Here are two players Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman must find a way to move: J.T. Compher and Justin Holl. But Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now doesn’t see that happening. While Duff points out some of each player’s strengths, and if you look hard enough, you’ll find them, both flopped last season with the Wings.
And yeah, I get that there would be a challenge to move both Compher and Holl, since both carry a cap hit of $5.1 million and $3.4 million, respectively. Compher’s deal runs through 2028, while Holl’s heading into a contract season.
But again, neither has given the Red Wings much. Holl finished the season with eight points and two goals in 73 games, to go with a minus-7. He also spent an average of 14:48 on the ice per game, giving him less-than-typical third-pairing minutes when the season ended. While Holl got in front of 78 pucks, he did little else, turning the puck over 66 times and landing just 35 body checks.
Red Wings general manager must find a way to move Holl, Compher
Holl’s play never improved over the 2023-24 seasons, in which he made just 38 appearances. While it may be tough to move him because he’s an overpaid seventh defenseman, he’s the first blueline who needs to find employment elsewhere if Yzerman is to move anyone, with Erik Gustafsson, whom Duff also mentioned, a close second.
I recently wrote about Compher and compared him to the equally ill-fated Vladimir Tarasenko. Compher, whose production fell back to reality in 2024-25 with just 11 goals, 32 points, and a minus-7, looked more like a liability. Still, is anyone willing to take on that $5.1 million contract?
My answer? Yes and no. Yes, because between 2022-23 and last season, Compher showed he can play, finishing his final campaign in Denver with 17 goals and 52 points before coming to Detroit last season and logging 19 goals and 48 points.
He looked like another player the Wings could’ve added to their core before last season’s debacle. And since he’s often produced in the 30-40-point range, what we saw last season is what you’re likely going to get.
How can Steve Yzerman move Justin Holl and J.T. Compher?
J.T. Compher can be an excellent depth scorer for a deeper team, so if I were Steve Yzerman, I’d be trying to get him to an organization that needs a solid third-line center, particularly one who can score. In 2021-22 and 2023-24, Compher finished with shooting percentages of 17.6, and in 2020-21, that number sat at 21.3.
Yeah, it dropped to 11.0 and 11.2 in two of the last three seasons, but even that’s not terrible. So, he’s a decent depth-scoring option for someone looking to make a deep playoff run in 2026. Because of a 10-team no-trade list, it would be hard to move him to a surefire non-contender.
Holl also has a 10-team no-trade list, but with a lighter, shorter contract, moving him may not be so hard. While it would be tough to find a team willing to tie in a $3.4 million cap hit for a fringe blueliner, Yzerman could offer to retain some of Holl’s contract. Ditto for Compher’s, if it means getting a deal done.