Detroit Red Wings: Ken Holland talks trade deadline and Filip Zadina
By Bob Heyrman
Ken Holland says it’s highly unlikely he will trade Kronwall.
I could see Holland wanting to resign Nick Jensen with Niklas Kronwall possibly retiring at the end of the season. That would leave a spot for Filip Hronek to be a regular right from the get-go next season, leaving Ericsson as the seventh defender. The Detroit Red Wings would potentially open the season with five veteran defenders (DeKeyser, Jensen, Daley, Green, Ericsson) and the latter three will all be free agents to be at the end of next season.
Ken Holland on Kronwall;
"“I never say never to anything. It’s my job to work the phones. But I do think out of respect for what he has accomplished and contributed to our organization, to our team, in his time, that he deserves to be involved in the process. Highly unlikely.”"
The Detroit Red Wings are expected to flip both Green and Daley at some point next season before the trade deadline. That leaves a young player like Gustav Lindstrom or Libor Sulak an opportunity to land a regular spot later on midway through next season.
Jared McIsaac has one more year of junior eligibility next season. Although he’s having a great season this year for the Halifax Mooseheads, I expect the Detroit Red Wings to allow him to marinate one more season in the QMJHL. IN 36 games he has 11 goals, 31 assists totaling 42 points and is a plus 17. There is a chance if he has a great camp and preseason similar to Dennis Cholowski this past summer, the Wings may give McIsaac a look before making a final decision whether to send him back or keep him.
The Detroit Red Wings may be able to sign Nick Jensen to a team friendly cap number, and he’s proven time and time again that he’s more valuable to this team than I initially thought he’d be. On the other hand, Holland could consider flipping Jensen and targeting a defenseman with greater upside via free agency. Jake Gardiner and Tyler Myers should both be at the top of the Detroit Red Wings list.