According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, unsigned Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson would "prefer" to be traded, adding yet another layer of complication to their growing problems.
What had already been a bleak yet seemingly avoidable situation for the Detroit Red Wings suddenly took a turn for the worse on Saturday evening.
According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, unsigned defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who didn't play in any of the club's four preseason games or its regular-season opener, "prefers" to be traded.
Edvinsson reported to Training Camp in September despite not having a contract, but the lack of progress on a deal resulted in him returning to his native Sweden, where he is now training with Frolunda of the SHL.
"There is word today around the League that unsigned Detroit defenseman Simon Edvinsson prefers a trade from the Red Wings," Friedman said. "He went to camp with no contract on the eve of Training Camp and went back to Sweden, where he's skating now."
Friedman continued by saying that Detroit's priority remains signing Edvinsson to a new deal, but the Swedish defenseman is growing frustrated with how the entire situation has unfolded.
"Now, I understand that the Red Wings have made it clear to other teams that their priority is still to sign him; that is their number one goal," Friedman said. "But apparently his frustration at the entire situation has led him to indicate he would prefer a trade. We'll see how this develops over the next few days."
This is just the latest layer in what has been an increasingly tumultuous past several months for the franchise, which feels like it isn't far from reaching critical mass.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
It didn't need to go this way.
Edvinsson, whom the Red Wings selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, has emerged as their second-most important defenseman behind Moritz Seider. He possesses all the tools necessary for a long and successful career while potentially becoming a key piece of a team in desperate need of a turnaround.
But this latest revelation isn't going to do anything to quell the angst among Red Wings fans, which was on full display at Little Caesars Arena on Friday evening during their season opener against the New York Rangers.
Injured forward Dylan Larkin, who was stripped of his captaincy after requesting a trade during the summer, was heavily booed when he was introduced alongside the rest of the club's inactive players.
Several chants echoed throughout the game, including "Sell The Team" and "We Want Simon." More booing rained down from the fans who remained in the stands as the seconds ticked away in what ended in a 2-0 shutout loss.
Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff, who was elevated to the position two months after the club removed team icon Steve Yzerman from the role in mid-July, said signing Edvinsson remains a priority for the organization.
Everything appeared to be in place for an extension to be hammered out in short order. Edvinsson reported to training camp as a show of good faith despite remaining unsigned and participated in non-scrimmage drills.
But the fact that he returned to his native country, located literally on the other side of the globe, indicates that what he's been offered is nowhere close to what he feels is an acceptable offer.
The Red Wings, once viewed as the gold standard for how a professional sports franchise should operate, can't seem to get out of their own way.
Another March collapse that resulted in a 10th consecutive season without a playoff appearance, Dylan Larkin's trade request, Steve Yzerman's changing role, Shawn Horcoff taking over as interim GM after a two-month search failed to produce an outside hire, and now the Edvinsson contract dispute - along with reports that he prefers a trade - have created a situation that's becoming impossible to ignore around the NHL.
The first and most obvious solution would be to immediately settle the situation with Edvinsson and sign him to a long-term contract, and secondly, sign pending UFA hometown sniper Alex DeBrincat, who has openly voiced his desire for an extension, to a new deal.
Otherwise, for as long as this situation continues to drag out, the fan angst at Little Caesars Arena on full display during Friday's game will only grow louder.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
