The Red Wings were quiet at the trade deadline which came as a surprise to many with Detroit being in a playoff spot at the time. Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports that there were a couple of reasons for that. GM Steve Yzerman felt that the asking prices were way too high for his liking while he was reluctant to part with any of his prospects. Even if Detroit is able to lock down the final Wild Card spot and end their seven-year playoff drought, they’re still in the process of building up their roster. It appears that Yzerman had no interest in taking any shortcuts when it comes to their long-term plan.
Red Wings Rumors
Red Wings And Capitals Have Decisions Looming On Key Youngsters
Generally speaking, most of the notable contractual elements that could come into play for key prospects occur at the beginning of the season. However, that isn’t the case for the Red Wings and Capitals who are facing decisions on a pair of promising wingers. For Detroit, Jonatan Berggren is one game away from becoming waiver-eligible while for Washington, Ivan Miroshnichenko is one game away from officially activating the first year of his entry-level contract.
Berggren was a regular for Detroit last season and fared pretty well, picking up 15 goals and 13 assists in 37 games while playing in their middle six. However, GM Steve Yzerman opted to make several additions up front over the summer, pushing the 23-year-old to the outside looking in at a regular spot in the lineup.
Instead of keeping him as a spare forward, the Red Wings decided to send Berggren to AHL Grand Rapids and kept him there for most of the season. Through 43 games with the Griffins, he has done quite well, scoring 19 goals while adding 47 assists. That has earned Berggren a brief stint with the big club where he has been productive in limited action, notching two goals and four helpers in a dozen games despite averaging less than 11 minutes a night.
Berggren was papered to Grand Rapids at the trade deadline and subsequently recalled, permitting him to return to the Griffins. The only way they can do that is by not playing him in another game with Detroit. Grand Rapids is well-positioned to make the playoffs this season so there’s a case to make that his development would be best served by a long postseason run with them over being on the fringes of the NHL lineup while the Red Wings are trying to hold onto the last Wild Card spot in the East.
Detroit elected to punt on the decision for today as they scratched Berggren against Buffalo but they will have to make a call on either playing him and keeping him up for the rest of the season or sending him down for the rest of the year.
As for Miroshnichenko, he has played in nine games for the Capitals so far this season and as a junior-aged player, the ten-game mark is critical as he would officially burn the first year of his contract. If he doesn’t, the year would slide and he would still have three seasons left on that deal – at a slightly lower cap hit – heading into 2024-25.
The 20-year-old is in his first season in North America after spending his post-draft campaign split between Russia’s junior league and two professional leagues after recovering from cancer. The bulk of that campaign was spent in the KHL with Avangard Omsk who agreed to terminate his deal after the season ended, allowing him to join Washington’s system.
Miroshnichenko has spent the majority of this season with AHL Hershey and has done relatively well, collecting nine goals and 16 assists through 47 games so far. That has earned him a handful of recalls, the most recent of which came nearly three weeks ago. Miroshnichenko has been a regular the last couple of weeks, getting him to that nine-game mark where he has two goals while averaging nearly 12 minutes a night.
Washington will soon need to decide if their playoff push (they sit one point out of the last Wild Card spot heading into today) is best aided with Miroshnichenko in the lineup or if they should be taking the longer view and sending him back down to get the extra cheap year on his contract. Either way, unlike Berggren, Miroshnichenko will be able to return to Hershey whether it’s in the coming days or at the end of their season as he’ll remain waiver-exempt either way. Set to play Vancouver later today, Washington will have to make the decision soon unless they want to push the decision back a couple of days by making him a healthy scratch.
It’s not often that decisions like this come up this late in a season but for Detroit and Washington, they’ll have to make a call on their youngsters in the near future.
Larkin Skates Before Practice, Won't Play This Weekend
- Red Wings center Dylan Larkin briefly took part in practice today as he works his way back from a lower-body injury, relays MLive’s Ansar Khan. However, he has already been ruled out for their two games this weekend and head coach Derek Lalonde expressed some hesitance about his captain returning on Tuesday as well. Detroit has lost five straight without Larkin, who is still tied for the team lead in scoring with 26 goals and 28 assists in 55 games so far.
