3 players the Red Wings must target at the trade deadline after Dylan Larkin’s injury

Frank Vatrano’s scoring prowess could soar in the Motor City

Since the center class is rather weak, we won’t look to find a center to replace Larkin as much as we will a forward who can simply keep helping the team score, and win games. And besides Jake Guentzel, arguably the best winger in the 2024 trade deadline class is Frank Vatrano. 

With a cap hit of just $3.65 million, Vatrano fits easily into the Red Wings lineup without strapping the Red Wings for cash not just this year but also in 2024-25 if Yzerman called the Anaheim Ducks and facilitated a trade. Since Detroit is built to score a lot this season, Vatrano would be the best fit of any player listed, but Yzerman would also have to give up a lot to get him. 

Of the measly 162 goals the Ducks have scored this season, Vatrano has 29 of them or nearly 18 percent. So if Anaheim’s star player can produce so well on a bad team, what can he do with a group like Detroit? 

One, he would dramatically ease the team’s pain of being without Dylan Larkin, and two, he would take a team ranked fifth in the league with 216 goals (3.54 per game) up at least another notch. Then when Larkin returns, the Red Wings can adjust accordingly.