Sportsnet's Jeff Marek & Elliotte Friedman offer a preview as to Steve Yzerman's possible trade deadline plans
Sportsnet's Jeff Marek & Elliotte Friedman offer a preview as to Steve Yzerman's possible trade deadline plans
Though Derek Lalonde noted just last week that the most aggressive move for the Red Wings at the fast approaching trade deadline might be no move at all, in all likelihood, Detroit will do some business before Friday's deadline.
On the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek of Sportsnet (two of the most well respected and best connected insiders in the NHL) offered some informed speculation on Steve Yzerman's potential deadline plans.
Friedman said that "Detroit is looking to clear up some space" moving forward at the deadline, and the blue line is the obvious site from which the Red Wings might unload some payroll. One prime candidate there is Justin Holl, who is signed for two more seasons but hasn't played since before the All-Star break. Somewhat jocularly, Marek and Friedman noted that a "maximum carnage" move might be Holl returning to Toronto, the team he left last summer. The Maple Leafs are looking for a right-shot defenseman, so perhaps a reunion—however unlikely—could happen." Marek also doubled down on his previous assertion that the Red Wings might be in the market for a "snarlier defenseman" to replace Holl.
Meanwhile, of Jake Guentzel, arguably the top forward thought to be available, Friedman said, "It fits [in Detroit], but it's not like Yzerman to give players like that seven-year extensions."
On the subject of extensions, Friedman said that the Red Wings are actively looking to lock in Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond to the extensions they are due this summer when they become restricted free agents: "I do think Detroit has been—they re-signed Rasmussen—I do think Detroit's been doing their work on Raymond and Seider. That shouldn't surprise anybody. It's not exactly a big scoop, but I do think Detroit's working at those, so they know exactly what they're gonna be dealing with." That Seider and Raymond will re-sign with the Red Wings is in little doubt (the only question is the term and average annual value of those deals), but setting those future cap numbers in stone could help Detroit's long-term planning ahead of the deadline.
Finally, Friedman offered something of a wrinkle on previous Red Wing deadline discourse by noting that a deal for a goalie might be in the works, saying "Alex Lyon saved their season, but I wonder if he's looking at a goalie. He's got three, but I wonder if there's any he would like better." He added that, in that case, one of Detroit's three current goalies (Lyon, James Reimer, or Ville Husso) would be traded out.
Despite Lalonde's assertion last week, it appears the Red Wings may be in for a busy deadline.
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