Jared McIsaac Recalled From Loan To Swiss League, Loaned To AHL Providence
- The Red Wings recalled defenseman Jared McIsaac from his loan in Switzerland and moved him to Boston’s farm team in exchange for center Curtis Hall. McIsaac had four points in 15 games for Grand Rapids and suited up just three times with Ambri-Piotta. Hall, meanwhile, has been fairly productive in limited action with the Bruins’ affiliate, notching six points in a dozen appearances. Both players are restricted free agents with arbitration rights this summer and if the swap works well, the two teams could execute it at the NHL level in the summer.
Afternoon Notes: Bennett, Rodrigues, Filppula, Seguin, Penguins
The Florida Panthers’ forward depth will take a major hit on Thursday, as both Sam Bennett (undisclosed) and Evan Rodrigues (lower-body) are set to miss the bout with the Carolina Hurricanes. This will be Rodrigues’ second straight absence after being forced out of the team’s Saturday game early – needing help off the ice after blocking a shot off of his left ankle. Bennett was able to play in the team’s last game, scoring one goal on four shots and playing in his usual role.
The absence of Rodrigues and Bennett leaves a notable hole on Florida’s third line. The pair has been incredibly effective this season, with Rodrigues boasting 10 goals and 36 points in 65 games and Bennett touting 16 goals and 32 points in 54 games. They play in a modest role, averaging around 15 and 16 minutes of ice time respectively, but their ability to produce down the lineup has proven to be crucial to Florida’s success.
Jonah Gadjovich will return to the lineup in their absence, marking his first game since March 5th. The 25-year-old winger is in his third season as an NHL depth forward, scoring two goals and four points in 33 appearances this season. The pair of injuries will also give way to newcomer Kyle Okposo, who is filling Rodrigues’ spot as the third-line right-wing. Okposo failed to record a point in the 10 minutes he played in his Panthers debut, though he did have 12 goals and 22 points in 61 games with the Buffalo Sabres prior to being traded. The 17-year veteran Okposo brings fantastic experience to the Panthers lineup that will likely earn him a spot even after Bennett and Rodrigues return.
Other notes from around the league:
- NHL veteran Valtteri Filppula’s time with Switzerland’s Genève-Servette HC is set to come to an end, with the team sharing that the two sides will part ways at the end of the season. Filppula, now 39, has been in Switzerland’s top league since he left the NHL in 2021-22. He’s since totaled 131 points in 145 games with Genève-Servette. Filppula previously played in 1,056 NHL games across a 16-year career with the Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders.
- Tyler Seguin is progressing back from a lower-body injury that’s held him out since February 22nd, per Brien Rea of Bally Sports SouthWest. Rea shares that head coach Pete DeBoer said “everything is on the table” as the Stars approach the end of their five-game homestand. Seguin has stayed effective despite injuries and age, scoring 20 goals and 45 points in 58 games this season. It’s his third consecutive season and 10th overall where he’s reached the 20-goal mark – an impressive feat for the 14-year pro.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins are facing troubles straight out of a 1990s sitcom, as a shipment of Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads meant to commemorate the winger’s jersey retirement was stolen in transit. The investigation is currently ongoing, and fans of tonight’s game will receive a voucher for the bobbleheads that can be redeemed at a later date. Penguins President of Business Operation Kevin Acklin told NHL.com, “We were shocked to be a victim of cargo theft… While this unfortunate incident adds to the legend of Jaromir Jagr, who will be in attendance as our guest at tonight’s game, we look forward to resolving this theft and delivering the prized Jagr bobbleheads to their rightful homes, with our fans.”
Red Wings Recall Austin Czarnik Under Emergency Conditions
The Red Wings have recalled center Austin Czarnik from AHL Grand Rapids, per a team announcement. He’ll join the team before Thursday’s home game against the Coyotes. No corresponding transaction is needed with ample cap space to execute the move, and the Red Wings do not burn one of their three remaining post-deadline standard recalls, either.
