Jeff Roberson/AP

The Detroit Red Wings are currently second in the Atlantic Division entering play today. They trail the Tampa Bay Lightning by two points with the Lightning having four games in hand. That number becomes three after today but Tampa Bay has a chance to increase its lead to four points. The Red Wings have dropped three straight games after yesterday’s 5-0 loss to Colorado and they face the league-leading Avalanche again tomorrow. Losing Simon Edvinsson has been a bit of a struggle and has shown what’s already been reported they want a defenseman at the trade deadline. They also want a second center. There’s one team in Canada that is looking to sell off pieces that Detroit could look to that could fill those needs.

The Calgary Flames are currently in 14th in the Western Conference with 50 points sitting nine points out of a playoff spot. They have always moved defenseman Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights, a name Detroit was linked to. They do have two players on their roster currently who could fill the Red Wings’ needs. Center Nazem Kadri has been rumored to be a name to watch all season which fills the center need but then someone like MacKenzie Weegar could fill the defensive need.

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The Pieces 

Kadri is under contract until the end of the 2028-29 season. He does have a 13-team no-trade list and comes with a $7 million cap hit. Weegar is under contract until the end of the 2030-31 season. He carried a $6.25 million cap hit and has a modified ten-team no-trade list. Obviously, that’s a lot of money for Detroit to take on so what they would have to move would be something to watch. They do have over $12 million in cap space to use so a current player on the roster or two would need to go to Calgary in the deal. 

Nazem Kadri

Kadri is in his 17th NHL season. In 54 games this season he has 35 points on nine goals and 26 assists. He’s a -25 with two power-play goals and a game-winning goal. In 1,039 games between three teams, he has 745 points on 316 goals and 429 assists. He’s a -75 with 95 power-play goals, a shorthanded goal, and 45 game-winning goals. He won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche back in 2022. In 52 career Stanley Cup playoff games he has 44 points on 19 goals and 25 assists. He’s a +15 with eight power-play goals and seven game-winning goals. 

MacKenzie Weegar

Weegar is in his tenth NHL season. This season in 54 games he has 17 points on three goals and 14 assists. He has a -31 with 125 blocked shots, and 123 total hits. In 604 career games, he has 268 points on 62 goals and 206 assists. He’s a +81 with eight power-goals, a shorthanded goal, and nine game-winning goals. He has 1,117 blocked shots and 1,338 total hits. In 20 playoff games, he has a goal and four assists. He is a plus-one with 30 blocked shots and 70 total hits.

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