Detroit Red Wings: Nick Schmaltz a less-expensive upgrade to consider
By Tyler Kotila
When the Detroit Red Wings recently took on the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena, they had some players on display for fans to see. While the player most rumored to be dealt is Jakob Chychrun, and he is someone else the Red Wings have been tied to in the last few years.
But with the trade deadline starting to get closer, the Detroit Red Wings could be making a move. The big name that the Red Wings could be targeting is Bo Horvat from the dumpster fire that is the Vancouver Canucks organization.
That’s a big trade in itself for someone who would assuredly provide instant benefit to the top line or top-six. But the Coyotes have someone that could also be worth targeting from the Red Wings.
Forward Nick Schmaltz could very much so be someone who benefits the team’s top six. He stood out in the team’s match-up, and it got me thinking, but he’s not an expiring free agent, so the trade is a bit less likely.
Then this tweet from Devin Little of The Hockey Writers got me thinking.
Acquiring Schmaltz only felt like a pipe dream, but with some connections to the head coach, it makes it seem like a least within the realm of possibility. Schmaltz is under contract through the 2025-26 season with a $5.85 million AAV, but it’s worth considering.
Detroit Red Wings should target Schmaltz for a less expensive addition.
Horvat is clearly having the superior year and is all over the rumors for possibly being moved. Even with the tweet mentioning the underappreciation of Schmaltz, I think Horvat takes the cake with ease.
But Robinson’s tweet is onto something. Schmaltz has 11 goals and 17 assists for 28 total points through 34 games played in 2022-23. But even in the game against the Red Wings, with a small sample size, it’s easy to see how Schmaltz could benefit the forward core.
He’d slot into the Red Wings’ top six and easily fill a gap that Tyler Bertuzzi could leave (if he were to get traded). With Bertuzzi in the mix to get traded, keeping the top six stocked could be in the plans for Yzerman.
Schmaltz having a lengthy contract makes him less likely to get moved, but he surely would bring a punch to the top six. Plus, a connection to head coach Derek Lalonde makes it at least seem a little more plausible.
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The Red Wings have time before the trade deadline, and Schmaltz is not exactly being shopped around, but adding a playmaker like him to the top six would only help bolster things. Even if the Red Wings are quiet at the 2022-23 deadline, keep an eye on Schmaltz as someone the Red Wings could target down the line.