Overlooked Trade Options for the Red Wings

So Nashville is going through a management change. That doesn’t always mean roster changes. Take a look at Buffalo. Switching up the General Manager was enough to fire them so far forward that they are likely to make the postseason. I don’t think it’s the same case for Nashville.

To me, it depends on whether they subscribe to the Blues’ way of thinking. Do they understand that if they make the playoffs, they’re likely to have a rough first-round exit? If they do, it may be time for Nashville to start looking to transition to the bottom.

I don’t imagine Forsberg would be the first piece to become available, but I think they would be willing to trade him. It’s going to be really hard to ask a guy who is about to be 32 years old to sit through another rebuild in Nashville and waste the end of his prime.

Forsberg would be a natural fit in Detroit, he’s a 40 goals and 40 assists level guy who is a solid playoff producer. He shoots right but prefers to play on the left side, which isn’t a problem for Detroit. He’s also signed to a really fair contract of $8.5M until 2030. He fits the bill of what Yzerman wants, and if Nashville is ready to hit the deck for a rebuild, Detroit will have what Nashville’s new General Manager would want.

It would likely be in the realm of the Quinn Hughes return, three premium assets, and a solid asset. Detroit certainly has the tools to make that happen. Here’s what I propose.

Mock Trade

Nashville Predators Acquire: Nate Danielson, Carter Bear, 2026 1st round pick, Carter Mazur

Detroit Red Wings Acquire: Filip Forsberg

I’d imagine this is the realm that they would need to be in to get a deal done. Danielson and Bear are both pretty much premium assets, as Danielson is a top 10 pick who was tearing up the AHL but couldn’t get a real role in Detroit’s depth chart. Carter Bear was drafted just last season and is having a strong season in his return from injury. Obviously, they add a first-round pick. They also get Carter Mazur, a promising player who has some injury risk. I’d imagine that’s a gamble that Nashville is willing to take to seeing as they covet Michael Bunting and Mazur is a similar player.

Frank Vatrano, Anaheim Ducks:

I know he’s not having a great or even a good season. But I think Vatrano is someone that should be on Detroit’s radar if there aren’t any other players that they can grab. He’s 31 and just two years removed from a 37-goal season. He’s a consistent 20-goal guy who has simply fallen out of favour in Anaheim.

His time on ice has been lowered by 5 minutes per game, and his power play time has been reduced by about 1:45 minutes per game. He’s been out for a number of games this season, but should return by the time the Olympic break is over.

I think Detroit should be interested simply because of how cheap the cost would be. If Anaheim has no more use for him, why not send a cheap flyer on a guy who clearly has no more role in Anaheim? Unfortunately, Vatrano has two more years on his deal at over $4.5M, a number far too high for what he is giving now. But again, Detroit can leverage that for a really cheap return.

I’m looking at this as a fairly cheap gamble that Detroit can take on a guy whose main problem is usage rate. It’s not like he’s been an inefficient shooter either; he’s shot over 9% the two seasons prior to this one. It would be cheap, and I think that’s the exact kind of deal Detroit should gamble on if the big names are off the market.

Mock Trade

Anaheim Ducks Receive: 2026 4th round pick

Detroit Red Wings Receive: Frank Vatrano

William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs:

I refuse to think that I have the vaguest idea of where the Maple Leafs are going with their team right now. They have a young star in Matthew Knies, and I do believe that he and Auston Matthews are good enough to be the two best players on a championship team at their best. I think their defense core is missing a true star and has for a decade.

I don’t think they would ever move Matthews. I think the only way to manage that is to hope that he returns to form at some point, and he has at times. I also believe Knies is a piece that can be built around fairly well, as I said earlier. So if the team is to try and get some young assets, the only big name that they can deal is Nylander.

I’m not sure what the mental math is for Nylander about the situation in Toronto is as a whole. I’m not sure if he’s the type of player who wants to be pushing for a cup enough to request a trade. I think Detroit and Toronto are pretty great trade partners for one another. I made a piece about it earlier. Detroit could even get into some of the guys they might not want to move in order to get a star like Nylander in Detroit.

Mock Trade

Toronto Maple Leafs Receive: Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Nate Danielson, Amadeus Lombardi, 2026 1st round pick, 2027 1st round pick, 2028 5th round pick

Detroit Red Wings Receive: William Nylander

More to Read:

Analyzing Detroit’s Best Trade Options

Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Scenarios

• Artemi Panarin Traded to Los Angeles Kings
• Is Detroit in Artemi Panarin’s Future?
• How Well Every Trade Target Fits the Detroit Red Wings
• Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Scenarios
• Detroit Red Wings 2026 Trade Board