The NHL’s trade deadline hits on Friday, March 7th at 3 PM EST.
This morning:
- Ahead of the deadline, Bleacher Report’s Sara Civian offers “6 mistakes [that] NHL teams should avoid” at the deadline, including some advice for the Red Wings…
DETROIT RED WINGS: The Athletic published a player agent poll earlier this week that confirmed at least two big shots in the hockey world hold the same opinion as a multitude of social media accounts: There are some doubts about the Yzerplan.
“They’re really unstable,” one said. “There’s no plan, although they may say there’s one.”
Take these things with a grain of salt. If anyone is going to have an agenda, it’s an agent. But you have to admit that the Yzerplan has been confusing and shrouded in mystery when it comes to direction.
Regardless, the hiring of Todd McLellan turned everything around to such an extent that whatever the Yzerplan was supposed to be has a real chance to end in success now.
The biggest problems ailing Detroit before the coaching change were brutal lack of sustained zone time, a weak penalty kill, and some general lack of cohesion. Goaltending wasn’t—and still isn’t—perfect, but it’s not the gravest concern.
The Red Wings could help their present and future with a few skaters built to move the puck and to bridge the gap between their youth movement and veterans. Especially with center Andrew Copp out for the season, it’s time to target all-around players who are effective in entering the zone and protecting the net.
GM Steve Yzerman has a great opportunity here to clarify and strengthen his plan. Will he take it?
2. The Athletic also makes one “bold prediction” for each NHL team at the deadline:
Detroit Red Wings
Prediction: They will add a defenseman.
The attention in Detroit has been on the center position, especially after Andrew Copp was ruled out for the season after undergoing surgery on his left pectoral tendon. And they could look to do something there. But the Red Wings have more internal options available at center than they do on the blue line, which is already thinned out after Jeff Petry’s injury. We’ll see if the Red Wings do anything major at the deadline (in a similar position last year, they stood pat), but if they do, defense seems like the better bet. — Max Bultman
Having William Lagesson as the team’s 7th defenseman is not ideal, but I remain fairly sure that Yzerman isn’t adding anybody unless they’re part of the long-term future…
Though the most probable position to add a rental is definitely on the blueline.
