Paul Stastny is 36 and will turn 37 years of age this upcoming season, but he’s been a relatively productive, tenacious two-way center for the past five years. As such, the Hockey News’s Mike Stephens tries to play “matchmaker” this evening, suggesting three potential landing spots for Stastny, including the Red Wings:
Detroit Red Wings
2022-23 Cap Space: $9,246,111Whereas the Canadiens have one foot in rebuild mode while still looking like a win-now team, the Red Wings are going full-steam ahead after a teardown of their own, throwing money at established veterans all summer long in an effort to make their roster competitive in the toughest division in hockey.
Stastny seems like the logical final piece to the puzzle GM Steve Yzerman has been building this offseason.
Not only do the Red Wings have a need for a useful middle-six centre to compliment Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp, but they actually have the cap space to give Stastny what he’s asking for, operating as one of the very few teams league-wide with upwards of $9 million in available funds to spend however they like.
No matter where Stastny goes, a short-term deal is likely all he’s getting — which works best for all parties involved, really. The Red Wings can exceed any offer Stastny receives, and their roster will be boosted in the immediate future by an effective and versatile veteran with plenty left in the tank.
Continued; the Red Wings already have Pius Suter slated to be their 3rd line center, the Red Wings have Chase Pearson no longer waiver-exempt in their prospect pipeline, and I don’t see a reason for the team to spend another $4-5 million on another middle-of-the-lineup guy.
The fit doesn’t make sense to me.
