The Detroit Red Wings have some clear roster needs that they need to address ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. One of them is adding another top-four defenseman, as there is no question that the right side of their blueline is in need of a major boost.
The Red Wings should be looking to work fast, too, as multiple top defenseman trade candidates have already found new homes in recent days. Among the players who are now off the board that could have been good fits on the Red Wings’ roster include MacKenzie Weegar (Utah Mammoth), Tyler Myers (Dallas Stars), and Connor Murphy (Edmonton Oilers). The Buffalo Sabres also have a deal in place with the St. Louis Blues for Colton Parayko, but the big blueliner has yet to waive his no-trade clause.
With this, the Red Wings’ options for an upgrade to their blueline are starting to decrease. While this is the case, the trade market still has some interesting players left, and one of them is Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
An Ekman-Larsson trade could be on the way, as the Maple Leafs recently scratched him for roster-related reasons. With the Red Wings needing a top-four defenseman, they should strongly consider making a push for Ekman-Larsson.
Due to this, we here at Heavy Sports have a trade pitch that would have the Maple Leafs send Ekman-Larsson to the Red Wings in a big Atlantic Division swap.
Red Wings Get:
- Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Maple Leafs Get:
- 2026 First-Round Pick
- 2027 Fourth-Round Pick
Red Wings Have Been Linked to Maple Leafs’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson
With the Red Wings’ blueline in need of an upgrade, they have been linked to Ekman-Larsson. During a recent appearance on NHL Network, Elliotte Friedman named the Red Wings as one of the teams with interest in Ekman-Larsson.
“Ekman-Larsson, I’ve heard that it’s been teams like maybe Boston or Detroit have been among the teams that have been looking at him potentially,” Friedman said.
It would make a lot of sense for the Red Wings to make a push to acquire Ekman-Larsson from the Maple Leafs. The 34-year-old left-shot defenseman is capable of playing the right side, so he could slot nicely on their second pairing with Ben Chiarot. Yet, even if he played on Detroit’s third pairing, it is clear that he would still give their blueline a nice boost if acquired.
Ekman-Larsson would also be a good veteran for the Red Wings to have to help mentor their younger players during their push to the playoffs. This would not be a bad thing at all for a team on the rise like Detroit to have.
Red Wings Will Have Competition for Ekman-Larsson
With Ekman-Larsson being one of the top defensemen still available for trade, interest in his services should be high. This is especially so when noting that he has a $3.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season. As a result, the Red Wings will have competition for his services.
It will be intriguing to see if Detroit can land Ekman-Larsson from the Maple Leafs ahead of the deadline. He would certainly have the potential to be a strong addition to their group.
Red Wings Trade Pitch Lands $14 Million Maple Leafs D-Man