The Detroit Red Wings have already missed out on a potential summer free agent target. After Detroit failed to reach the playoffs this season, general manager Steve Yzerman made it clear he wanted a new center this summer. Although the club has a top center in Dylan Larkin, they certainly lack depth behind the American star. Versatile forward J.T. Compher could also be offloaded in the offseason to thin the position even more.
Options at the position, however, are fairly limited. Practically every team wants a center, but there are just not many quality ones out there. The Athletic’s Chris Johnston recently included only two centers in his top 20 pending free agents list. One of them, Evgeni Malkin, will soon be 40 and has featured more on the wing with the Pittsburgh Penguins lately.
As a result, Charlie Coyle was likely set to be the top true center in the free agent market. Nevertheless, the veteran forward just signed a six-year, $36 million ($6 million AAV) extension to stay with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The move not only gives Coyle a raise but also keeps him in Ohio until he is 40.
Red Wings beat writer Max Bultman recently linked Detroit with Coyle in an article with The Athletic. The writer listed several potential summer targets for the club, but claimed that the veteran was the “smarter play” compared to other centers. Due to Coyle’s age, Bultman suggested that he could have been a bridge to budding young stars such as Marco Kasper or Nate Danielson. However, Coyle is now off the board.
Detroit Red Wings Likely to Eye Trade After Missing Out on Charlie Coyle
GettyCharlie Coyle would have been a solid short-term addition to the Red Wings.
The financial terms of Coyle’s new contract with Columbus are certainly interesting. $6 million AAV for a quality veteran center is not necessarily an extreme overpay. Logan Stankoven, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexander Wennberg are all earning similar salaries. Coyle recorded more points in the 2025-26 season than any of these players.
Nevertheless, the length of Coyle’s extension has been met with surprise among NHL fans around the world. It seems fairly unlikely that the Detroit Red Wings would have given Coyle a six-year deal in free agency. With the veteran now unavailable, Detroit must now pivot to other options.
Free agency, however, now seems like an unlikely avenue for the Red Wings to grab a decent center. Instead, the club will surely have to strike a deal with another NHL team to strengthen the middle of the ice.
Detroit Has Money, Prospects to Make Big Trade
St. Louis Blues star Robert Thomas may be the best player available at the position. The asking price for the center remains extremely high, though. As a result, New York Rangers veteran Vincent Trocheck could become the most likely option for the Detroit Red Wings. Trocheck has been linked to Detroit before and would seemingly be a solid fit.
One thing working in Detroit’s favor is the fact that they have ample money to spend this summer. According to Puckpedia.com, the Red Wings have nearly $33 million in projected cap space heading towards the 2026-27 campaign. Detroit also has one of the top prospect pools in the NHL to help facilitate a significant trade.
Red Wings Miss Out on Top Free Agent Center Target