Prospect to sell: Carter Mazur
There is no way the Red Wings will make it through the trade deadline season in a potential blockbuster for Juuse Saros mentioned in the previous slide without giving up a lot in compensation. While we weren’t getting rid of the “untouchable” prospects mentioned earlier, a high-end prospect would still find themselves in Nashville's organization should the Red Wings make such a trade for Saros.
Carter Mazur could be that player in high demand, given the monster productivity he managed through two full seasons at the University of Denver. He had 75 points and 36 goals in 81 games during that time, and he has since transitioned well to the Grand Rapids Griffins, snagging six points and three goals in six contests in 2023 before putting up 29 in 44 games so far this season.
Mazur’s versatility is another characteristic of his game that would entice a team like Nashville to demand Detroit add him to such a trade package. While he could put on about twenty pounds of muscle in time, he also displays surprising strength, further making him a complete player whose game is not exclusively in just one zone.
Trading a talent like Mazur would be a heavy loss for the Red Wings, but they are also a team built to win now, while the winger figures to spend at least another season at the AHL level.