Detroit Red Wings: 5 forwards to pursue via trade ahead of the NHL Draft
By Bob Heyrman
The Detroit Red Wings are expected to be busy this summer. General manager Steve Yzerman recently spoke to the media and, like always, diverted expectations and continued to drive home the belief of building a competitive roster from within.
Yzerman is big on using draft capital to build a sustainable foundation. What does that mean exactly? It means rather than going out and overpaying for talent in free agency, Yzerman wants to draft and develop Detroit’s foundation, but by doing it that way, things take time. Time is something that isn’t necessarily running out for Yzerman because I am of the belief that he has as much time as he wants or needs from owner Christopher Ilitch. But it’s time for the Red Wings to take a significant step forward, whether that is making a blockbuster trade or signing a big-named productive free agent to accelerate Detroit’s rebuild. Dylan Larkin must have a sore back from carrying Detroit’s offense this past season; the man needs support.
This summer’s free-agent pool is about as weak as I’ve seen. With the abundance of trade rumors and talented players being made available, I sure feel that Yzerman will pull off some blockbuster deal leading up to or during the 2023 NHL Entry Level Draft. Yzerman recently mentioned that he anticipates using both of Detroit’s first-round selections next week rather than dealing them, but don’t forget, Yzerman usually holds his cards close to the vest and rarely tips his hand. Like most general managers, Yzerman won’t tell the media what he is thinking or planning to do. Take everything from his pre-draft press conference with a grain of salt.
The obvious trade target is Alex DeBrincat. You can read more about my thoughts in the link. DeBrincat is a Michigan kid, a two-time 41-goal scorer, and only 25 years old. I’ve also talked about how impactful William Nylander would be to the Detroit Red Wings if they could secure his services, but they should buy cautiously.