Detroit Red Wings: Ken Holland talks trade deadline and Filip Zadina
By Bob Heyrman
It’s been a quiet start to the trade deadline season for the Detroit Red Wings. Usually, things start rolling after the all-star break, and that’s precisely what happened, except nothing has included the Wings yet.
With teams waiting to hear the fate of players like Mark Stone and Matt Duchene in Ottawa whether they will be resigned or dealt. Also, teams are waiting to see if Wayne Simmonds in Philadelphia will be moved. This is prolonging the Detroit Red Wings and Ken Holland from shipping the likes of Gustav Nyquist out of town, plus he has a no-trade clause.
Brian Boyle just got flipped to the Nashville Predators for a second-round pick. Nyquist is a much better offensive player than Boyle but not nearly as effective in the defensive zone. Boyle a large body who loves to rattle the boards, he has that nasty streak in him that power forwards’ need to apply in the playoffs to remain extra effective.
Just because the Devils got a second round pick for Boyle doesn’t mean Nyquist will automatically return a first round pick to the Red Wings. Boyle is strong in the faceoff circle and although like we mentioned he isn’t as offensively gifted he kills penalties and is tremendous in the faceoff circle.
The best case scenario for the Detroit Red Wings would be if the Sens were able to resign both Duchene and Stone prior to the trade deadline. This would elevate Nyquist’s trade stock by taking a pair of gifted scoring forwards off the trade board.
Other notable forwards being shopped around are Artemi Panarin, who the Jackets may decide to hold onto and use as their own rental player if they can’t get a contract extension done. As we previously mentioned Wayne Simmonds who is coming off of a core injury that has slowed his production this season. He’s only achieved 24 points in 52 games this season, but 16 of those points are goals.
Mats Zuccarello is another option but he like Simmonds is having an “off” year with the New York Rangers only recording 9 goals and 28 points this season. He’s missed a lot of time due to injury, but his point production is down from where it’s been in the past.