One pending unrestricted free agent the Red Wings can snag from each team in the Central Division
The Detroit Red Wings could look to the Western Conference and a few former division rivals to snag a big-name free agent or two.
Once upon a time, way back when, the Detroit Red Wings were part of the NHL’s Central Division, though it looked rather different than the one you see today. That said, Detroit had plenty of rivals that reside in that same Central Division today, mainly the Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, and the Winnipeg Jets (who would later become the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes).
The Wings were also members of the Central Division when the Nashville Predators entered the league. And when they last hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2008, Detroit also did so while in the Central. But when the NHL switched to four divisions before the 2013-14 season thanks mainly to the Atlanta Thrashers becoming the second incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets, the Red Wings became members of the Eastern Conference, where they reside in its Atlantic Division.
But what if we looked at the Red Wings former conference and took note of some players who could be on the move when free agency rolls around in July? Who would be ideal for general manager Steve Yzerman to acquire, and why would that be the case?
Brandon Duhaime, W/Colorado Avalanche
Hockey is a physical game, and the Red Wings play in the same division as some of the league’s most physical teams, like the Florida Panthers. Others, like the Buffalo Sabres, have also grown edgier in recent seasons, and there are few forwards who exemplify physicality better than Brandon Duhaime of the Colorado Avalanche.
He ended the year with 208 hits, and he nearly hit the three-per-game mark in his short stint with the Avs. In the 2023-24 playoffs, that number has increased to almost four, and he would single-handedly bring more fight to a Red Wings team that can use some from their forward group.
Chris Tanev, D/Dallas Stars
More physical play is something the Red Wings can afford, but so could finding more quality blueliners who are good at scoping out the puck. The experienced Chris Tanev kept 207 shot attempts from having a chance to reach his goaltender, and while the Red Wings have players who can block shots in the lineup - such as Moritz Seider - they could use another one.
Per contest, the Red Wings landed between 16 and 17 blocks in 2023-24, but they still allowed way too many shots on net. Signing someone like Tanev to a one-year deal would further remedy that issue and ideally provide more chances for the team’s scorers if he can both block and get puck retrievals.
Tyler Toffoli, W/Winnipeg Jets
If the Red Wings wanted to add even more power to their lineup, or if they were looking to swap out one unrestricted free agent and upgrade with another, Tyler Toffoli would do two awesome things. For one, he would help Detroit score even more goals, and for another, the 32-year-old wouldn’t be in town long if he was okay with signing a shorter deal for between two and three years.
His current contract carries an AAV of $4.25 million, slightly less than that of his previous deal. For a player who registered over 70 points just once in his career, it’s hard to see his overall AAV trending north, though it could happen if any specific team wanted him in their organization badly enough. But if he’s affordable this summer, Steve Yzerman could have a good value signing here that wouldn’t get in the way of a prospect for too long.
Tyler Johnson, C/Chicago Blackhawks
Should the Red Wings seek more depth scoring, and if someone like Tyler Toffoli is out of their range this July, Tyler Johnson is one of two solid consolation prizes in the Central Division. Despite playing for a poor Blackhawks team, Johnson still tied for fourth in the lineup with 17 goals, and his 15.2 shooting percentage ranked second out of all players who saw ice time in at least 65 games.
Johnson has also played for some strong Tampa Bay Lightning teams in the past and has even been a sound defensive forward throughout his time in the NHL. He’s an ideal player to insert onto the bottom-six, the third line more than anything else, and let him play his game.
Kasperi Kapanen, W/St. Louis Blues
If Tyler Toffoli and Tyler Johnson go elsewhere, Kasperi Kapanen makes for yet another decent complementary scorer, even if he’s a notch under Toffoli and Johnson. Kapanen found the net just six times last year, but the entire St. Louis Blues team took a step back in scoring, so it’s nothing to be too concerned about.
Kapanen has played well offensively, and he’s put up as many as 20 goals in a season in the past, which provides great value for someone who would be a lower-liner in the Motor City. Also, like Toffoli and Johnson, Kapanen plays a strong defensive game. And the more retrievals he could get for the Red Wings, that too will create plenty of scoring opportunities.
Kevin Lankinen, G/Nashville Predators
Ideally, we will see Steve Yzerman make a big trade and land a netminder who will reassure fans of better play in the blue paint. If such a situation were to occur, the Red Wings wouldn’t sign someone like a backup or a 1B in Kevin Lankinen. But if no trade materialized, he wouldn’t be a bad pickup.
From 2022-23 to the present, Lankinen played in just 43 games, but he also won 20 of them, posting a shutout, a 0.912 save percentage, and a solid 2.79 GAA. No, he shouldn’t play in over 30 games a year, but if the Red Wings trusted Alex Lyon with 1A duties and 45-50 starts, Lankinen could fare well in Michigan.
Alex Goligoski, D/Minnesota Wild
Marc-Andre Fleury coming into the Motor City for a year would be great, but since he already re-signed with the Minnesota Wild, it left Alex Goligoski as the only viable player worth listing. Still, bringing him in would have its benefits, as he’d provide outstanding insurance as a seventh blueliner who wouldn’t get in the way of Simon Edvinsson or anyone else.
Goligoski would also embrace the role better than someone like Justin Holl, and he would come on a short length for a much cheaper price than many blueliners on the market. He’s someone the team would rotate in for between 35 and 40 games and allow him to be a solid presence in the event of an injury or if the Red Wings rested another blueliner for maintenance.
Josh Brown, D/Utah
Like Alex Goligoski, Josh Brown would be a good, though nowhere near as experienced, rotational piece. But there is a solid chance a player of Goligoski's age retires, so Brown would be a great consolation, but a more physical one who can get in front of pucks often.
Brown played in 119 games with the Arizona Coyotes, and he recorded 264 hits and 203 blocks in that span. Overall, he wouldn’t provide much help in the offensive zone, but like Goligoski and Chris Tanev, Brown would keep pressure off of those manning the net.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)