Czarnik, 31, has been papered between leagues a remarkable seven times this year since clearing waivers during training camp. However, this is his first summons to the majors since the calendar turned to 2024. He’ll draw into the lineup against Arizona if center Joe Veleno, who left Tuesday’s 7-3 loss to the Sabres after taking a slapshot from Buffalo defenseman Connor Clifton to the side of the head, cannot play.
The Detroit native played 18 games with the Red Wings earlier this season, marking his eighth straight season in the league since making his debut with the Bruins in 2016. An undrafted free-agent pickup by Boston in 2015 after four years with Miami University, Czarnik immediately established himself as a high-end minor-league producer with 61 points in 68 games during his rookie season with AHL Providence. He’s remained a top-six fixture in the AHL ever since, but the 5-foot-9, 170-lb center hasn’t been able to establish himself as a full-time NHLer for more than a season at a time.
Czarnik is in the back half of a two-year, two-way deal signed with Detroit in 2022. The deal carries a cap hit of $762.5K and pays him $775K in the NHL and $450K in the minors this season. He’s now with his fifth NHL organization, spending time with the Flames, Islanders, and Kraken between his stints in Boston and Detroit.
He’s finally beginning to show signs of slowing down in the minors, posting nine goals and 26 points in 39 games with Grand Rapids. That works out to 0.72 points per game, his lowest-ever production rate throughout a full season in the minors. He hasn’t done much better in the NHL, posting a lone assist and a -3 rating through his 18 showings, but he’s also been used quite sparingly, averaging a career-low 8:44 per game. His possession metrics don’t signal he deserves a higher role, either, logging a 40.6 CF% and 42.1 xGF% at even strength.
Czarnik will be a UFA at the end of the season. When the Red Wings are back up to 12 healthy forwards without Czarnik, they must return him to Grand Rapids or add him to the roster from his emergency loan, burning their second of four post-deadline recalls.
Red Wings Sign Tim Gettinger To Extension
The Red Wings signed left wing Timothy Gettinger to a one-year, two-way contract extension on Monday, according to a team release. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Gettinger, 25, has 16 NHL games to his name, all coming with the Rangers between 2018 and 2022. The hulking 6-foot-6, 218-lb winger was a fifth-round pick of New York in 2016, where he spent five seasons before becoming a Group 6 UFA last summer and signing a one-year, two-way deal with the Wings that pays him $775K in the NHL and $250K in the AHL. He was due to reach Group 6 free agency again since he hasn’t added any NHL games to his career total this year.
Down on the farm with AHL Grand Rapids, the Cleveland, Ohio, native has 12 goals, 25 points and an even rating in 51 games. That works out to 0.49 points per game, a slightly reduced pace compared to the 133 points and -2 rating he conglomerated over five seasons and 237 games with the Rangers’ AHL affiliate in Hartford.
Gettinger will need to clear waivers at the beginning of next season to head to the minors, during which time any NHL club may submit a claim. Extending him gives Detroit 26 out of a maximum of 50 standard player contracts on the books for 2024-25. He’ll be a UFA at the end of his extension.
Red Wings Recall Jonatan Berggren
On Friday, the Red Wings opened up a roster spot when they traded Klim Kostin to San Jose. Today, they filled that spot, announcing that they’ve recalled winger Jonatan Berggren from AHL Grand Rapids.
The 23-year-old spent most of last season with Detroit, getting into 67 games where he had 15 goals and 13 assists, not a bad rookie campaign by any stretch. However, GM Steve Yzerman was active over the course of the summer bringing in several new forwards that ultimately pushed Berggren into more of a depth role. The in-season signing of Patrick Kane bumped him down a bit more on the depth chart.
As a result, Berggren has spent most of this season in the minors with the Griffins, allowing him to play big minutes instead of being in and out of the lineup in a bottom-six role with the big club. The decision certainly made sense from a development perspective and it has worked out well as Berggren leads Grand Rapids in scoring with 19 goals and 27 points in 43 games. For perspective, no one else on the Griffins has reached the 30-point mark yet. He does have nine appearances with the Red Wings as well, collecting two goals and three helpers despite averaging barely over 10 minutes a night.
