The Detroit Red Wings are in position to make some moves ahead of the March 6 trade deadline, as they are in a position to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The Red Wings have two needs at the trade deadline, one of them is a second-line center. But, Red Wings General Manager Steve Yzerman wants to bring in a player with term remaining on their contract.
Thus far, it looks like the Red Wings are linked to some of the top centers available ahead of the trade deadline.
Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos released his fourth edition of his NHL trade board, the first since the end of the Winter Olympics. Kypreos linked the Red Wings to two of the top centers available in Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues and Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks.
Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos links Red Wings to Robert Thomas and Elias Pettersson
Let's start with the biggest name and arguably the largest domino to potentially fall at the deadline, and that's Pettersson. The Canucks have let it be known since the early stages of the season that they were planning on rebuilding. They backed that up by trading Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild and Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks. There are plenty of other players Vancouver could trade but Pettersson is now the biggest asset they could make available.
Here is what Kypreos said regarding the Red Wings and Pettersson:
"Another team to watch here is the Detroit Red Wings, an organization that has had great success with Swedish players in the past. They certainly have the assets to make a Pettersson deal happen."
The thing with Pettersson is he has shown in the past that he can be an impact player. But in recent years, his production fell off the proverbial cliff. In the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, Pettersson put up 102 points and 89 points, respectively. But last season, Pettersson put up 45 points through 64 games. Through 49 games this season, Pettersson has just 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists).
His recent numbers aren't great, especially when considering Pettersson carries an $11.6 million cap hit annually through the 2031-32 season. The Red Wings would have to bank on the Canucks being willing to retain some of the salary. If the Canucks want a strong return, they'd have to retain some of Pettersson's salary.
As for Thomas, he has been long linked to the Red Wings. The thing is, the Blues are reportedly not going to give him up for nothing, as they are seeking a huge return for one of their top centers. But Kypreos said that if there is any team that has the assets to pull off a trade for Thomas, it's the Red Wings.
"Thomas seems to be linked to Detroit, and if a team has the assets to satisfy Armstrong, my best guess is that the Red Wings are it," writes Kypreos. "They are looking for an impactful guy. I have already mentioned Detroit alongside Pettersson, but they could be sniffing around on Thomas, too."
Thomas would be a huge get for the Red Wings, as they look to shore up their top six forward group. Looking at recent years, Thomas put up over 80 points in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. This campaign has seen a drop-off, as he has just 33 points through 44 games.
For Thomas, he is under contract until the summer of 2031 and carries a $8.25 million cap hit annually. Considering he is the Blues' top producers, even with a decrease in numbers, it's understandable why they would want the farm for him. If Yzerman is serious about addressing needs to help the team not only make the playoffs, but also make a legitimate run at the Stanley Cup, he will have to give up a lot to do so. Will it be for Pettersson or Thomas? We'll find out by March 6.