The Detroit Red Wings were active on the trade front on June 25, as the team made two trades, including dealing defenseman Jake Walman.
The Red Wings’ most notable deal of the day was the second of two deals they made. Detroit traded Walman and a 2024 second-round pick to the San Jose Sharks for future considerations.
UPDATE: The #RedWings today traded a 2nd round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft (originally Tampa’s) and Jake Walman to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for future considerations.
Walman has two years left on his three-year $10.4 million deal. He’s set to make $3.4 million in each of the next two seasons, so Detroit gets off the salary which gives them more cap space heading into free agency.
The Red Wings are set to enter the offseason with just over $32.7 million in cap space following their two trades.
This past season, Walman recorded 12 goals and 9 assists for 21 points in 63 games. Detroit had acquired Walman on March 21, 2022, along with Oskar Sundqvist, and a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft to the St. Louis Blues for Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski.
Red Wings Makes Deal Involving Prospects
Detroit’s first trade was acquiring a 2024 second-round pick, which they traded in the Walman deal, and Jesse Kiiskinen from the Nashville Predators for Andrew Gibson.
UPDATE: The #RedWings today acquired a 2nd round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft (originally Tampa’s) and forward Jesse Kiiskinen from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Andrew Gibson.
Kiiskinen was drafted with the 68th pick by Nashville in the 2023 NHL draft. The Finnish forwards played in the SM-liga, a pro league in Finland last season, and recorded 4 goals and 6 assists for 10 points in 36 games.
In return, the Red Wings traded Gibson who is a 19-year-old defenseman. Gibson was drafted 42nd overall in the 2023 NHL draft and played last season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the OHL. In 68 games, he recorded 12 goals and 32 assists for 44 points.
Red Wings GM Says Offseason Plans is ‘a Bit of a Puzzle’
Detroit failed to make the playoffs last season, but the Red Wings did take a step in the right direction.
The Red Wings finished the year with a 41-32-9 record and were tied in points with the Washington Capitals. But, Washington earned the final playoff spot because it earned the tiebreaker with 32 regular-season wins
Although Detroit did not make the playoffs, general manager Steve Yzerman says he’s encouraged by the progress the club is making.
“Overall, I’m encouraged by the progress of the organization and the development of some of our younger players,” Yzerman said, via NHL.com. “I’m kind of disappointed, as most people are, at the end of the season here because it was, particularly the last week of the season, incredibly exciting.”
Detroit, however, enters the offseason with several key free agents like Patrick Kane, Christian Fischer, David Perron, Daniel Sprong, and Shayne Gostisbehere among others. Entering the offseason, Yzerman says it is a puzzle to decide what pieces to bring back and who to let go.
“It’s a bit of a puzzle,” Yzerman said. “We have some restricted free agents who have to sign too that are going to have a significant impact on our salary cap, regardless of whether we go short or long term. I have an interest in bringing back all those players to a certain level.”
The NHL offseason begins with the first round of the NHL draft on June 28 and the opening of free agency on July 1.
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Red Wings Make Multiple Trades Including Dealing $10.4 Million Defensemen