On Sunday, the Detroit Red Wings announced that defenseman Troy Stecher has been traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 7th round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
The 27-year-old has had an up and down season, only suiting up in the winged wheel in 16 out of the 62 games the team has played, granted, Stecher missed three months of the season due to a wrist injury. Even after coming off of injured reserve, it seemed like Stecher was always the odd man out, behind the likes of Jordan Oesterle, Gustav Lindstrom, and Danny DeKeyser.
Stecher last season was a part of Detroit’s most reliable pairing with NHL veteran Marc Staal. As Stecher’s stay-at-home paired with Staal’s knack for pinching at the offensive blueline helped Detroit keep some offensive zone pressure in a year where they struggled to score.
Stecher’s true value comes in his own end as he’s able to use his speed to get back to loose picks and make a quick outlet pass. But his size (5’10 184 pounds) could be something that hinders him in the postseason. But possibly being paired with Alex Edler or Olli Maata, Stecher could thrive as a transitional bottom-pair defenseman for the Kings, who has plenty of weapons in their forward core.
With his deployment this season, it seemed unlikely that Stecher was going to resign in Detroit this summer, so for the Red Wings to get a 7th is an expected return.
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