The Detroit Red Wings should consider trading for Travis Konecny.
The Philadelphia Flyers are rumored to be open for business as they begin an expected re-tool following a blockbuster deal that sent Ivan Provorov to Columbus. In addition to fielding calls on starting goaltender Carter Hart, who had been labeled the next Carey Price upon entering the league, and veteran forward Kevin Hayes, forward Travis Konecny is the latest name to surface in trade talks.
Konecny plays like a ball of fire; he’s just 5-foot-10 but is feisty by nature. The 26-year-old London, Ontario native is forward is a hard-working player Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman would love to add. Konecny is coming off a breakthrough year where he recorded a career-high 31 goals; that offensive production, paired with his age and continuous on-ice effort, is something Detroit will be seeking this summer.
Remember, the message being sent to the media from the Detroit brass at each level following the regular season had been pronounced. Yzerman, Dylan Larkin, and head coach Derek Lalonde all mentioned that the Detroit Red Wings needed to get tougher in the offseason. All cited that didn’t mean adding players that can only fight or, as Yzerman said, beat people up; Detroit wants to add players that are tough to play against.
Konecny can help the Detroit Red Wings on the power play and the penalty kill. His 31 goals and 61 points over 60 games this past season tied a career-high from 2019-20 when he totaled 61 points in 66 games. Konecny has two years left on his contract, carrying a very affordable $5.5 million cap hit.
The Detroit Red Wings have their fair share of sub-6-foot wingers, but Konecny plays with a bit of an edge and won’t shy away from stirring the pot on the ice. He’d fit nicely with Larkin and Raymond on Detroit’s top line but maybe even better with Marco Kasper (if he’s plugged in as the second-line center) and Michael Rasmussen or Andrew Copp. It might take a combination of pick no. 17 and a second-rounder, in a package of perhaps Joe Veleno or Filip Zadina, to secure Konecny.