Trade Pitch Sees Red Wings Add $7 Million Forward in Cap Dump For Defenseman

The Detroit Red Wings signed defenseman Justin Holl to a three-year deal, but through one season the contract has not panned out. Now, one trade pitch has Detroit dumping his contract in exchange for a forward.

The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Red Wings acquire Alex Kerfoot from the Utah Hockey Club.

Red Wings acquire:

• Alex Kerfoot

Utah acquires:

• Justin Holl
• 2025 second-round pick
• 2025 third-round pick

The proposed deal would see Detroit acquire Kerfoot in exchange for Holl, but the Red Wings would need to part with two draft picks to get off his contract.

Kerfoot is entering the final year of his two-year $7 million deal with Utah. The American would be a bottom-six forward with the Red Wings who could also help kill penalties. Last season with Arizona, Kerfoot skated in 82 games recording 13 goals and 32 assists for 45 points.

In return, Utah would get two high draft picks as well as Holl. The American defenseman has two years left on his three-year $10.2 million deal. Holl skated in just 38 games recording 0 goals and 5 assists. He played for six seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs before signing in Detroit.

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Holl Considered a Buyout Candidate for Red Wings

When Detroit signed Holl on July 1, 2023, he was expected to be a key figure on their blue line. However, in his first season with Detroit, Holl struggled.

After the season, Holl was considered a buyout candidate, but Detroit opted not to. NHL analyst Max Bultman of The Athletic believes the Red Wings could buy out Holl in the summer of 2025.

“Your point about the cap hit sitting in the press box is good. But, the Red Wings probably don’t expect to be quite as lucky injury-wise this season as they were in 2023-24. If that’s the case, Holl could play more this season. But if he doesn’t and he’s again a $3.4 million scratch for most of the season, I’d have to imagine they’ll explore a buyout next year, for just two years of dead cap at the same $1.13 million cost,” Bultman wrote in his article.

Holl isn’t even projected to be playing consistently for the Red Wings this season after Detroit went out and signed Erik Gustafsson.

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Red Wings GM Expects Team to Compete For Playoff Spot

Detroit barely missed out on the playoffs last season, and Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman believes his team will compete for a playoff spot this year.

“I think we’re in with that group of teams that has a chance to compete for the playoffs,” Yzerman said. “If we stay healthy, if our goaltending is good and players outplay your expectations, we might get in. Or you might just miss by a point on the last game of the season.

“That’s the fine line of it all. I look at the roster today and compare it to last year’s group; it’s a little bit different. It might be a little bit better fit as far as roles for players where they sit on the roster today,” Yzerman added.

The Red Wings haven’t made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season.

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