With the NHL trade deadline a little over a week away, talks regarding several Detroit Red Wings players are ongoing, and in some cases, heating up. Let’s look at who’s being talked about, and where they might be headed if a deal goes down.
Mike Green
Headed for unrestricted free agency, it will be a shock if the Wings don’t move Green. Washington, his previous home, has long been rumored as a destination - Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has lobbied loudly for Green’s return to the U.S. capital - but there’s a new team on the horizon who look to be the front runners in the Green sweepstakes.
That would be the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s interesting that Green was scratched from Saturday’s 3-1 win at Nashville with what was reported as an upper-body injury, because according to NHL sources, Wings general manager Ken Holland and Lightning GM Steve Yzerman are well along the trail in talks to work out the details to make this move happen. Detroit’s price is high. The Wings would love to land a first-round draft pick, and with the Lightning entering the playoffs as favorites to cop the Stanley Cup, that could be a price they are prepared to pay.
Although he’s stated a desire to remain in Detroit, Green would be willing to waive his no-trade clause for an opportunity to go to a Cup contender.
Luke Glendening
Glendening’s name emerged in the past few days in trade talks and certainly, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are in Detroit Sunday to face the Wings, are putting on a full-court press in a bid to acquire his services. Leafs coach Mike Babcock, who had Glendening when he coached the Wings, is a big fan of his work and the Leafs are desperate to acquire a stellar fourth-line center and shutdown-type forward.
Again, the price will be high, mainly because the Wings aren’t anxious to part with Glendening. They just signed him to a contract extension last summer to keep him in Detroit through the 2020-21 season.
The Leafs covet a high draft pick - Toronto has an extra 2018 second-round pick - or a top prospect. Right-winger Kasperi Kapanen is someone who has been mentioned in talks.
Jimmy Howard/Petr Mrazek
The Wings have shopped both of their netminders in order to gauge interest from other teams but thus far, the answer they are getting is ‘don’t call us, we’ll call you.’
Two Eastern Conference teams on the playoff bubble both declined when offered either of the two netminders. After Thomas Greiss and Jaroslav Halak both posted shutouts in the past week, Islanders GM Garth Snow apparently has decided to ride the rapids with that tandem.
Likewise, Philadelphia Flyers GM Ron Hextall, who recently lost Brian Elliott to injury, has decided that Michal Neuvirth is a better option between the pipes than either Howard or Mrazek. But Neuvirth suffered a lower-body injury in Sunday's Flyers game, and if it turns out he'll be sidelined for any length of time, Hextall's position could suddenly change.
Gustav Nyquist
With 16 goals this season, already four more than he tallied all of last season, there’s definite interest in Nyquist from Cup contenders, including the last night’s victims the Predators.
Like Green, Nyquist is protected by a no-trade clause in his contract.
“That’s for sure a bonus for me, that I’m able to make that decision, to have that power,” Nyquist said.
Nyquist recently indicated he’s not been approached by the Wings regarding any potential deals, but what would be do were that to happen?
“It depends on the situation I guess, but it’s not something I want to speculate in,” Nyquist said. “Until it happens, I don’t want to have that on my mind.”
Xavier Ouellet
The Wings have given up on Ouellet. He’s the odd man out on their defense and has been a healthy scratch for 22 of the last 30 games.
A team looking to add a depth defenseman for protection entering the playoffs could get Ouellet for a song, likely a later-round draft choice.
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