Daily Faceoff’s Scott Maxwell posted a list of 6 players who he believes might be “dumped” by teams that will “buy” at the NHL’s March 7th trade deadline, and I’d like to know how the Wings could possibly move these two players:
Erik Gustafsson/Justin Holl, Detroit Red Wings
$2 million AAV w/ one year remaining | $3.4 million AAV w/ one year remaining
It doesn’t take an expert to recognize that the Detroit Red Wings have an issue with their defense. This season, they have the 10th-worst 5v5 expected goals against per 60 minutes on the year with 2.62. That hasn’t exactly improved under Todd McLellan either, as that number has increased to 2.79, the 7th-worst in the league, since he took over. But, that isn’t all on the coach, as the Red Wings blueline isn’t built to be a playoff contender’s.
The biggest issue with the Red Wings D-corps is how many bodies they have to work around. Beyond their younger options in Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson, they also have Ben Chiarot, Justin Holl Jeff Petry, Erik Gustafsson and William Lagesson, and that’s after already moving on from Shayne Gostisbehere, Jake Walman and Olli Maatta in the last calendar year. If the Red Wings were to make a much-needed addition to their blueline, at least one body will have to go the other way for roster space alone, never mind the fact that Detroit is working with less than $2 million in cap space right now.
Continued; if the Wings could upgrade their blueline with Gustafsson or Holl moving the other way as a compensatory warm body, they’d jump at it, but I find it hard to believe that two players with another year remaining on their contracts can be moved so easily.
