The Detroit Red Wings are hoping to compete for a playoff spot in the 2024-25 NHL season and one trade pitch has them bolstering their blue line.
The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Red Wings acquiring Adam Larsson from the Seattle Kraken.
Red Wings acquire:
Kraken acquire:
- Justin Holl
- Marco Kasper
- 2025 third-round pick
The trade pitch has the Red Wings acquiring a star defenseman in Larsson for a defenseman a top prospect and a draft pick. It also is a deal that does make sense for both teams.
Larsson was selected fourth overall in the 2011 NHL draft and is entering the final year of his four-year $16 million deal. The Swede would project to be Detroit’s second-pairing right-shot defenseman behind Moritz Seider who is an RFA and has yet to sign a deal. He also is insurance should Seider and the Red Wings not come to terms on a contract before the season starts.
Last season with the Kraken, Larsson skated in 81 games recording 4 goals and 14 assists for 18 points. In his NHL career, Larsson has skated in 848 games recording 45 goals and 168 assists for 213 points.
Seattle, meanwhile, would acquire Holl who could slide into the Kraken’s third-pairing and help offset the loss of Larsson. Holl has two years left on his three-year $10.2 million deal, but was a healthy scratch at times last season in Detroit.
The marquee part of the trade is Kasper who is a 20-year-old prospect who was selected eighth overall in 2022. The centerman recorded 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in the AHL last season and could push for NHL minutes next season.
Red Wings’ Holl a Buyout Candidate
Detroit signed Holl to a three-year deal on July 1, 2023. He was expected to help solidify the Red Wings blue line after spending six seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
However, Holl’s first year with the Red Wings did not go well as he skated in just 38 games recording 0 goals and 5 assists. Following the season, Holl was considered a buyout candidate, but Detroit opted to keep him.
However, NHL analyst Max Bultman of The Athletic believes the Red Wings could buy out Holl in the summer of 2025.
“Your point about the cap hit sitting in the press box is good. But, the Red Wings probably don’t expect to be quite as lucky injury-wise this season as they were in 2023-24. If that’s the case, Holl could play more this season. But if he doesn’t and he’s again a $3.4 million scratch for most of the season, I’d have to imagine they’ll explore a buyout next year, for just two years of dead cap at the same $1.13 million cost,” Bultman wrote in his article.
Holl has skated in 323 NHL games recording 11 goals and 76 assists for 87 points.
Kraken Active in Free Agency
After Seattle failed to make the playoffs in the 2023-24 NHL season, the Kraken were active in the offseason.
Seattle’s two big additions were signing defenseman Brandon Montour to a seven-year $50 million contract with an average annual value of $7.14 million. The Kraken then signed forward Chandler Stephenson to a $43.75 contract with an AAV of $6.25 million.
Both Montour and Stephenson have won Stanley Cups and bring leadership to the locker room which general manager Rob Francis is eager for.
“In Stephenson, just a really good two-way guy, plays with pace, has a sneaky skill set,” Francis said. “Brings two Cups into the locker room as well. So, they checked a lot of boxes and we’re excited to add them to our roster.”
Seattle opens its 2024-25 NHL season at home on October 8 against the St. Louis Blues.
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Trade Pitch Sees Red Wings Acquiring Star Former 4th-Overall Pick Defenseman