The Detroit Red Wings decided to sell at the NHL trade deadline. Media speculation looked at what the Wings could do to fully exit their rebuild this off-season.
Expectations were high for the Detroit Red Wings entering this season. After several years of rebuilding, they finally seemed ready to become serious playoff contenders.
While the Red Wings jockeyed for a wild-card berth during this season, GM Steve Yzerman opted to become a seller in the week leading up to last Friday's trade deadline. Within three days, he shipped out Tyler Bertuzzi, Filip Hronek, Jakub Vrana and Oskar Sundqvist.
Yzerman said that division rivals like the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres are ahead of the Red Wings in their respective rebuilds. He also believes the Montreal Canadiens are going to get better.
The Red Wings hold two first-round picks and three second-rounders in this year's draft. However, Detroit Hockey Now's Bob Duff believes it's up to Yzerman and his staff to turn those picks into NHL players. While the Wings have done well with previous first-rounders such as Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond, they haven't had similar success in subsequent rounds.
During a recent mailbag segment, The Athletic's Max Bultman was asked if the Wings might trade one or more of those draft picks to acquire an established young NHL player. He acknowledged someone such as the New Jersey Devils' Jesper Bratt or Arizona Coyotes' Clayton Keller could address the Wings' need for a high-end offensive threat if they become available.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman noted the right side of the Wings blueline is thin after trading Hronek to Vancouver. He believes there's an area that must be addressed.
CapFriendly shows the Wings with a projected $31.5 million in cap space for 2023-24. Perhaps Yzerman will use one or two of those extra first- and second-round picks to target cap-strapped clubs looking to shed salary for next season.