The 4 Nations Face-Off will pique the interest of a few Red Wings fans since they’ll have some players to root for as the high-stakes event kicks off. But there’s also an upcoming trade deadline that will continue to send shockwaves around the league, and you will see rumors floating around all month.
Now that we can confidently accuse the Wings of being real contenders this season, they’ll face some stiff competition among their peers in the Atlantic and Metro Divisions with what’ll likely be a wild card spot on the line. That said, buying is a necessity come March, but so is taking advantage of moving some of their own.
Not every player in Hockeytown has been effective this season, but it doesn’t mean those players wouldn’t provide value to other teams. There are three players on the Wings who haven’t benefited the team much in 2024-25 whose services could be used better elsewhere, even if that doesn’t appear to be the case on the surface.
Which players are these and what makes them so valuable elsewhere if not in Hockeytown? Two are seasoned veterans who could end up on opposite ends of the NHL universe, while another name on this list has yet to break out and the Wings would be better off cutting their losses.
1 - Vladimir Tarasenko
There shouldn’t be anyone topping the Red Wings trade block more than Vladimir Tarasenko. Judging from the numbers he put up last season, with 55 points and 23 goals in 76 games, I’d have said, “Yeah, signing someone of Tarasenko’s caliber is a great idea.”
In fact, I was optimistic when I heard the news back in July. Now, seven goals and 22 points through 53 games later, if I’m the Red Wings, I’m suffering from ‘buyer’s regret.’ This might be a situation where the player doesn’t fit the system well and would be much better off with another contender, or at least a team on the outside looking in.
Tarasenko could be the missing piece for a top-tier contender and, considering his experience, it wouldn’t surprise me if he was in high demand when the Wings make him expendable. It would also surprise me little if Detroit got a nice, little return for Tarasenko since he’s still a player some around the league would overpay for.
This isn’t saying that the Wings would get someone they could plug in and play immediately. But for now, if they can get another top prospect, a draft pick, or two for the ineffective Tarasenko, by all means, make that trade.
2 - Jonatan Berggren
Whether the Red Wings acquire a player who will please or displease their fans is irrelevant. Pawning off failed experiments and making them someone else’s problem should be something everyone in Hockeytown can agree on, and Jonatan Berggren is that failed experiment.
While Berggren has enjoyed a recent points surge, that “too little, too late” mantra’s already started taking shape. Berggren still has just nine goals and 17 points in 53 games. He’s got a respectable 14.1 shooting percentage, so I’ll give him credit where it’s due. But he hasn’t grown from his 15-goal, 28-point campaign in 2022-23.
Here’s another alarming fact: At even strength, the Red Wings have scored just 6.7 percent of the time with Berggren on the ice. That equates to just 17 on-ice goals all season for Berggren, so it’s time to let him go elsewhere, where another team, probably a bottom-feeder, can take a flier on him.
And if Berggren excels in a change of scenery situation? Who cares? Is anybody complaining if Berggren plays good hockey and the Wings remain serious playoff contenders? Probably not. It’s a situation where Steve Yzerman can just cut the organization’s losses surrounding Berggren, and move on.
3 - Justin Holl
One of a few bad contracts the Red Wings can get rid of, it wouldn’t surprise me if Justin Holl ironically found himself in rather high demand among the league’s bottom-feeders. No, not because they’d gladly take this bad contract or anything like that.
While Holl hasn’t given the Red Wings much since he arrived in Hockeytown, he does boast quite a bit of experience. And that’s the overall value he’ll give a team that’s either stuck in, or heading toward, rebuilding mode.
Not only would he be great to oversee a transition or a change of culture, but you can expect Holl to garner more than 15 minutes of ice time per game. Currently, Holl has one goal and five total points in 47 outings for the Wings, and he’ll also have a chance to provide a little more offense with a change of scenery.
No, it wouldn’t be an ideal situation for Holl if he gave the Wings more. But since he’s basically been used as an extra since his arrival, it would be a win-win for Holl, the Wings, and even a rebuilding team that acquires his $3.4 million AAV.