3 blueliners the Red Wings must avoid trading for in the 2024 offseason
The Detroit Red Wings need to acquire defensemen and goaltenders in 2024, but there are three potential trade candidates they should refrain from targeting.
The Detroit Red Wings could be in the trade market for a goaltender like Filip Gustavsson, but they should also strongly consider trading for a blueliner. Yet, considering how much the Wings struggled when they didn’t have the puck this past season, they need to be selective regarding which defenseman they would ultimately try to trade for.
There are three blueliners in particular that general manager Steve Yzerman should be cautious about who have recently entered the rumor mill. Two of them are players he should know rather well since they’re already playing in the Atlantic, and one is a former member of the division.
Could the following players factor in as solid additions in the Motor City if Yzerman settled for acquiring them? You can argue that they would, but overall, there are better options than this trio who, so far, haven’t lived up to expectations recently with their current organizations.
Timothy Liljegren, D/Maple Leafs
Timothy Liljegren is one of those classic cases of a former first-round pick who has yet to break out and even become more than a halfway decent player. He can be a physical presence, but you would expect more than just 17:56 of average time on ice throughout his first three full seasons, and that he would be more of an impact player in the defensive zone for a team that desperately needs one.
This isn’t saying Liljegren wouldn’t make a difference in Detroit, as the Red Wings could use rather physical players who are unafraid to get in front of and block shots. And he’s averaged nearly 100 per season between 2021-22 and 2023-24, but his issues involve consistency and availability.
The pending RFA has played in 183 games in the same time period, averaging just 61 per season. He’s not giving the Wings much of an upgrade if he’s missing an average of 21 games a year, so he would be a hard pass if the Toronto Maple Leafs tried to shop him, even to others within the division.
If there is any way to justify trading for Liljegren, it would involve throwing nothing more than a late-round pick Toronto’s way and acquiring him. But if the Leafs want more, there are better options.
Rasmus Ristolainen, D/Philadelphia Flyers
During his eight seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Rasmus Ristolainen logged top-four minutes and put up over a half-point per game with some of the worst teams in the NHL. That hasn’t been quite the same story with the Philadelphia Flyers, and it’s just one indication Ristolainen has regressed as a player.
So far, throughout his stint in the City of Brotherly Love, Ristolainen has averaged just 19:32 of ice time, over a four-minute decrease from what we saw with the Sabres, where he averaged 23:53.
Ristolainen’s contributions when his team has the puck have also been a far cry from his days with the Sabres, as he has just 40 points in 171 games played. So it’s not like he would make for an adequate replacement for someone like Shayne Gostisbehere should the latter go elsewhere.
Then there is the case for the fact Ristolainen has made fewer appearances than Timothy Liljegren, as he’s played in an average of just 57 contests per year since he debuted with the Flyers. Also, like Liljegren, the best trade package for Steve Yzerman regarding Ristolainen would entail him trading a late-round pick and placing the former first-round selection onto the third-pairing.
Ristolainen has accumulated 448 hits and 312 blocks in Philadelphia, and as mentioned so many times, the Red Wings could use a blueliner who can be physical. But that’s about all Ristolainen will give them, and right now, his best bet is to play somewhere on a third-pairing.
Erik Brannstrom, D/Ottawa Senators
The former 15th overall pick in 2017 and pending RFA may not be the only blueliner on the move from the Ottawa Senators, but there is a good chance Erik Brannstrom is about to wear out his welcome in the Canadian capital. As with the other two listed on the previous slides, Brannstrom’s most recent performances have been marginal, at best. He’s put up a meager 52 points and five goals in 203 games starting in 2021-22, with just 17:15 of average total ice time to show for it.
Brannstrom was supposed to be a key fixture for the Sens when the Vegas Golden Knights traded to Ottawa in 2019 in a deal that sent Mark Stone to Nevada. But when you take out the 19:46 of ATOI he gave the Sens in 2021-22, Brannstrom has averaged just 16:21 of ATOI over the past two seasons and has 38 points in 150 contests.
In his defense, Brannstrom’s advanced numbers are solid at even strength over the past two seasons. He’s been on the ice for more goals for than allowed, he’s well over 50 percent in the Corsi, his possession quality has been positive, and Brannstrom’s shown that he can play on the man advantage and at 4-on-5.
Brannstrom is one of those players who could be a solid addition, but it’s clear that a team would need to limit his ice time for him to play to his potential. The Red Wings need someone who can make a positive impact for between 22 and 24 minutes a game, and neither Brannstrom nor the other two listed in this slideshow will do that.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)