| Detroit Free Press
Bobby Ryan: Why he’s loving being a member of the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings forward Bobby Ryan, Feb. 26, 2021.
Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press
General manager Steve Yzerman projects to have several options to add to the rebuild over the coming month as the Detroit Red Wings once again present as sellers at the NHL trade deadline.
The Wings (8-16-4) are on pace to miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season. That was expected, because the team has yet to boast the kind of lineup that can compete for the Stanley Cup. To that end, the Wings stand to add draft picks and possibly prospects as teams headed for a playoff run stock up before April 12.
The trade deadline falls a little more than three weeks before May 8, which is when the 56-game season is scheduled to end. Trades between U.S. and Canadian teams have been complicated by the pandemic, because of a 14-day quarantine requirement for players entering Canada — but the NHL has been trying to get that changed.
Most of the Wings expected to garner interest are in the last year of their contracts, but not all. Most are veterans, but neither Valtteri Filppula nor Frans Nielsen, for example, made the list. Nielsen is solid defensively and has had a decent season (one goal, four assists, minus-1 in 21 games) but he’s 36 and carries a $5.25 million cap hit through 2021-22, so that’s prohibitive. Filppula (two goals, three assists, minus-4 in 20 games) is on an expiring contract with a $3 million cap hit, but he turns 37 next week and hasn’t performed to expectations. Both have cleared waivers this season.
REBUILD CHECK: Steve Yzerman generally pleased with Red Wings, despite record
There are players on this list (Sam Gagner, Darren Helm, Jon Merrill) who have had COVID-19, which could work in their favor. It’s less likely to get it more than once, so there’d be less concern of losing a player to quarantine (minimum two weeks, and that’s with a quick recovery) with the playoffs on the horizon.
Several players aren’t listed because of their importance to the rebuild – a group headlined by Dylan Larkin, Tyler Bertuzzi, Filip Zadina, and Filip Hronek.
Here is an early look at who is in play and the probability of being traded.
ONE YEAR LATER: How Red Wings coped with stress, unknowns during pandemic
G Jonathan Bernier
Stats: 7-5 in 14 appearances, .910 save percentage, 3.02 goals-against average.
Contract: In last year ($2.5 million salary/$3 million cap hit).
Buzz: Teams generally are set in goal at the trade deadline, but sometimes injuries spike interest, as was the case in 2018 when the Philadelphia Flyers made a successful bid for Petr Mrazek. Bernier would garner interest, but the problem for Yzerman is there’s no prospect in the farm system ready to assume NHL duties, and veteran Calvin Pickard hasn’t distinguished himself (4.66 GAA, .821 save percentage in four appearances with the Wings over the past two seasons).
Trade probability: Low.
D Christian Djoos
Stats: 2 goals, 4 assists, minus-9 in 24 games.
Contract: In last year ($1 million salary & cap hit).
Buzz: The Wings claimed Djoos, 26, off waivers in January. He’s prone to defensive mistakes but has a nice shoot and could be a good addition for a contender as a power play/third-pairing guy.
Trade probability: Low.
F Luke Glendening
Stats: 3 goals, 5 assists, minus-3 in 26 games.
Contract: In last year ($1.5 million salary/$1.8 million cap hit).
Buzz: There’s perennial interest in him at the trade deadline thanks to his speed, sound defensive instincts, faceoff prowess and an elite level of competitiveness – all of which adds up to a bargain with his contract. I don’t see Yzerman moving Glendening, though, unless there’s an understanding he will re-sign in the offseason. Even though he’s 31, Glendening is valuable to the rebuild because he helps set the tone for the culture in the locker room.
Trade probability: Medium.
[ Red Wings midseason grades: A few disappointments, but not as many as you’d think ]
F Sam Gagner
Stats: 4 goals, 5 assists, plus-4 in 20 games.
Contract: In last year ($850,000 salary & cap hit).
Buzz: Gagner, 31, should garner interest because he shoots right, works hard, is a great character guy, and is affordable. All of his points have come at even strength, but put him on a power-play unit on a contender and he projects to be a nice, inexpensive addition.
Trade probability: Medium.
F Darren Helm
Stats: 1 goal, 2 assists, minus-6 in 19 games.
Contract: In last year ($3 million salary/$3.85 million cap hit).
Buzz: Helm, 34, isn’t as productive as he was in his prime but gets up and down the ice with ease and has strong defensive instincts. He can play center or wing, take faceoffs, and has played 82 playoff games. If the Wings retain some of his salary, he should garner interest from a team looking for a veteran two-way forward.
Trade probability: Medium-low.
F Anthony Mantha
Stats: 7 goals, 6 assists, minus-13 in 27 games.
Contract: First of four years ($4.5 million salary/$5.7 million cap hit).
Buzz: Higher-ups in the organization aren’t happy with how he has performed after signing a fat contract in November. It isn’t just that his production has been subpar, it’s that there have been games he was hardly noticeable. He had his first multipoint game March 11. That’s a damning indictment for a 6-foot-5 winger with elite skills. The problem is other teams’ scouts have seen Mantha disappear for stretches for five seasons. That’s going to make it difficult for Yzerman to get fair value even with the selling point that maybe a change of scenery will inspire Mantha.
Trade probability: Low.
D Jon Merrill
Stats: 4 assists, plus-5 in 22 games.
Contract: In last year ($925,000 salary & cap hit).
Buzz: He’s a 6-3, 195-pound defender who skates well and plays both special teams. Add to that an inexpensive contract, and he could be an attractive addition for a team looking to add depth.
Trade probability: Medium-Low.
D Patrik Nemeth
Stats: 2 goals, 2 assists, minus-4 in 27 games.
Contract: In last year ($2.8 million salary/$3 million cap hit).
Buzz: He hasn’t been as physical this season, but he’s a serviceable defenseman and penalty killer, and could be good insurance for a contender because there’s no such thing as too much defense depth in the playoffs.
Trade probability: Low.
F Bobby Ryan
Stats: 6 goals, 7 assists, minus-10 in 27 games.
Contract: In last year ($1 million salary & cap hit).
Buzz: Ryan projects to garner significant interest because he’s a 6-2, 208-pound forward who shoots right and has more than a decade’s worth of history as a productive player at even strength and on man advantages. He’s not the player he was in his prime but makes little. The best part for the Wings is Ryan would be highly likely to re-sign in the offseason.
Trade probability: High.
[ Why Bobby Ryan may be Steve Yzerman’s best signing yet for Red Wings ]
D Marc Staal
Stats: 2 goals, 2 assists, minus-3 in 28 games.
Contract: In last year ($4.2 million salary/$5.7 million cap hit).
Buzz: Who doesn’t love adding a big (6-4, 209) defenseman with experience at the deadline? Staal, 34, has topped 900 regular-season games and 100 playoff games. He’s an in-your-face guy who likes to aggravate. Yzerman acquired Staal in October as an add-on in a trade with the New York Rangers that at the time yielded a second-round pick. Staal projects to bring another draft pick to the rebuild (though the Wings may have to retain some of his salary).
Trade probability: High.
F Evgeny Svechnikov
Stats: 2 goals, 2 assists, minus-2 in 4 games.
Contract: In last year ($874,125 salary & cap hit).
Buzz: It’s exceedingly clear he’s not viewed as being part of the rebuild. Svechnikov, 24, was waived in January, and even with a point per game average, he was pulled from the lineup. If there’s even a smidge of interest, if there’s a chance of including him in a package deal, the Wings should trade their 2015 first-round pick and give him a chance to build a career elsewhere.
Trade probability: Low.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.