Look, by the time I’m writing this to the time it gets out, everything can change. There is something to be said about how the rumour mill is growing day by day. Detroit has been rumoured, albeit mostly on speculation, to be involved in a number of trade targets. Today, I’m going to be going through each of them and seeing who fits the team the best, both in the short term and long term.
It won’t happen next Monday, but maybe the week after that, we’re going to have something on our show about all the trade news. If you’re interested, stay tuned for that as it comes. If you are interested in adding a Detroit Red Wings podcast to your list, feel free to check out ours below.
Who Are the Players:
Rasmus Andersson: 6’1″ RD
Elias Pettersson: 6’2″ C
Robert Thomas: 6’0″ C
Andrew Mangiapane: 5’10” LW
Kiefer Sherwood: 6’0″ LW
Artemi Panarin: 6’0″ LW
Alexis Lafreniere: 6’2″ LW
Dougie Hamilton: 6’4″ RD
So, needless to say, the list is pretty long. It’s good for Detroit to finally be in on some big names. Now, for this piece, we’re going to check their fit into the lineup, the cost to acquire, and the alignment with the cup window to rank each of them best.
How Do They Fit Onto the Team:
Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson | Photo: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Well, first, let’s check on where these guys are playing on their current teams and then see how that fits into the role they’d play in Detroit.
Higher in the Lineup in Detroit
Kiefer Sherwood: Sherwood would be up on the first line, left wing in Detroit. Despite the skill level probably not being up to snuff for a playoff team, Sherwood brings his value in other places. He’s shown he can score at even strength and be a good physical presence for a team. The problem with this, though, is that Sherwood would be facing much harder competition. Gone are the days of playing a below-average opponent in terms of relative quality of competition. I have my doubts if a guy like Sherwood could continue an already unsustainably hot season with the much harder defensive deployment Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond face. Verdict: it’s unclear if Sherwood will be able to sustain his production in a far tougher role.
Alexis Lafreniere: If we do get Lafreniere, it would be hilarious given the lottery all those years back. Lafreniere would be expected to be the left wing on Detroit’s best line and handle a heavy load on both ends of the ice. Lafrenière handles this largely already though. He is deployed offensively far more than Raymond and Larkin, but it’s still against elite competition. Lafreniere should be able to have his game translate to Detroit. He is also a natural fit for Larkin and Raymond. He already plays between a passing wing in Panarin and a two-way center in Trocheck. Generally, despite coming up to be LW1 in Detroit, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem for him to adapt to it. Verdict: Lafrenière should continue to produce at a solid level, given the similar role.
Elias Pettersson: He would be 1A/1B in Detroit. Ideally, Detroit would get him, hoping they could bring him back to 90-point form. I think he would be playing alongside his countryman, Lucas Raymond, in Detroit, moving Dylan Larkin to play with Kane and DeBrincat. Which of those lines you consider number one is up to you. He’s had a bounce-back season largely without any help. Give him a dominant playmaking wing like Raymond and a honey badger like Finnie, and I think you have a bounce-back recipe. You can deploy him however you see best fit so I don’t have a ton of worry there. Verdict: Detroit has a slew of deployment and teammate options to get the best out of Pettersson, so he would be a solid fit.
Robert Thomas: The fit is pretty similar to Pettersson. The idea is similar to, he’s a center that you’re bringing in to either surpass Larkin or be on par with him. Putting Thomas with any cast of players in this team’s top nine is a recipe for success. I could even see him dominating a third-line role with Van Riemsdyk and Kasper if he’s acquired soon and Copp stays on the second line. I like Robert Thomas a lot, and he gives Detroit one of the deepest center pools in Detroit instantly. Again, you can deploy him however you’d like, based on whichever wingers you want to surround him with, because he isn’t coming in to play an exact spot per se. Verdict: a seamless fit who has proven he can play well constantly in a number of scenarios.
Artemi Panarin: If Detroit grabs him, he would be expected to do the same thing. Be the best player on this team. While a lot of people see him playing beside Larkin and Raymond, I’ve already mentioned that I think putting him beside Kane and Copp is much smarter to keep him from overlapping with Lucas Raymond’s similar style. I think Panarin would fit into the lineup seamlessly; he’s a fit on either of the top two lines. He plays the tough minutes Larkin plays, and he can dominate sheltered minutes with Kane if you’re uncomfortable putting him that high. Verdict: a player who slots in where Detroit needs help most and can play on either of the top lines.
