ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski posted an ESPN-insider-only article which discusses no less than SIXTEEN “fits” for one Steven Stamkos in free agency, and Wyshynski begins his list of “fits” with the team in red and white:
Detroit Red Wings: The connections here are obvious: No general manager spent as many years generally managing Steven Stamkos as Steve Yzerman, the current head of hockey operations for the Red Wings. Derek Lalonde, the team’s head coach, was Jon Cooper’s right-hand man in Tampa Bay during their two Stanley Cup championships with Stamkos.
The fit here is obvious: The Red Wings desperately need more offensive pop beyond their top line and have a glaring hole at center behind Dylan Larkin.
The Red Wings have a significant amount of salary cap space — $32.77 million, before bringing back Patrick Kane — and have cleared additional roster space with a (rather unpopular) trade that sent defenseman Jake Walman to San Jose. “We needed to move at least one contract to do some of the things we got to do,” Yzerman said.
Continued (paywall) with more talk of the Red Wings as a “fit” and much, much more…
