Trade Pitch Has Red Wings Adding Star $76 Million Defenseman in Blockbuster

The Detroit Red Wings are looking to end their playoff drought and one trade pitch has the team acquiring a superstar defenseman.

The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Red Wings acquire Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks.

Red Wings acquire:

• Seth Jones

Blackhawks acquire:

• JT Compher
• Justin Holl
• 2025 third-round pick (Boston’s)

The proposed deal would be a blockbuster as Detroit would acquire Jones for two NHL players and a draft pick. It’s also a deal that both teams get off contracts that are considered bad.

Jones is entering the third year of his eight-year $76 million deal. The star defenseman has struggled to live up to the contract but is still a solid NHL defenseman. Jones would be a first or second-pairing defenseman for the Red Wings. Last season with Chicago, the five-time NHL All-Star recorded 8 goals and 23 assists for 31 points in 67 games.

In return, Detroit would deal a third-round pick and two players. Compher is a winger who could be a bottom-six forward in Chicago. He’s entering the second year of a five-year $25.5 million deal. Last season, Compher recorded 19 goals and 29 assists for 48 points in 77 games.

Holl, meanwhile, was supposed to help the Red Wings blue line, but he struggled to stay in the lineup and was a healthy scratch at times last season. He has two years left on his three-year $10.2 million deal.

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Red Wings GM Wants Team to be Better Defensively

Entering the 2024-25 NHL season, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman says the goal is for his team to be better defensively.

In the offseason, Detroit added impact players like forward Vladimir Tarasenko, goalie Cam Talbot, and defenseman Erik Gustafsson. Heading into the season, Yzerman believes the team is better.

“We need to be a better defensive hockey club top to bottom,” Yzerman said on September 17. “Our special teams has to be good. Our special teams both improved last season and we scored more goals. We gave up too many to make the playoffs, but you have to be solid in those areas. You can get by with not having the best power play or penalty-killing unit, but you better be solid in other areas. The key, ultimately, to long-term success is being a good defensive hockey team.”

Detroit finished last season with a record of 41-32-9 and barely missed out on the playoffs.

“I want to see progress in our team as a whole in all the areas we’ve talked about and individually from our younger players,” Yzerman said. “As long as we’re moving in the right direction, I think it’s positive.”

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

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Blackhawks Name Nick Foligno Captain

Ahead of the 2024-25 NHL season, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson named forward Nick Foligno the 35th captain in franchise history.

“Last year we had Seth Jones, Connor Murphy, and Nick Foligno wearing letters (as alternate captains). We’re going to keep that same group. We’re going to make one change, and we’re excited tonight to announce that the 35th captain in Blackhawks history we’re going to name: Nick Foligno,” Davidson said.

After the announcement, Jones said Foligno was the perfect choice to be the captain.

“He’s the perfect man for the job for this team,” Jones said. “I think he’s a great leader, on and off the ice. He leads by example, but he’s also a great communicator, whether it’s a young guy or an older guy, whether we’re playing well or they need to work on something. He’s always there to kind of fill that gap, especially between coaches and players as well.”

Chicago opens its 2024-25 NHL season on the road on October 8 against the Utah Hockey Club.

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