With Dylan Larkin out due to a lower-body injury, Detroit was down to just 11 healthy forwards following yesterday’s Kostin trade. Accordingly, the Red Wings should be able to classify Berggren’s promotion as an emergency one, meaning it wouldn’t count against their cap of four post-deadline regular recalls.
Red Wings Send Klim Kostin To Sharks, Acquire Radim Simek
The Detroit Red Wings have sent forward Klim Kostin to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Radim Simek and a 2024 seventh-round pick belonging to the New Jersey Devils. The Red Wings have loaned Simek to the AHL’ Grand Rapids Griffins.
Kostin joined the Red Wings alongside Kailer Yamamoto in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers last summer, with Detroit offering future considerations the other way. The Wings promptly signed Kostin to a two-year, $4MM contract that carries him through the 2024-25 season. Kostin rotated into the Wings bottom-line this season, scoring three goals and four points in 33 games, averaging just under nine minutes of ice time each game. He’s also added 38 penalty minutes, including two fights. It’s a down year for Kostin after receiving a prime chance with the Oilers last season – when he scored 11 goals and 21 points in 57 games, averaging over 10 minutes of ice time. Still, much of his career has been spent in a depth role, with the 24-year-old totaling 19 goals and 36 points in 136 career games. At 6’4″, 232 lbs, Kostin brings notable heft and physicality to the lineup and has proven he can add goal-scoring value with his shot. He’ll likely receive a routine role with the Sharks, who have already traded Anthony Duclair, though it’s yet to be seen if he can find his modest scoring groove once again.
Simek has spent all season in the minor leagues, recording 16 points and 29 penalty minutes in 40 games with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. While he has totaled 209 career NHL games, serving as a depth fill-in for San Jose since 2018-19, it seems Simek’s impact will stay confined to the minors as he joins Grand Rapids. At 31, Simek has carved out a hardy career in North American pros for an undrafted free agent, joining the Sharks in 2017-18 after a five-year career in the Czechia Extraliga, where he played with Liberec Bili Tygri HC. He’s a hardy defenseman, known for his physicality and long reach – both traits that could come in handy should Detroit make the playoffs.
Red Wings Have Shown Interest In Bryan Rust
The Red Wings “have shown the most interest” among multiple teams that have inquired about acquiring veteran Penguins winger Bryan Rust via trade, Josh Yohe of The Athletic reports Tuesday. However, the 31-year-old is unlikely to be on the move ahead of Friday’s trade deadline, as Yohe says Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas has not asked Rust to waive his no-move clause.
A 4-5-1 stretch in their last 10 games has the Penguins slipping down the Eastern Conference standings and heading toward retool mode. They boast arguably the top pending UFA available on the trade market in Jake Guentzel, and the prospects they receive in return for the point-per-game winger could help inject some much-needed youth as they attempt to continue being playoff contenders in the twilight years of the Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin/Kris Letang core.
As Yohe points out, Guentzel’s likely trade in the next three days makes dealing Rust now a more aggressive short-term downgrade than Dubas is willing to execute. The team has no intentions of a complete rebuild with Crosby in the fold, especially with their captain nearing the end of his contract. Trading away both of his regular linemates would be counterintuitive.
That said, Rust is signed through 2028 at a reasonable $5.125MM cap hit, and his NMC expires on July 1, 2025. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Red Wings keep tabs on the Michigan native as the Penguins continue to navigate tumultuous waters and make another run at acquiring him, either during this offseason or after his NMC expires.
While injuries have limited Rust to 42 games this year, he’s primarily bounced back from a disappointing 2022-23 season that saw him produce at his lowest clip in four years. He’s potted 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points with a career-high +15 rating, putting him on pace for 70 over an entire season – much closer to the realm of production he’s had throughout his prime.
A third-round pick of the Pens in 2010, Rust hoisted the Stanley Cup in his first two full seasons in the league in 2016 and 2017. If Detroit maintains their level of interest, he could be a logical veteran replacement for Patrick Kane in the top-six, who will be a UFA this summer after signing a one-year, $2.75MM deal to resume his NHL career in Hockeytown mid-season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.