From The Silky Mitten State: Making the argument in favor of the Red Wings targeting the former Golden Knight and Conn Smythe winner in free agency come July

On the most recent episode of The Silky Mitten State, my co-host Connor Earegood and I debated between two potential top six forward acquisitions for the Red Wings this summer: Patrik Laine (recently revealed to be in search of a "fresh start" out of Columbus) and Jonathan Marchessault (who has reached the end of his six-year, $30 million deal with the Golden Knights).

Both Connor and I concluded that Marchessault was the superior fit for the Red Wings, though of course that comes with the caveat that Detroit must be able to arrive at the right price on the free agent marketplace to make that happen.

We came to that conclusion not out of disrespect to Laine but rather because of the specific ways Marchessault can help fill voids for the Red Wings.  Specifically, his Stanley Cup experience and 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy show that the Quebecois winger has the skill and grit necessary to perform at the highest imaginable level in the postseason, while his leadership could also help replace the likes of Patrick Kane and David Perron should they leave Detroit in free agency.  Marchessault's intelligence suggests that his game will age with grace, so the fact that he is currently 33 (seven years older than Laine) should hardly be a hang-up.

Check out a sample of our conversation in the featured video above to get a better sense of our argument, then find the full episode on either Spo

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