The NHL trade deadline is just a week away, and the Red Wings are looking to improve their roster as they saddle up for what could be their first playoff run in a decade. The team's most pressing need at the moment appears to be on the blueline and if the rumor mill is to be believed, Detroit is sending out feelers for a variety of defenseman around the league.
Go Fish...
It's now been widely reported that the Red Wings have looked at adding big Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers to their back-end as the team enters a re-building period. The Red Wings could certainly use his penalty killing ability, with plenty of size at 6'8" to help solidify a back end that sometimes struggles to block the right shots. Chris Johnston reported that the Canucks have already received an offer by Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings, but the 36-year-old Myers hasn't approved of a change in his no-movement clause. Other teams interested include the Dallas Stars, and not wanting to move to Detroit could signal Myers hoping to be moved to a stronger contender closer to his birthplace of Houston towards the twilight of his career.
Mackenzie Weegar of the Calgary Flames has been linked to Detroit by Nick Kyperos and TSN's Darren Dreger, but his name comes with a few asterisks attached. Weegar is in the third year of an eight year extension that includes a full no movement clause like Myers, and Weegar has not indicated any major dissatisfaction with his place in the Flames organizations to waive it. He would also incur a significantly higher asset cost for the Red Wings to acquire, as the veteran blueliner would easily slide into a top four role for the Red Wings for the foreseeable future. Pushing Axel Sandin-Pellikka down the lineup beyond the next two years would be a hard pill to swallow, but it would certainly help the team's goal differential. Detroit is apparently also competing with the Bruins, who have been after Weegar's services for a while.
Justin Faulk was a name mentioned by several insiders before the Olympic break, but nothing has been reported inside the last week indicating progress in that direction. Faulk would be another high-cost addition, but his style would be a "perfect fit" according to The Athletic's Max Bultman and Harman Dayal. Much has been said about Yzerman and Blues' general manager Doug Armstrong's long trade history, so it wouldn't be outside of the realm of possibilities for the teams to complete another swap. The fact that his contract expires in 2027 also helps, as it would shorten the timeline of putting Sandin-Pellikka on the third pairing.
Closer at hand
Rasmus Ristolainen, after a good showing for Finland in the Olympics, has also been rumored to be on the move. The 31-year-p;d FLyers' defenseman shares a variety of similarities with Myers, as both are big, defense first players drafted in the first round by the Buffalo Sabres. Ristolainen is younger at 31 and shorter at 6'4" with fewer points this year, but Philadelphia has been struggling to play consistent hockey across the lineup, and the big Finn would be a solid minutes-eater for the Red Wings. He also would bring more physicality and "grit" to the lineup for Detroit, without breaking the bank to acquire like Faulk would.
Braden Schneider of the Rangers, who carries a 2.2 million dollar cap hit, was another potential name brought up by DHN's Kevin Allen, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson's name continues to pop up as a someone that could be moved.
.png){kind=spacer}