The Detroit Red Wings have an influx of veterans in their system who are still NHL-caliber players, and that will cause some of the other 31 teams to inquire about their services. If the Wings can send some of these players elsewhere to either save cap space or even pick up a high-end prospect who could help them later, then why not do all you can to trade them if you're Steve Yzerman?
Moving a few players within a span of days isn't common, but not unheard of in the NHL, and a trade can literally happen at any time. There are three players on the Wings who might just see themselves with another organization as October fades into November. Who are they, and what would another team see in them?
1. Erik Gustafsson
Erik Gustafsson is currently in Grand Rapids, serving a role as a veteran presence to future Red Wings that he probably didn't envision for himself when he first signed with Detroit. So far, Gustafsson has seen time in three games with the Griffins and put up two points, which shows the league's other 31 teams he's willing to put in the effort to get back into the fold.
But unless injuries strike the blue line, it won't be in Detroit, and Gustafsson's services may be better spent elsewhere. Yeah, you might argue that if another team wanted him so badly, why didn't they just claim Gustafsson off waivers?
Well, over the course of the NHL season, injuries pile up, and players like Gustafsson, a seasoned veteran who has put up a good deal of points in some years, get valuable really fast. That's one reason there's a good chance he'll no longer be in the organization come Saturday.
2. Justin Holl
As with Gustafsson, injuries pile up, and suddenly players like Justin Holl get more attractive. Also like Gustafsson, Holl has been wallowing in Grand Rapids, appearing in four games and putting up two points.
While hardly a single Red Wings fan sees Holl in a positive light, it's easy to forget that he's a seasoned veteran who isn't afraid to do the dirty work on the penalty kill and get off the ice by the time his team exits the defensive zone with the puck. That kind of role gets important as the season shifts into November, meaning teams may inquire about Holl if they need a player who fits that role.
His contract may be a topic for discussion, but the Wings should have no problem retaining a portion of it if that means trading him elsewhere and ending the Justin Holl Saga for good. Steve Yzerman, at this point, would probably be fine snagging a fourth or fifth-round pick for the ill-fated blueliner.
3. Jonatan Berggren
Getting Lukas Reichel vibes here. Just as the Chicago Blackhawks dished a resurging Reichel to the Vancouver Canucks on Friday, Berggren makes a lot of sense to move at some point. One reason is to clear a spot for a player with more upside, and Nate Danielson could be the big winner here.
Danielson recently returned to action and put up two points in his first game back with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Should the Wings want to keep Danielson in the AHL since he is coming off a layoff, there's still Carter Mazur and Amadeus Lombardi, both of whom have more upside than Berggren.
Something that might redeem Berggren right now goes beyond his four points in five games; The Red Wings sent Michael Brandsegg-Nygard to Grand Rapids, and that might keep Berggren around past November, but there's a good chance he will be a trade chip at some point.