The Detroit Red Wings have had a whirlwind trade deadline, and they have yet to make a trade. However, rumors have been swirling from one direction to the other. With the remaining hours before the deal, there's still a chance to make a move.
The Detroit Red Wings may be cautious buyers this deadline and some folks have jumped ship, opting to be in the "selling" camp of fans. But, still staying alive in the playoff race, there's a feeling that the Red Wings can at least try to keep themselves in the hunt.
If Detroit wants to stay in the hunt, it may be a good idea for General Manager (GM) Steve Yzerman to pull the trigger on a trade. Whether it's a Hail Mary or not, there's still time for the Red Wings to get a deal done. Yzerman is known to use every second down to the wire, so don't count out a deal.
The Red Wings could have some deals up their sleeve, but keeping the theme of being buyers, here are a couple of different players the team could pursue in the waning hours before the trade deadline.
Detroit Red Wings should consider trading for these two players.
Goaltender Jacob Markstrom
This one might ruffle some feathers in the Detroit Red Wings fanbase. As some might say, it brings another cook into the kitchen and creates quite the logjam. Alex Lyon has been great and really emerged as a true starting netminder for the Red Wings organization.
Jacob Markstrom has been the Flames' netminder for the last four seasons and is under contract for the next two seasons as well. He's 34 years old, and the Flames are in the market to move him. His $6 million AAV is a bit much to stomach in the eyes of some, which makes it tough for the Red Wings with three goalies around already.
But we're talking "Hail Mary" deals. This move would cement James Reimer on his way out and raise serious questions about the value Ville Husso brings to the table while bringing in a new battery mate for Lyon to work with. It's an improbable move, but it would surely shake things up and add to the goaltending situation, which is Lyon/Reimer with Husso out injured.
Markstrom's 22-26-0 record, 2.62 goals-against average, and .911 save percentage are enticing, but the cap hit and corresponding moves are likely to be far too much for Yzerman to take. But it's trade deadline day—let's get a little crazy with the hypotheticals.
Defenseman Jakob Chychrun
Before continuing, a move to bring in a defenseman likely means that the Detroit Red Wings will flip another defenseman elsewhere. This could mean shipping out Justin Holl or dumping Jeff Petry, but adding another impactful defender to the mix could be worth it for Detroit as they look to stay alive.
Jakob Chychrun has been someone I've been hoping the Red Wings have been looking into acquiring for some time now. Plus, Chychrun plays for Ottawa, so fleecing the Senators (again) would make it an even sweeter deal for Detroit. Chychrun is under contract through 2024-25 with a $4.65 million cap hit.
It seems unlikely that the Red Wings will make a bigger move, but grabbing another defenseman would be a nice addition to the roster. After all, defensive struggles have been a problem. It's a shot in the dark, but that's what these "Hail Mary" ideas are meant to be.
The last few hours before the 3 p.m. ET deadline are upon us, and the Detroit Red Wings may not do anything. However, if they want to go big or go home in those last few hours, these are a couple of remaining names the team should consider.