The Detroit Red Wings are being linked with a potential blockbuster trade. While the NHL offseason has only just begun, there has already been a flurry of major moves. Stars such as Brady Tkachuk, Jordan Kyrou, Simon Nemec, and Bowen Byram have all changed teams in the last few days. Nevertheless, perhaps the biggest offseason trade of the bunch may be on the horizon.
Bleacher Report’s Adam Gretz has specifically named the Red Wings as the top landing spot for Columbus Blue Jackets superstar Zach Werenski. The Norris Trophy winner’s name has, somewhat surprisingly, been included in trade buzz in recent days. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently revealed that the Team USA defenseman will soon meet with Blue Jackets execs to discuss his future.
Werenski currently has two more years remaining on his $9.5 million AAV deal with Columbus. Although he is under contract beyond the 2026-27 season, Blue Jackets fans will be worried about the upcoming meeting. Like Werenski, Brady Tkachuk also had two more years left on his deal before letting the Ottawa Senators know he would not re-sign with the club. As a result, the American was swiftly sent to the Florida Panthers in a massive deal.
Assuming a similar situation occurs with Werenski, Gretz believes the Red Wings would be a great fit for the blueliner. The stellar defenseman is notably from the Detroit area and attended the University of Michigan. Werenski also previously revealed that he went to many Red Wings games as a kid and that he is a “fan of the city of Detroit.”
Zach Werenski Outperformed the Entire Detroit Red Wings Left Side of Defense in 2025-26
GettyTeam USA star Zach Werenski is widely regarded as one of the top defensemen in the NHL.
On top of the personal connection, the Detroit Red Wings would also love to solidify their blue line with Werenski. The center position is widely recognized as the most pressing need for the club at the moment. General manager Steve Yzerman alluded to this after the club failed to make the playoffs. A new star center is even more of a need for Detroit if they are to trade away Dylan Larkin this summer.
Nevertheless, the Red Wings also have issues with their defense. Despite acquiring Justin Faulk in the spring, Detroit’s blue line is still fairly lackluster. This is particularly the case on the left side.
At the moment, the Red Wings will enter the 2026-27 campaign with Simon Edvinsson, Ben Chiarot, and Albert Johansson as left-sided blueliners. Werenski, a left-shot defenseman, had 30 more points than the trio combined during this past season. Potentially pairing the Norris winner with righty Moritz Seider would give Detroit one of the best defensive lines in the NHL.
Detroit has Funds, Prospects to Make a Big Trade
Landing a superstar such as Werenski would obviously not be an easy task for the Detroit Red Wings. This is especially the case because Yzerman does not have a ton of quality draft picks to move in the near future. The GM does, however, have plenty of money to work with and a top prospect pool.
According to Puckpedia.com, Detroit has just over $29 million in projected cap space this summer. This figure would increase even more if Larkin is offloaded soon. The Red Wings would be able to handle a significant contract like Werenski’s. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler also recently ranked Detroit’s prospect pool as fourth-best in the NHL. As a result, they have several attractive young assets to make a major trade.
Red Wings Named Top Landing Spot for Team USA Superstar