The 2019-20 Detroit Red Wings will no doubt try to be sellers at the deadline. However, will anyone buy what they’re selling? Detroit has been abysmal this season and many of the team’s veteran players that general manager Steve Yzerman would like to trade off are struggling.
Red Wings beat writer Ted Kulfan brought up this point in a recent article. The team has been so bad, including a lot of their tradable assets. Players like Jimmy Howard have been mired in an awful slump. Defencemen Mike Green and Trevor Daley are on their way to career-lows in points.
Forwards such as Andreas Athanasiou have been hurt and inconsistent. There could be some clamoring for Luke Glendening and Darren Helm, but their value could be driven down due to Detroit’s failings.
Yzerman may also be planning on moving other names that people don’t know about right now. The Wings have plenty of cap space ($13 million) and that could also play a factor in what they do.
2019-20 Detroit Red Wings at the Deadline
The Players
Jimmy Howard
It’s been a rough season for the Ogdensburg, NY native, who has lost his last 17 starts in a row. He has a record of 2-20-2 with a 4.12 goals-against-average and .884 save percentage. Those numbers aren’t conducive to finding a trade partner.
There are other goalie candidates like an Alexandar Georgiev, Jake Allen and others that are performing much better. Howard could be a rental if a team just wants a veteran netminder for the stretch drive. He may do better with a change of scenery.
Howard hasn’t been short on confidence, but he needs a win soon in order to demonstrate some trade value. Losing his $4 million cap hit at the end of the season will help, but Detroit would like to get something out of their longtime starter.
Mike Green
The injury bug has once again bit the veteran defenceman before a trade deadline. Health questions may have prevented the Calgary, Alberta native from being traded at last year’s deadline.
Those injury problems have slowed the puck-moving blue-liner to two goals and eight points in 41 games this season. Green is well on his way to having a career-low in points. He did have seven points in 2011-12 with the Washington Capitals, but he was out most of the season.
The 34-year-old could be a good third-pair defenceman and someone that can play on the second power-play unit. However, his recent injury troubles may turn off other teams from taking a look at the former two-time Norris Trophy runner-up.
Trevor Daley
Daley is another defenceman that’s been hit with the injury bug. The Toronto native has struggled to generate offence in the last two seasons with the Red Wings. He has five assists this season in 28 games and only has 11 goals in three seasons with the club.
The 36-year-old is trying to contribute in other categories like blocked shots and can be used as a bottom-pair defender if a team wants to take a risk on him. Daley has reportedly asked Yzerman to trade him and the Detroit general manager will try to accommodate him.
Andreas Athanasiou
The young forward is likely Detroit’s best trade chip the team has. Injuries have also hampered the Woodbridge, Ontario native’s production as he has five goals and 19 points in 37 games.
He’s shown promise in past seasons and would be a nice depth scorer for a contender. His value is lower than what it could’ve been at the start of the season. However, he is a former 30-goal scorer.
They key is how healthy will he be before the deadline. A good week or two of play will help market his value to any suitors.
Veteran Forwards
Glendening has been linked with the Toronto Maple Leafs in a past seasons and would be welcome as a defensive forward. He is a free agent in 2021 and comes in at a rate of $1.8 million. However, he’s been a great locker room leader and Detroit would only deal him for the right price.
Darren Helm also has another year left on his deal and would be a good addition to a team. Helm has six goals in 53 games so far this season. Valtteri Filppula could be another name that a contender looks at for depth purposes. Filppula is a season removed from a 17-goal campaign with the New York Islanders.
Salary Dumping Ground
The Red Wings could also do teams a favour and became a salary dumping ground for teams looking to offload payroll. Detroit has nearly $9.5 million in deadline cap space and could take on a contract.
Kyle Turris of the Nashville Predators comes to mind. However, he’s shown a revival under new coach John Hynes and the Predators may think twice about dealing him or Mikael Granlund.
What it Means
The 2019-20 Detroit Red Wings want to be active at the trade deadline. However, will they get any takers for some of their players? Yzerman may not get the value he wants out of some his players.
Veterans like Green, Daley, Athanasiou and others may still get the picks that the Wings’ general manager craves, but he may not get what he could have gotten at the beginning of the season.
TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 21: Andreas Athanasiou #72 of the Detroit Red Wings skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on December 21, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Red Wings 4-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
