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The Detroit Red Wings are looking to end their playoff drought and a trade pitch has them acquiring a star forward.
The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Red Wings acquiring William Karlsson from the Vegas Golden Knights.
Red Wings acquire:
Golden Knights acquire:
- J.T. Compher
The proposed deal would be a one-for-one swap as Detroit would acquire Karlsson for Compher in an intriguing deal.
Karlsson is entering the sixth year of his eight-year $47.2 million deal he signed with the Golden Knights in 2019. The star forward would project to be a middle-six forward for Detroit which could add some more offense to the lineup. Last season with Vegas, Karlsson skated in 70 games recording 30 goals and 30 assists for 60 points.
As for the return, Vegas would acquire Compher who could be the Golden Knights’ third-line center. Compher is entering the second year of his five-year $25.5 million deal with Detroit. Last season, he recorded 19 goals and 29 assists for 48 points in 77 games. He was a key part of the Colorado Avalanche team that won the Stanley Cup in 2022.
Red Wings Coach Intrigued to See How Roster Takes Shape
The Red Wings trimmed their NHL roster to 28 players on October 6.
Detroit will need to get down 23 ahead of October 7. Although the final cuts are tough to make, Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde says it isn’t a big deal as he knows more than 23 players will play for the team this season.
“Everyone makes such a big deal of making the team in Day 1 and I’ve never understood it because Grand Rapids is two hours away,” Lalonde said. “We will have played 33 players by Christmas. Maybe it’s a little old school, maybe that’s where it was 20, 25 years ago and you made the team on Day 1. In reality we’re probably going to have 15 forwards, 10 (defensemen) that are going to play for us and make our team (over the course of the season), so it’ll be very interesting how it plays out in the next couple days.”
A notable move the Red Wings made was waiving defenseman Justin Holl. Detroit signed Holl to a three-year $10.2 million deal on July 1, 2023.
Detroit opens its 2024-25 NHL season at home on October 10 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Tanner Pearson Earns Contract With Golden Knights
Vegas signed veteran forward Tanner Pearson to a one-year $775,000 deal after attending training camp on a PTO.
Pearson was a first-round pick in the 2012 NHL draft and the veteran forward has impressed Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy.
“He came as advertised,” said Cassidy. “Up and down the wing. Playing with two guys (Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar) who have played in the league. He did his job. Guys like Tanner, you have to watch the game later and you see all the little things he did for us.”
Last season, Pearson skated in 54 games recording 5 goals and 8 assists for 13 points with the Montreal Canadiens. Vegas will be Pearson’s fifth different NHL team and he’s eager to try to win a Stanley Cup with the team.
“I love it. I think that’s the bottom line, I love coming to the rink, I love hanging out with the guys, and love competing,” said Pearson. “Once you get a chance to lift that big shiny thing (Stanley Cup), you want to do it again. I got lucky when I played 25 regular season games with the Kings and then right into 24 playoff games, and was able to hoist it. I think it’d be pretty special to do it again, I have a family now and to celebrate with them would be even better. And to show them how it is to win.”
The Golden Knights open its 2024-25 NHL season at home on October 9 against the Colorado Avalanche.
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Trade Pitch Sees Red Wings Acquiring Star $47 Million Forward in Blockbuster