3 recently traded pending free agents who could ignite the Red Wings in 2024-25
Recently traded rentals are often a good place to begin when looking for future players for a team that came close to playoff contention the previous season. The Detroit Red Wings fit that criteria, and while they don’t need to sign anyone flashy for the upcoming season, they do need to fill the lower portions of their depth chart with enough talent to help turn some major weaknesses into adequate areas of strength.
The following names aren’t all-stars by any means, but you may agree that they will, among anything else, empower the Red Wings defensively. That said, two players listed could more than generate offense, too, even if there are good odds one will re-sign with his current team.
Joel Edmundson would be an underrated yet valuable stopgap
Many wouldn’t think to sign Joel Edmundson as his game is beyond one-dimensional, but after a year when the Red Wings scored so many goals, let’s be honest with ourselves: They don’t need a two-way player on the blue line to help them win hockey games; they need someone who can help them stop allowing so many shots on net and goals.
Edmundson could be the best recently traded player entering unrestricted free agency who would help them with that cause. He’s well over the one hit and block per game mark - 80 hits and 65 blocks across 53 games this past regular season. But what impressed me was the way he played following his trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
His on-ice save percentage at even strength was a sparkling 93.8, and Edmundson was one of the most trusted players in the defensive zone down the stretch, with nearly two-thirds of his starts occurring there. His xGA at even strength sat at 6.9, but he was only on the ice for five goals allowed.
No, Edmundson’s play won’t wow anyone, and it even comes across as boring. But the Red Wings have enough high-octane excitement to where they don’t need to add another big-time scorer or two-way player. It is necessary, however, to add a no-frills blueliner like Edmundson despite his lack of productivity in the offensive zone.