The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline feels different in Hockeytown.
For the first time in the Steve Yzerman era, the Detroit Red Wings aren’t squinting at the standings and convincing themselves they’re “close.” They’re actually in it, near the top of the Atlantic Division and armed with nearly $13 million in cap space.
But here’s the thing about being deadline buyers: You can’t buy unless you’re willing to sell something. And if this truly is the moment when the Yzerplan shifts from patience to pressure, the more important question isn’t who Detroit will target; it’s who they absolutely will not trade.
Let's start with the non-negotiables. Captain Dylan Larkin isn’t going anywhere. He's the culture-setter Yzerman drafted, developed and empowered, and his speed, two-way commitment and leadership define this era of Red Wings hockey. If you’re building a contender, you don’t trade your standard-bearer.
Elite right-shot defensemen in their early 20s don’t get moved, so that rules Moritz Seider out as well. Seider logs the hardest minutes every night and still drives play. He’s the backbone of Detroit’s blue line for the next decade.
We can also rule out Lucas Raymond, who has crossed the line from “promising” to “legitimate play driver.” His creativity, hockey IQ and growing playoff-ready edge make him a core offensive piece. He’s not a trade chip — he’s part of the reason you’re buying.
Beyond the three no-brainers in Larkin, Seider and Raymond, the Red Wings have some other pieces who are bordering on untouchable in trade talks.
The only pending RFA due for a significant extension, Simon Edvinsson represents Detroit’s future size-and-skill blueprint on the left side. With the cap rising, there’s no financial pressure to move him. Trading him now would contradict everything the organization has preached about drafting and developing.
Teams will almost certainly inquire about goaltender Sebastian Cossa as well, but he was drafted to be the long-term answer. Even with John Gibson stabilizing the present, Cossa is insurance — and the future successor. You don’t deal that unless the return is truly transformational.
The conversation starts to get uncomfortable around a guy like Carter Bear, a recent first-round pick with offensive upside and a relentless motor. If Detroit wants to land a legitimate top-six center — say someone in the mold of Robert Thomas or Elias Pettersson — Bear is the type of asset that would headline a package. He’s not untouchable, per se — but he's not casually available, either.
The Red Wings’ future will be tested at the trade deadline
Yzerman’s entire rebuild philosophy has centered on patience, internal growth and asset preservation. That’s why Detroit still owns its 2026 and 2027 first-round picks. That’s why the prospect pool remains loaded. But if the Red Wings truly believe they’re one legitimate second-line center away from being dangerous in the Eastern Conference, then the move has to support the core — not jeopardize it.
Larkin, Seider and Raymond are the ironclad trio of untouchables. Edvinsson and Cossa are about as close as it gets to that tier. Everyone else? It depends on the magnitude of the return.
This deadline won’t just test the Red Wings’ roster. It will test Yzerman’s conviction. Does he stay patient and protect every premium asset? Or does he recognize that rebuilding teams eventually have to take a swing?
The Yzerplan was always about sustainable contention rather than reckless aggression. But sustainable doesn’t mean passive forever. If Detroit is ready to contend, the untouchables must stay untouchable. And the rest of the league is about to find out exactly who those players are.