Oilers, Jets forwards among big misses by Red Wings GM

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Detroit Red Wings were active this summer, trying to make moves. 

Some worked, many didn’t and now general manager Steve Yzerman is staking his reputation squarely on the shoulders of the team’s young core. He has little choice, given that he swung and missed on some of his top targets.

The Red Wings made notable moves by trading for goaltender John Gibson, bringing in veterans like James van Riemsdyk, Mason Appleton and Jacob Bernard-Docker and re-signing Patrick Kane to a one-year deal. But according to reports, Yzerman had his sights on even bigger names, including a failed attempt to engage with star winger Nikolaj Ehlers before Ehlers signed with Carolina.

Friedman pointed out that Ehlers was likely never a realistic option, but Yzerman was hoping for a conversation with the UFA. Ultimately, he didn’t get one.

“It’s a hard sell in Detroit,” Friedman noted, referencing the franchise’s extended playoff drought. “But Yzerman believes in what he’s doing: drafting and developing his guys. Unless he can hit a home run, like an Ehlers, he’s not committing to term.”

Friedman also said that he went after Mason Marchment and Viktor Arvidsson in trade discussions. Marchment went to Seattle, and Arvidsson was dealt by the Oilers to the Boston Bruins. With Marchment, the Stars agreed to trade him to a non-tax state location. Arvidsson had a no-trade, giving him the choice of where he wanted to go. The Red Wings were not on his list.

The Red Wings want to keep lanes open for their youth

Yzerman was unwilling to hand out long-term deals, opting instead for short one- or two-year contracts that wouldn’t block the team’s prospects from stepping into NHL roles. The reason is that he believes in what he’s doing with the young talent coming up through the organization’s system.