The Athletic’s beat writers discuss the “biggest unaddressed need(s)” of each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams a week into the unrestricted free agent period, and you won’t be surprised to find out that scoring is an issue that the Red Wings have yet to address:
A scorer: Yes, but it will take a big trade. The free-agent market was thin this year, and especially considering the Red Wings are still building toward an ultimate window that’s more in the future than the present, they need any such addition to be young (or young-ish). All eyes are of course on Alex DeBrincat, and to a lesser extent William Nylander, but both are expected to be pricey, both in acquisition cost and the potential contract they would command. That makes any potential trade a fine line to walk for a Detroit team that’s not in win-now mode and has to keep its big picture in mind. — Max Bultman
Continued (paywall); I wouldn’t buy into the Nylander hype.
