The Detroit Red Wings are proving their doubters wrong big time this season. At the time of this writing, the Red Wings are currently at the very top of the Atlantic Division standings with a 32-16-5 record and 69 points. With this, they undoubtedly have a great chance of snapping their nine-year playoff drought this season.
Given how well the Red Wings have been playing this season, they are standing out as a clear buyers for the 2026 NHL trade deadline. They have a few roster needs that they could look to address ahead of the deadline. Among them is adding another right-shot defenseman, as the right side of their blueline could use a bit more depth.
The Red Wings are also in a fantastic position to be buyers. According to PuckPedia, the Red Wings currently have over $30 million of cap space and just under $60 million of deadline cap space. With this, they could add another right-shot defenseman to their roster with ease if they want to.
When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, one defenseman who stands out is Winnipeg Jets defenseman Luke Schenn. Because of this, we here at Heavy Sports have a trade pitch that would have the Red Wings acquire Schenn from the Jets.
Red Wings Get:
- Luke Schenn
Jets Get:
- 2026 Third-Round Pick
Luke Schenn Is Open to Trade From Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are having a terrible 2025-26 season. After winning the Presidents’ Trophy this past campaign as the NHL’s top regular-season team, the Jets currently have a 20-24-7 record and are seventh in the Central Division standings. It has been a disappointing year for the Jets, and there is an expectation that they will be sellers at the deadline because of it.
According to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, Schenn is open to being traded to a contender.
“As I reported earlier today, Luke Schenn is open to a trade to a contender. Fairly early in the process, but something to keep tabs on between now and the trade deadline,” Pagnotta wrote.
With the Red Wings being one of the top teams in the NHL right now, they could make a lot of sense as a landing spot for Schenn. They would allow him the opportunity to play for one of the NHL’s most exciting teams on the rise, which could interest him.
Schenn Would Give Red Wings’ Blueline a Nice Boost
If the Red Wings acquired Schenn, he would give the right side of their blueline a boost. When looking at their current lineup, Schenn could be a nice replacement for Travis Hamonic on their bottom pairing. Furthermore, Schenn would give the Red Wings another clear option for their penalty kill because of his shutdown ability.
Schenn’s hard-nosed style of play would also make him a solid addition to the Red Wings’ roster. It is fair to argue that the Red Wings could benefit by adding a bit more toughness to their group, and Schenn would give them just that if acquired.
Schenn has recorded one goal, six points, 25 penalty minutes, and 115 hits. He also had over 200 hits in each of his four previous seasons.
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