The Detroit Red Wings have a need to add more offense, and they are linked to trading for a sniper from an Eastern Conference team.
NHL analyst Dan Kingerski of PittsburghHockeyNow links the Pittsburgh Penguins to trading Rickard Rakell to the Red Wings.
“Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman was frank regarding his team’s needs: An impact top-six forward and a top-four defenseman,” Kingerski wrote. “Detroit’s competition for one of the eight Eastern Conference playoff spots has not gotten worse. So the responsibility is on GM Steve Yzerman to improve his Detroit roster. As the roster currently stands, 37-year-old James van Riemsdyk or 24-year-old Elmer Soderblom will be a top-six left wing.
“Neither would fill such a role on most teams, which only weakens the rest of the lineup. Rakell would make a perfect complement to either Dylan Larkin or sophomore center Marco Kasper. Perhaps no other team has more urgency or even necessity to get a deal done,” Kingerski added.
Rakell would be a top-six winger and add some much-needed offense to the Red Wings roster. He has three years left on his six-year, $30 million deal.
Rakell recorded 35 goals and 35 assists for 70 points in 81 games last season with the Penguins. With Pittsburgh looking to rebuild, Rakell’s name has come up in trade talks, and the Red Wings have the prospects and draft picks to make a trade happen.
Red Wings GM Wasn’t Surprised to Have Quiet Offseason
Despite Detroit being in the midst of a nine-year playoff drought, the Red Wings have had a quiet offseason.
Detroit acquired John Gibson to be their starting goalie. But, outside that, the Red Wings made more depth signings, which wasn’t surprising to general manager Steve Yzerman.
“Going into free agency, we all recognized that it was going to be difficult all around the League,” Yzerman said on July 3. “For whatever reason, there weren’t as many what we would all consider high-end free agents available this year. So, it wasn’t really a shock to us that we weren’t able to get anything done with any of the bigger-name guys.”
Although Yzerman has added some depth players to the roster, he says the Red Wings will continue to explore the trade market.
“It’s just been my experience over the years that things kind of work themselves out,” Yzerman said. “Opportunities arise. You try to force it or chase it. There’s too many years, too many dollars or you give up too much in a trade. Trying to be diligent, maybe patient. Just wait for the right player, the right opportunity. Whether it is in a trade or in free agency, to add to our lineup and use our assets wisely, if we can.”
The Red Wings have just over $12 million in cap space.
Penguins Only True Sellers in NHL
Heading into the offseason, most NHL teams were trying to get better.
However, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun reported that the Penguins are the only team actively trying not to get better.
“The Penguins are the only true seller right now, most teams at the bottom of the standings are looking to add, get better,” LeBrun reported on TSN 1050.
Pittsburgh finished the season with a record of 34-36-12.
Red Wings Linked to Trading for $30M Sniper