As the calendar turns from 2025 to 2026, that also indicates the NHL trade deadline will quickly approach. The Detroit Red Wings find themselves at a bit of a crossroads. The Red Wings find themselves atop the Atlantic Division, but it became evident this past Saturday in Carolina that they're still a few steps behind the top teams in the league.
The team may opt for an “addition by subtraction” strategy, where moving out certain players would free up both salary cap space and valuable roster spots for potential upgrades. Two names that I could see surface in trade speculation are forward JT Compher and, albeit a less likely candidate, goaltender Cam Talbot, whose contract is expiring.
I don't want to sugarcoat it, Compher simply hasn't performed well for the Red Wings. He's notched four goals and 12 points through 40 games this year and is a minus-8. Over his past 15 games, Compher hasn't scored and has only recorded three assists and 12 total shots on goal. During this span, he's averaged just over 14 minutes of ice time.
That's nowhere near good enough for a player earning $5.1 million annually. I wouldn't be surprised if Steve Yzerman tries to include Compher in a package during his deadline negotiations, perhaps pairing him with a prospect and draft choice in hopes of upgrading the roster with a player such as Ryan O'Reilly, Tyler Bertuzzi, or Nazem Kadri.
Trading Cam Talbot would be a bold move for the Detroit Red Wings
Meanwhile, Cam Talbot, a pending free agent, has started 20 games and posted an 11-6-2 record backed by a 2.94 goals-against average with a 0.889 save percentage, helping to stabilize the crease. Talbot has paired very well with fellow veteran John Gibson this year for the Red Wings, suggesting this idea is likely a long shot.
But if Yzerman plans on deploying the combination of Gibson and Sebastian Cossa next year, doing it a few months early and landing any return for Talbot, who might be walking in free agency, isn't out of the question. Cossa has been tearing it up in Grand Rapids this year, posting video game-like numbers. Cossa is 15-1-0 with a 1.57 goals against average and a 0.940 save percentage.
Freeing up Compher’s and Talbot’s salaries would allow the Red Wings to enhance their cap flexibility, particularly heading into the summer, and allow them to pursue upgrades that are more than just rentals, such as Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bertuzzi, or Ryan O’Reilly.
Kadri, currently with the Calgary Flames, has 31 points (8 goals, 23 assists) in 38 games, while O’Reilly, now skating on the Nashville Predators' top line, has 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists) in 37 games this season. Each represents a significant boost to Detroit’s center depth, allowing Andrew Copp, who has performed well this year centering the second line, to slot in as the third-line center.
Bertuzzi, 30, as I recently mentioned, would be a great addition to Detroit's top-nine. He's amassed 19 goals and 29 points over 35 games this season with the Chicago Blackhawks. Bertuzzi is in year two of a four-year, $5.5 million AAV contract, and, like the previous two mentioned, he is more than a rental option for the Red Wings.