Ahead of the start of unrestricted free agency on Wednesday, the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan, Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen and The Athletic’s Max Bultman have all considered the free agent marketplace as it applies to the Red Wings’ desire to add a couple of forwards to their mix, but there’s only one player that’s truly “on my radar,” via Bultman:
Perhaps the most surprising name to go unqualified Monday was Blackhawks centerman Pius Suter, who put up nearly a half-point per game as a rookie last season in Chicago. Red Wings fans will remember he scored his first career goal against the Red Wings — as well as two more in the same game to complete the hat trick.
In fact, he scored five goals against Detroit last season, so the Red Wings brass should be plenty familiar with his name. He was a breakout player for the Blackhawks, playing 16 minutes per night, and playing a premium position at age 25, he immediately becomes a player of interest for teams looking for centers — which should be just about all of them.
Can the rebuilding Red Wings get him on board? They certainly can’t sell him on Stanley Cup contention, but they may be able to offer some of the most available playing time, with the potential to slot onto the second line. Suter’s 27 points last season would have led the Red Wings.
Continued (paywall); Bultman suggests that Nick Ritchie, Dominik Kahun, Ondrej Kase and Ryan Donato could all be “fits” for the Wings, but in my book, you go for the sniper.
Would love to see him in red