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Should the Red Wings look to trade for Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud?
The Detroit Red Wings will certainly be a team to keep a very close eye on once the NHL Olympic trade freeze lifts later this month. For the first time in several years, the Red Wings are in a prime position to be buyers. This is because they are not only in third place in the Atlantic Division standings but also have just under $60 million of deadline cap space. Thus, if the Red Wings want to add, they undoubtedly have the money to do so.
The Calgary Flames, on the other hand, are clear sellers this season. It has been a tough year for the Flames, as evidenced by their 23-27-6 record. With this, several Flames players have come up in the rumor mill as trade candidates this season as they continue their rebuild.
One Flames player who the Red Wings should seriously consider making a big push for is defenseman Zach Whitecloud. The 29-year-old blueliner is undoubtedly a player to keep an eye on leading up to the deadline and would have the potential to be a fantastic addition to the Red Wings’ roster if acquired.
Due to this, we here at Heavy Sports have a trade pitch that would have the Flames trade Whitecloud to the Red Wings in a big swap.
Red Wings Get:
Flames Get:
2026 Second-Round Pick
2027 Fourth-Round Pick
Flames’ Zach Whitecloud Is a Trade Candidate to Watch
Whitecloud may have recently been acquired by the Flames from the Vegas Golden Knights, but his time in Calgary has the potential to be short. The right-shot defenseman has been the subject of trade rumors since his arrival in Calgary and was given the No. 34 spot on Chris Johnston’s latest trade board for The Athletic because of it.
“The Flames need to listen on everybody, and a big, solid right-shot defenseman such as Whitecloud is bound to draw interest,” Johnston wrote.
With the Red Wings in need of help on the right side of their defense, it would make a lot of sense for them to make a major push for Whitecloud. If they acquired him, he could fit perfectly on their second pairing with Ben Chiarot. Furthermore, the 6-foot-2 defenseman would also give the Red Wings another solid option to work with on their penalty kill, as he plays a steady defensive game.
There are not too many better right-shot defenseman trade candidates on the market than Whitecloud. Due to this, it would make a lot of sense if the Red Wings made a push for them. There is no question that their right side could use a boost.
Red Wings Should Not Be the Only Team Interested in Whitecloud
With Whitecloud being one of the most notable trade candidate blueliners, he should have plenty of interest leading up to the deadline. A few teams besides the Red Wings who would make sense as potential suitors for Whitecloud include the Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, and Dallas Stars.
It will be interesting to see if the Red Wings can successfully acquire Whitecloud. If they do, he would certainly improve their current blueline.
Michael DeRosa Michael covers the NHL for Heavy.com. He has professionally covered the NHL since 2017 and has written for other publications like The Hockey News, BetMGM, Athlon Sports, and The Hockey Writers. More about Michael DeRosa
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