Some say no news is good news. They also say good things come to those who wait. Perhaps both clichés are appropriate for evaluating the Detroit Red Wings 2025 trade deadline strategy.
I am not discrediting the portion of Red Wings fandom that feels disappointed by Steve Yzerman’s lack of big moves at the deadline. I get it. Detroit is salivating for postseason hockey, and it is a bummer that a playoff game has yet to occur inside Little Caesar’s Arena.
Yet Yzerman and the team played if safe, making only one trade on deadline day with the Chicago Blackhawks. A relatively minor move that sent Joe Veleno to Chicago in exchange for Craig Smith and former Red Wing goaltender Petr Mrazek. Whatever your feelings are on the team's deadline strategy, I offer three reasons that Detroit's conservative approach was the right way to go.
2025 was a major seller’s market
If ever a trade deadline favored sellers over the buyers, it was this one. Looking around the league at the major trades, players were fetching huge returns. The Colorado Avalanche gave up Oliver Kylington, the team's top prospect Calum Ritchie, a conditional 2026 first-round pick, and a conditional 2028 third-round pick just for Brock Nelson.
The Dallas Stars gave up rookie Logan Stankoven, two first-round picks, and two third-round picks for Mikko Rantanen. That's a ridiculous amount, considering Carolina had little leverage in the situation. Elsewhere, Brandon Carlo cost the Toronto Maple Leafs Fraser Minten and a 2026 first-rounder. Toronto also shipped Conor Timmins and Connor Dewar to Pittsburgh in the three-team deal.
The pattern here is that to land the more prominent names on the market costs teams a substantial amount. In nearly all cases, the costs included some combination of draft picks and top prospects. Detroit is not yet in the position to part with either. Speaking to the media on Friday, Yzerman made that clear. “We didn’t sacrifice or give up future assets, which we weren’t prepared to do for a rental player,” he said.
The teams that made big moves are all Stanley Cup contenders
The major buyers at Friday’s deadline all have one thing in common: they all have a legitimate shot at winning the Stanley Cup this season. The big spenders were Colorado, Dallas, Toronto, the Florida Panthers, and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
On the flip side, the big sellers were teams who are in rebuild mode, or at least have little chance of making the playoffs this year. The Seattle Kraken parted with seemingly half of their team. The Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks also traded current players for a stockpile of future assets.
The Red Wings are in the middle of the two ends of the spectrum. They are still in the crowded race to an Eastern Conference wild-card spot alongside Ottawa, Montreal, Columbus, Boston, and the New York Rangers. None of these teams in a similar position took major swings either.
The Red Wings might be in the home stretch of their own rebuild, but they are not ready to compete for the Cup. Even the most optimistic Wings fans shouldn’t expect much this season beyond a playoff berth and the outside chance of stealing a first-round series. The team’s draft capital and prospects are too valuable to sacrifice for a wild-card spot.
Reminder, even IF the Wings make the playoffs they are not serious contenders.
— Brad Krysko WWP (@BradKrysko) March 7, 2025
Only contenders should pay premiums for rentals.
If the Wings want to move mid round picks for a boost, sure.
They should not invest any premium assets unless it’s for a youngish player with term.
There are better potential moves to be made in free agency
The trade deadline is exciting but not the only time to make big moves. The most significant moves usually come in the offseason. Specifically when NHL free agency opens on July 1st. Last offseason, plenty of big names signed with new teams, including Elias Lindholm, Brandon Montour, Steven Stamkos, and Jonathan Marchessault.
2025 has no shortage of pending unrestricted free agents, even with Mikko Rantanen off the market. Looking at just the pending UFAs still in their prime years, the biggest names on the list include Mitch Marner, Aaron Ekblad, Ivan Provorov, Brock Boeser, and Nikolaj Ehlers.
Landing any of those players would be a massive get for the Red Wings. In particular, signing Marner to a long-term deal could completely change the trajectory of the team’s future. Marner is polarising amongst Maple Leafs fans, but much of the criticism is unwarranted. Playing for Detroit would allow Marner to remain with an Original Six franchise without the often ludicrous expectations and pressure of the Toronto media and fans.
I encourage patience from the Red Wings fandom. If you look at the franchise’s roster before Yzerman was hired compared to now, it is night and day. I still believe in the Yzerplan, and I look forward to seeing it come to fruition.