As Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen notes, with each passing hour, it feels more and more likely that the Red Wings’ Patrick Kane era is over. That’s both disappointing and a little concerning, because the free agent marketplace is particularly thin at forward:
The best remaining UFA forwards are Claude Giroux, Michael Bunting, Adam Henrique, Eeli Tovanen, Anthony Mantha, Vladimir Tarasenko and James van Riemsdyk. The last three are probably not an option under a been-there-done-that mindset. Giroux is interesting, but he has not been linked to Detroit.
Tolvanen has been linked to Detroit because he has the ability to score 16 to 20 goals while recording 200 hits per season. Tolvanen is likely to get a four-year deal worth at least $4.5 million per season.
Keep in mind that Dylan Larkin is making $8.7 million. If or when they trade him, depending upon the return, they could end up with more cap space.
At this point, the best hope of plugging holes may come from the players coming back in the Larkin trade. GM Steve Yzerman has made it clear that he wants a return that helps the Red Wings now, not four years from now.
The Red Wings are also looking at possible trades, although the No. 1 trade option Vince Trocheck is now in Utah.
Continued; at this point, I’m on Team Tolvanen, because he’s very well-balanced, but I honestly believe that the Red Wings will have to make a trade to address their needs at center in addition to trading Dylan Larkin for whatever return he provides.
None of the teams that Larkin has been linked to, both on his trade list and off of it, are willing to trade the kind of #1/2 center that Detroit will need, so the Wings will either have to make a secondary trade, or they’ll have to hope that the situation rectifies itself organically via prospects and an in-season trade.
