With a wide trade market, Detroit is no doubt calling on plenty of the top names. With the season nearly starting, there is still time for Yzerman to make a last-minute, buzzer-beater move and acquire some talent. So, I’ll go over what I believe to be the trade targets Detroit has/should be showing the most interest in. The percentage will be how interested I believe they are.
Jared McCann, 80%
It seems the price is high for McCann, as it should be. With New Jersey quickly being shot down, the price seems quite high. The Devils have a slew of trade chips, so it makes you wonder how high the ask is. McCann fits the hole Detroit needs. He’s also younger than some of his contemporaries, like Rust or Rakell. I think the cost would be sky high, and the contract situation isn’t ideal, but Detroit should still, no doubt, be very interested in McCann.
Luke Evangelista, 30%
Luke Fox floated the name, and I don’t know how in love I am with the idea of Evangelista. He’s a solid player who slotted all over the Predators lineup. He’s not exactly super young either; he turns 24 this season. While he is effective, Detroit has players coming up who will fill a similar role at the middle-six wing. Not to mention Nashville would still want a pretty decent return for someone who has been steady for them. All of that comes together for me to be largely out on him, barring Detroit getting him for a steal.
Mika Zibanejad, 55%
Let’s get the elephant out of the room first. He would need to waive his no movement clause, and he clearly doesn’t want to. But beyond that, I think Detroit would show some moderate interest in a Zibanejad trade. He is labelled “soft”, but he would slot in at 2C and get much easier deployments with Cat and Kane than he got in New York, so it wouldn’t be a huge issue. Not to mention, Kasper would play LW1, and the lines would look fairly good. Given the Kreider return was minimal, I don’t know how they view an aging Zibanejad. Given his absurd contract of 8.5M till 2030, it’ll rake back the acquisition cost. Detroit would likely give up nothing, but they’d need to be damn sure that Zibanejad would fit.
Mason McTavish, 95%
Pagnotta reported that McTavish seems hesitant because he isn’t sure of his role. Because of that, I’ve chosen to include him again despite the high price that was discussed for him. If Anaheim comes down to earth, or feels like they can’t reach a good deal with McTavish, Detroit should deal anything except the untouchables. I have no problem with any prospect other than ASP (unless it’s one for one), and multiple first as well as any roster player who isn’t a part of the core. McTavish is exactly what Detroit needs in their lineup. It comes down to availability and cost.
Rasmus Andersson, 75%
Andersson essentially has his heart set on a select few teams in free agency next offseason. It reads like the Hanafin situation. Another great defenseman, Detroit will likely get beaten by a bigger, better team. From the sounds of the reports, Calgary seems underwhelmed by the offers for Andersson. Regardless, it’s unlikely Calgary sees themselves as a playoff team, and the value is highest for Andersson while he still has a full season before hitting the market. The cost would be high for a likely rental. But welcome to the NHL, elite right-shot defensemen aren’t easy to come by.
Carey Price, 0%
It’s demeaning that I’m writing about Price in 2025. I’m only mentioning it because it’s the talk of Twitter right now. No, Detroit has no need to reach the cap floor and take on Price’s contract.
Rickard Rakell, 65%
Welcome to month three of people talking about Rakell to Detroit. I feel like I’m regurgitating talking points from everyone here, but yes, Detroit should be interested if the cost is fair. Pittsburgh has high demands for all of its players, and Rakell is the best fit for Detroit of all of them. I’d be comfortable giving up a protected first, or something adjacent, but more than that is getting a little bit too expensive.
Bowen Byram, 50%
Here’s another one that I thought died off. When Byram signed, I figured it was the end of an era. However, Rutherford made mention that Byram is still available for the right price. His signing of a two-year contract that walks him to unrestricted free agency might actually scale the value of Byram back a bit. I still think the asking price would be massive, and he’s unlikely to stay in Detroit given their similarities to Buffalo right now. All in all, it’s worth a phone call, but neither side will entertain it for too long.
Brandt Clarke, 100%
Ken Holland would have to be inebriated to trade Clarke, but apparently, there was wind of it. Russo reported that Holland wants to get a proper look at him before making a choice. Either way, a defenceman like Clarke is everything this Detroit blueline needs. He’s young, big, and plays effective (albeit sheltered) minutes. I love everything about Clarke, and if he’s on the market, Detroit should be on the phone constantly. A potential Seider, ASP, and Clarke right side would become arguably the best in the league in just a few seasons. However, not even Ken Holland is dumb enough to cough up someone as enticing as Clarke, at least not this early. For now, Clarke is a name for Red Wings fans to check back in on later.
More to Read:
ITR 49: For Real This Time – Inside The Rink
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