talents, they could consider Brandt Clarke of the Los Angeles Kings or Bowen Byram of the Buffalo Sabres. It’s challenging to see Buffalo trading Byram within their division, but stranger things have happened. The perception of Byram is much more favorable than his on-ice impact. In other words, he has all the qualities you’d want in a top-four defenseman, but his actual results don’t match that. Byram has found it challenging to drive play independently, and given his market value, acquiring him might not be the best move for the Red Wings. Byram signed a two-year extension this summer at $6.5MM per season and will likely demand a higher price on a long-term deal, considering how he is perceived league-wide.

Clarke presents an interesting option, especially if he is to be acquired to bolster the top four. The 22-year-old was drafted eighth overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and had a solid offensive season last year, with five goals and 28 assists in 78 games. While those stats are respectable for a player logging just over 16 minutes per night, they don’t tell the whole story. Clarke was a healthy scratch a few times last season and was heavily sheltered by the Kings. There’s no doubt about Clarke’s offensive talent, but his defensive play is definitely a concern. If Detroit were to acquire him and pair him with Simon Edvinsson, it could greatly benefit Clarke. However, that would mean pairing Ben Chiarot with Seider on the top pairing, which should be avoided. Putting Chiarot and Clarke together would likely be disastrous, exposing the challenges Detroit faces with its defensive core.

And then there’s Erik Karlsson of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who is very much available but would need to waive his no-move clause to be traded anywhere. Karlsson has been linked to the Red Wings recently, but it’s hard to gauge if he would want to move to the Motor City. However, he would bring offense to Detroit’s defense and could help ignite the attack.

But, with acquiring Karlsson, Detroit would face similar issues with Chiarot or Edvinsson. Bringing in Karlsson would make headlines, but it wouldn’t elevate Detroit into the top tier of NHL teams. Karlsson remains a household name and has a certain cachet, but he isn’t the three-time Norris Trophy winner he once was and is unlikely to revert to that peak of performance. He would improve Detroit’s scoring, potentially moving its offense towards the middle of the league. Still, the cost and the defensive issues caused by Karlsson’s aggressive style might outweigh the benefits, especially on a team with no high-end shutdown talent.

Finally, if Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman wants to focus on a defensive player, he could consider Connor Murphy of the Chicago Blackhawks. The 32-year-old offers little offensively, never surpassing 20 points in a season, but he plays a solid defensive game and could help stabilize a second pairing. Murphy isn’t going to generate plays, but he can handle tough matchups, block shots, and is generally effective in his own zone. His skill set might not be exactly what the Red Wings need on their backend, but they could do worse than him on the trade market.

None of these moves guarantees a win for Detroit, and each one involves considerable risk, but so does every trade. After missing the playoffs for nine consecutive seasons and having a cautious summer, Detroit may need to take a bold step to move forward. Of course, GM Steve Yzerman must weigh the cost of trading prospects or draft picks against the immediate benefits of boosting his defense. Whatever Yzerman decides, his next moves could shape the team’s future for years. He has options, but none are particularly ideal.

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