Red Wings Must Avoid Massive Trade Mistake

The Detroit Red Wings have become the latest team entangled in trade speculation for a highly-coveted defenseman. The Pittsburgh Penguins, cruising into the beginning stages of their rebuild, have former Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson on their roster. The belief around the NHL is that the Penguins plan to move on from Karlsson, and the Red Wings have become one of the teams rumored to be in the running for his services.

What an awful mistake the Red Wings would be making.

The Red Wings are reaching a bit of a crossroads in their own rebuilding process. They’ve spent the better part of a decade stockpiling draft picks and sending out older veterans. Last season was supposed to be a step forward, but they again came up short and missed the postseason. The frustration is mounting as the fan base’s patience is understandably running out. In the pursuit of a championship, bold decisions must be made. Bold decisions like acquiring a 100-point defenseman should be on the table.

It’s not what Detroit needs to take a next step. Sure, the Red Wings need elite talent to take the next step. Once upon a time, Karlsson stood alone as the most elite defenseman in the NHL. He’s not that player anymore, but he’s still a point producing puck-mover who can shoulder a power play unit.

The Red Wings need improvements for their blue line, but not for the cost of Erik Karlsson. The 35-year-old recorded 53 points in 82 games for the Penguins in 2024-2025. He also carries a $10 million cap hit for this upcoming season and next and holds a full no-movement clause, meaning he controls where he goes.

Not only is Karlsson expensive, but the Penguins won’t give him up easily. They will likely retain salary to facilitate a deal, but that will only increase the cost to acquire him. The Wings have a stable of prospects that should be making the leap to the NHL and more picks coming down the road. This is absolutely not the time to abandon that and mortgage the future for the shot at a Wild Card spot in 2026.

If this chatter is true, this is a troubling sign for the Red Wings. The vision of Steve Yzerman began to be questioned last year, but that subsided. If he expends assets and brings in an expensive defenseman at the end of his career, this will be a panic move from the Wings and their management team. Because of this, they must steer clear of any potential talks for Erik Karlsson.