Dougie Hamilton: Technically, Daily Face-off has Hamilton playing on the third pairing for the Devils, which I don’t believe for a second. To me, he’s a top-four guy, especially based on his deployments. He would be playing in Detroit’s top four and would be a huge upgrade there. His defensive game has taken a step this season, which matters most. Hamilton would have relatively lighter deployment than the mostly defensive ones he is facing right now in New Jersey, it’s the luxury of being behind Moritz Seider. Verdict: the defensive cushion that Moritz Seider has needed for just about his entire career in Detroit.
Rasmus Andersson: And you have to think he’d love that. Rasmus Andersson is getting the Moritz Seider treatment. It’s been a tough year of deployments for Andersson. His nearly even 48% corsi for even at his current usage is a good indicator that, given some easier minutes, he could really dominate. I think him on the second pair with Ben Chiarot could be really solid and round out a top four that could surprise people come playoff time. Verdict: Detroit would take a huge load off defensively, allowing for Andersson to dominate the minutes they need him to.
Andrew Mangiapane: I don’t wanna sound like a doomer, but I don’t even know that Mangiapane is playing most nights. His production has been mediocre playing alongside McDavid and Draisaitl, I’m not sure what makes Detroit the place where he’s going to improve. His defensive game is also not all that. Frankly, I’d rather call Danielson back up. Hell, or even John Leonard. Verdict: certainly not the best bread-related forward on this list.
Acquisition Cost:
Canucks forward Elias Pettersson | Photo: Kevin Neufeld | Inside The Rink
This is what it primarily comes down to. What does the team sell to get from these guys when they’re moving off of them? I’ll do my best to give both the reported cost and the likely cost because I don’t think there is going to be nearly as much overlap as people expect.
Rasmus Andersson:
Wants: First round pick, A-/B+ prospect
Likely: First round pick A-/B+ prospect + sweeteners
Look, just because Detroit doesn’t need a producing right-shot defenceman who can log big minutes doesn’t mean other teams don’t. It wouldn’t surprise me if some outsider teams swoop in to grab Andersson to play huge minutes and would be willing to pay extra for it. Is it worth it? Maybe not for Detroit, but I don’t think it would be outlandish for other teams.
Elias Pettersson:
Wants: First round pick, NHL-ready prospect, mid-round picks
Likely: First round pick, decent prospect, decent roster player
I’m assuming no retention here. But I can’t imagine Vancouver getting a king’s ransom for a reclamation project with one of the worst contracts in the league as it stands. Detroit has the money to willingly take the risk on Pettersson, so I’d imagine they’re suitors. Don’t be surprised if the cost to acquire Pettersson is lower than you think, given their direction right now. Is it worth it? Largely, yes, at his peak, he could become Detroit’s best player.
Robert Thomas:
Wants: Multiple first round picks, NHL ready prospect, B-level prospect
Likely: Multiple first round picks, NHL ready prospect, B-level prospect
The guy is genuinely a franchise cornerstone who isn’t paid a metric ton of money. You’re going to have to cough up a slew of premiums for that. Think about Noah Dobson, a player who had a relatively down year prior to getting traded but is still a player you can build around. That’s where Robert Thomas will see his value lie. Is it worth it? Yes, he’s a franchise cornerstone on a team that could use another skill forward for their contention window.
Andrew Mangiapane:
Wants: mid-round pick
Likely: mid-round pick or another reclamation project
You’re not fetching much for him. I think Edmonton is better off just holding here and trying to make it work. If they’re really desperate enough, they can move him for a mid-round pick and then try to flip that, but with his cap hit, that might be optimistic. Is it worth it? No, not really. Especially not for the Red Wings.
Kiefer Sherwood:
Wants: first round pick, premium prospect
Likely: first round pick, sweeteners
I do likely Sherwood and I think flipping him for the first alone would be good asset management on Vancouver’s part. It’s a seller’s league, though, and well, I don’t think they’re going to be getting a premium prospect, I could see them getting a solid one or possibly some mid-round picks. Again, the first alone would be a really good return for Sherwood, so when push comes to shove, I think Vancouver will take it. Is it worth it? Probably not, with the other names on the market. A good player but if Detroit is going to take a swing, it might as well be for a homer.
Artemi Panarin:
Wants: first round pick, early round picks, decent prospect
Likely: first round pick, early round picks, good to decent prospects
I don’t think New York has any leverage here, especially after their cryptic statement that might as well have said “we’re trading Panarin, don’t be sad”. I do still think he’s a good enough player that he will command a solid return, especially if the team can get some kind of agreement for an extension done prior to him being moved. Panarin probably has two to three more productive years left in him that a team would want to sign him for. Is it worth it? With extension is place yes, but without one, no chance.
