If the Red Wings are interested in transforming from fringe contender to Stanley Cup contender, they must make a lot of moves this offseason. Finding ways to move on from a few players holding them back and replacing them with viable options would be a great start.
But if they want to be surefire Cup contenders, they need to go a step further. General manager Steve Yzerman would need to scour the free agent market and bring in a trio of players who would help make this lineup one of the deepest in the league.
None of the players listed below would come cheap, but all three of them would fit in well should Yzerman make the correct moves and free up just enough space. Since I’m talking about three free agents coming to town instead of just one, Mitch Marner’s not listed. Instead, I got a pair of solid consolations PLUS a defenseman who knows a thing or two about winning Stanley Cups.
Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks
Brock Boeser would be a sneaky good signing here for the Red Wings if his career with the Canucks is over. And, considering how badly things went in British Columbia this past season, I wouldn’t put it past Boeser to continue his career somewhere else. Maybe with a team that could be an impact player away from at least breaking its playoff drought.
While Boeser isn’t a superstar, he’s a top-six winger capable of putting up as many as 40 goals in a single season. If the Canucks weren’t the definition of dysfunction in 2024-25, maybe he would’ve put up more than 25 (down from 40), and 50 total points in those 75 contests.
Finally, and you know how much I’ve been emphasizing this, Boeser adds more physicality to the Wings. He averaged a hit per game last season, and while he won’t lay the smackdown on anyone, he would do his part in bringing an edgier persona to Hockeytown.
Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets
It seemed like Nikolaj Ehlers, despite playing for the league’s best regular-season team, never seemed like a guarantee to stay in Winnipeg last year. But, the lifelong Jet stuck around and helped Winnipeg win the Presidents’ Trophy and reach the second round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Ehlers, despite all the trade rumors, ended the year with a respectable 63 points and 24 goals in 69 games and compiled a plus-14. Ehlers would factor in as an ideal replacement for fringe wingers like Vladimir Tarasenko and/or Jonatan Berggren.
He also doesn’t need to be a top-six player. So, if the Wings want to roll with, say, Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Patrick Kane, Marco Kasper, and J.T. Compher on the top six, Ehlers could take on a depth-scoring role on the third line - though I’d find it hard to believe anyone would put him behind Compher.
Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers
Yes, Aaron Ekblad would be the dream defenseman for the Red Wings and their fans won’t be shy about welcoming him to Hockeytown. And if he gets another Stanley Cup on his resume and tests free agency, he’ll be in high demand.
Ekblad isn’t the first player you think of when someone says two-way defenseman, but his ability to break down and end sequences, provide supplemental points production, and, yes, add another layer of pain given his moderately physical play, would all work in the Red Wings favor. Plus, he’s right in the middle of his prime, and the Wings need more players in that stage of their careers.
We also know the Red Wings can use some fresh faces on the blue line, especially after the debacle we’d seen from Justin Holl and Erik Gustafsson. So, maybe Ekblad’s the answer? And if he is, expect him to be in Detroit for a while.
