The Detroit Red Wings acquired a 5th round pick and prospect Hayden Verbeek (Pat Verbeek‘s nephew) for defenseman Jon Merrill. After TSN’s Elliott Friedman mentioned Merrill during Hockey Night in Canada, it felt like this move was inevitable.
What the Red Wings Receive
Another shot at a draft pick. Detroit gets what was originally Ottawa’s fifth round pick, which will be higher up the board than Philadelphia’s, Montreal’s other fifth round pick. In Verbeek, the Red Wings are getting a guy who scored 30 goals in junior with Soo back in 2017-18 and currently has three points (1-2) with Laval in the American Hockey League. This clip on below shows one of his four goals during the 2018-19 season with Laval:
We’ll see where he fits in Grand Rapids, and if he’ll find time with the big club.
Did the Red Wings win, lose, or draw on the trade?
I don’t know if it’s a win like the deal for the Savard trade was. I feel as if Merrill should have brought more back as he has been one of Detroit’s better defenseman this season. In Alex’s look at West trade partners, his realistic option of Merrill getting a fourth or high end, a third, seemed more in line with a fair return. A fifth seems on the low end unless there’s more to Verbeek than we know. It’s Yzerman after all and he’s brought in guys (see Adam Erne) who have taken off. Conversely, he’s made a couple deals that didn’t pan out either. But are we really going to split hairs?
I feel it’s an underwhelming return for Merrill but time will be be the indicator as to how the Wings did on the deal. The real loser here could be Dennis Cholowski if after two deals that opened up spots on the Red Wings blue line, he doesn’t get regular ice time, especially with both Danny DeKeyser and Alex Biega being exposed to waivers again.
Who else is left as the Deadline nears?
Luke Glendening, Jonathan Bernier, Marc Staal, Sam Gagner (though hurt), and Darren Helm all remain options to be dealt before tomorrow’s 2 pm deadline. Yzerman has made a deal over the last three days, and it’s likely he’s not done. What’s interesting, however, is that many of the names thought to go might be staying after all.
The Red Wings still have room for one more contract to retain money on.
What else does the Captain have up his sleeve?