Alexis Lafreniere:
Wants: first round pick, premium prospect
Likely: first round pick or premium prospect
Blame your bad contract management, New York. If he were on a reasonable deal, I could actually see him fetching the return they want, but for over seven million a year, it won’t happen. I could see Detroit parting ways with their first for him, or even a player like Kasper, one-for-one, but certainly not any mix of both. Is it worth it? Probably, I think Detroit can make something solid out of Lafrenière.
Dougie Hamilton:
Wants: bottom six forward, early round picks
Likely: early round picks, decent prospect
This is the hardest to gauge. I don’t know what New Jersey has in mind. I can’t imagine they want to retain, but the return for Hamilton’s nine-million-dollar contract won’t be a hefty one. If they do it, it will be to clear a log jam and some cap, not for a return. Is it worth it? If I’m right, yes, if first round picks plus more are at play, then no.
Alignment With Future:
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – OCTOBER 21: Alexis Lafreniere #13 of the New York Rangers skates during the first period of a game against the New York Rangers at Climate Pledge Arena on October 21, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Christopher Mast/NHLI via Getty Images)
Yzerman cares about the cup contention window, and Detroit has two windows in which they are looking to get a championship. There is the Larkin and DeBrincat window, which has another three to four years on it at most, and then the Raymond and Seider window, which will come in about six years. So, which of these players fits the windows?
Rasmus Andersson:
Larkin window: yes, he is not even thirty yet so he would be a key component in those runs.
Seider window: no, he would be thirty-five by the time that would likely come around, and I don’t see Andersson aging all that gracefully.
Elias Pettersson:
Larkin window: Yes, if he can return to form at all, he can be Detroit’s best player. If he stays as he is, he is a very overpaid second-line centre with some upside.
Seider window: Yes, if he is in Detroit, Yzerman will want him as the center for Lucas Raymond for many years to come. Although he will be pushing the latter end of his career. It is close, but he still fits the timeline.
Robert Thomas:
Larkin window: yes, again, as I’ve said before, he is pretty much the perfect middle-six center for this team and the type of team they are building. They can surround him with snipers, grinders, playmakers, and whatever else he needs. He’s a flexible center with a lot of skills, and Detroit has the prospects to fit around him.
Seider window: barely, he is on the older side of that window, but he would still be a valuable piece. He would be one of the guys still shouldering the brunt of the load for those teams, although I’m not sure if he will be the star he is now.
Andrew Mangiapane:
Larkin window: like, no. I don’t know, he might help push them into the playoffs, but I can’t imagine the long-term plans of any NHL team involve Mangiapane.
Seider window: I sure hope not. If, for some reason, Mangiapane is on this team in six years, something either went very right or very wrong. Somehow, I’d imagine it being the latter.
Kiefer Sherwood:
Larkin window: yeah I could see it. He just turned thirty, so there is some time left for him. I could see him aging similarly to David Perron. As long as the cap hit is reasonable, I could see him being someone who sticks around on this team’s depth chart and leads by example for a lot of guys drafted to be like him.
Seider window: no. I think anyone in this group needs to be under thirty for me to consider them an option for this window and simply put a Kiefer Sherwood who is pushing thirty-seven might not even be playing NHL hockey.
Artemi Panarin:
Larkin window: kind of, only because he turns the Larkin window into the Panarin window, and we buy assets that can help us win in the short term. Panarin would create his own, very short-term window and one that might be a culture shock for Red Wings fans.
Seider window: not a chance, Panarin will be long retired by the time Seider and Raymond are holding the reins to this team.
Alexis Lafreniere:
Larkin window: no. I don’t think that Lafrenière will be someone who gets fixed in the short term. It will take a couple of years to help him break the rot that New York set into him. He’s a reclamation project with a solid floor, but on the upside, it might take a while.
Seider window: if all goes to plan, yes. I’d imagine the idea with Lafrenière is gradually make him a checking winger with a good shot that can finish consistently down low. Something that I saw him being out of his draft. When that comes, I could see him being a big part of a cup window, but that is all a big if.
Dougie Hamilton:
Larkin window: barely. It would be close with Hamilton, although I land on yes. He’s injury-prone so there is always a chance things go south, but if he stays in Detroit, I could see him being the kind of player that sticks around the bottom four longer than you’d think
Seider window: not a chance, similar to Panarin, he will be long gone.
Ranking the Options:
Blues forward Robert Thomas | Photo: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Here it is, the final big board taking everything into consideration.
Robert Thomas
Elias Pettersson
Alexis Lafrenière
Artemi Panarin
Dougie Hamilton
Rasmus Andersson
Kiefer Sherwood
Andrew Mangiapane
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