Wow, Erik Gustafsson was one player I’d’ve said the Detroit Red Wings needed to go after this time last season. Roughly 365 days later, and I’m in ‘what was I thinking’ mode since Gustafsson’s greatest act in Hockeytown involved him holding the team back rather than helping them.
Now that it’s more than clear signing Gustafsson was a mistake, general manager Steve Yzerman must find a way to do two things: Move Gustafsson, then replace him. But are there any viable blueliners entering free agency or on the trade block?
I’ve found three, and the first name on this list would send absolute shockwaves through the NHL universe if Yzerman landed him. As for the other two names? They’re older, but resurgent players.
Bowen Byram, Buffalo Sabres
This one would involve a trade, but Bowen Byram is a youngster who I’d flip the 13th-overall pick and even a high-end prospect for. A lot of us forget that Byram is no stranger to deep playoff runs, having helped the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup back in 2021-22, and he’s only gotten better since.
This past season in Buffalo, Byram finished the year with seven goals, 38 points, and a plus-11 rating. Those plus-minus ratings are underrated stats, and one reason is that, despite Buffalo’s ineptness when they didn’t have the puck, it never fazed Byram. And that’s something the Red Wings can use, given their aging goaltenders.
Plus, adding a player heading into his age-24 season alongside the likes of Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson, and later, Axel Sandin-Pellikka? He would give the Wings the best young defensive core in hockey. Period.
Matthew Grzelcyk, Pittsburgh Penguins
Matt Grzelcyk scored one measly goal all season, but wow, 39 assists? Hey, that screams playmaker, and his 2024-25 season showed us that yes, someone like Grzelcyk can play two-way hockey. But it’s more than his 40 points in 82 games that have me clamoring for the Red Wings to consider Grzelcyk should he be available in free agency.
He’s a shot-blocker, having stopped 101 of them this past season. A career-high, by the way. Grzelcyk also showed he could play more than third-pairing minutes. So if he ended up in Hockeytown and with the Wings, he can factor into the top four if needed.
John Klingberg, Edmonton Oilers
John Klingberg might be a risk and a half, given the plethora of injuries and subsequent surgeries he’s had over the past two seasons. They limited him to just 25 regular season games over those past two years in Toronto and Edmonton. But he’s been resurgent in the playoffs, and that makes him a dark horse to find his groove again in 2025-26.
Klingberg’s been one of the reasons behind the Oilers success. He has just four points and a goal in 15 playoff games, but Klingberg can still play borderline top-four minutes, block shots, and land body checks. He’s not the player he was, but as a one-year stopgap should the Wings keep developing their rotation in the lower leagues? I’m taking a flier.
