Trade Deadline Primer: Detroit Red Wings

With the All-Star break in the rearview, the trade deadline looms large and is now just a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Detroit Red Wings.

The Detroit Red Wings season has gone as well as they could have hoped for. The team hasn’t had overwhelming success, but they are in the heat of the Eastern Conference Wild Card race and are averaging their highest goals-per-game total since the 2008-09 season. Detroit has 12 different skaters with over 20 points through their first 50 games and has finally found a goaltender to lead them forward thanks to Alex Lyon’s breakout year. Things are coming together for the Motor City and, with a fruitful trade deadline, the team could be poised for their first playoff trip in eight years.

Record

26-18-6, 5th in the Atlantic

Deadline Status

Conservative Buyers

Deadline Cap Space

$12.6 MM on deadline day, 1/3 retention slots used, 47/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2024: DET 1st*, DET 2nd, DET 3rd, DAL 4th, DET 5th, DET 6th, DET 7th
2025: DET 1st, DET 2nd, DET 3rd, BOS 4th, DET 5th, DET 6th, DET 7th, STL 7th

* Detroit has the option to send either Boston’s 2024 1st Round pick or their own to the Ottawa Senators as a part of the trade package to acquire Alex DeBrincat.

Trade Chips

The Red Wings are approaching the deadline with plenty of flexibility. They could serve in their usual role as a moderate seller, sending off depth pieces and extra contracts to teams looking to gear up for the Spring. But Detroit has spent nearly the last decade building out a robust prospect pool that now features top names like Nate Danielson, Marco Kasper, and Simon Edvinsson. They’re at a position where they can begin betting on the present, which could mean draft picks are the hottest commodity Detroit possesses. The team has held on to their top three picks in each of the next three drafts – and all three are

projected to be strong classes. A first round pick has been the focal piece of both the Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan trades, and is rumored to be the asking price for many other players currently on the open market. With Detroit boasting such a deep prospect pool, being willing to part with draft capital – and maybe even a prospect or two – could give them a major leg-up in any trade negotiations.

Of course, that’s if Detroit decides to buy. It seems just as likely they could prepare to sell off some more pieces – a luxury they’re afforded thanks to a forward group with an average age of just 26.5. The Wings are getting everything they could want from their young talents, and they could decide to lean into that this deadline. They certainly have the pieces to move – including veteran defenders like Olli Määttä and Justin Holl. Or they could try and bank on a hot goaltending market by moving one of their many NHL-quality backups, including Ville Husso, James Reimer, and Michael Hutchinson.

But if Detroit really does lean into the seller’s approach, it’s likely that Patrick Kane could find himself back on the move. Kane has scored 16 points in his 19 games with the Red Wings, proving the potency he can bring when healthy. The future Hall-of-Famer knew that trade rumors might surround him as the deadline approaches, with TSN’s Chris Johnston speaking to the likelihood back in December. Now, Kane has since faced an injury that’s held him out of the team’s last seven games – and the Red Wings’ 9-2-2 record since the start of January certainly has them focused on the present. Both of those facts could dissuade the Wings from selling any part of their lineup – though, if they do, Kane’s name will surely be at the top of the list.

Team Needs

1) Younger Defensemen: In a season of positives, one negative has dragged on in Detroit. It’s become very clear that Moritz Seider, as capable as he may be, is simply being relied on too much. The 22-year-old is averaging over 22 minutes a game, over two minutes more than anyone else on the roster. He’s in one of the top-10 hardest roles among NHL defensemen, according to Evolving Hockey’s Quality of Competition statistic (requires subscription) which argues that Seider’s role is comparable to top defenders like Noah Hanifin and Adam Pelech. Seider has taken it on with no hesitation, but the only teammate able to keep up with him has been Jake Walman. He’s otherwise receiving inconsistent help from the likes of Ben Chiarot or Jeff Petry. There’s a near three-year gap between the average age of Detroit’s forwards (26.5) and their defenders (29.7), and it’s beginning to create a rift between Detroit’s speedy youngsters and their slower old guard. If the Wings are eyeing a deep playoff push, they should also be eyeing younger defensemen that can better match the pace of their lineup. There’s no shortage of names on the market, with Hanifin recently topping Daily Faceoff’s Trade Board. Detroit could also go after Jakob Chychrun, who the team has previously expressed interest in but never landed. Both players would bring a significant boost to a Red Wings defense that’s been largely commanded by one 22-year-old German. Both players play on the left side and could provide a significant boost to Seider’s already-strong play.

2) Depth Scoring: Detroit is in a lucky position of not needing too much more depth. They have plenty of goaltending, healthy scratches like Klim Kostin and Justin Holl provide strong immediate relief, and minor leaguers like Zach Aston-Reese and Simon Edvinsson could realistically provide a spark if needed. But the Red Wings shouldn’t turn their nose up to the chance to add even more scoring to their lineup. There’s been speculation that Pavel Buchnevich could be made available by one of Detroit’s favorite trade partners in the St. Louis Blues. That could be a tremendous addition, with Buchnevich’s 182 points in 183 games with the Blues proving his capability to thrive in a confused lineup. Detroit could also target a player like Vladimir Tarasenko, who has 13 goals and 33 points in 45 games this season despite operating on Ottawa’s third line. Tarasenko would be significantly cheaper to acquire than Buchnevich, and is a pending free agent where Buchnevich has one more season left on his contract. Other options could include Anthony Mantha or Anthony Duclair, two more pending free agents with seemingly more to offer. It’ll be an exciting deadline for the Red Wings, who have the cap space, the assets, and the successful lineup to seemingly choose whatever path forward they would like.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.