The Detroit Red Wings need to get better. The timeline and markers of that process are up for some debate, but the simple assertion holds.
May 4, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Connor (81) warms up before a game against the St. Louis Blues in game seven of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canada Life Centre. (James Carey Lauder, Imagn Images)
At his end-of-season press conference, general manager Steve Yzerman spoke to Detroit's willingness to part with prospects and picks in a trade or dole out the requisite free agent salary to acquire top talent, but he also spoke to the challenge of getting that done.
“When you say ‘make substantial upgrades,’ it’s easier said than done," Yzerman answered, in response to a question about the urgency for improvement created by the success of rebuilding division rivals in Ottawa and Montreal. "Yeah, we’re gonna continue to try to get better, to try to keep pace with these teams and not only them, there’s no guarantee that Florida and Toronto and Tampa are going anywhere from at the top. It’s just imperative that we continue to strive to get better and figure out ways to improve our team and bring better players that make us a better team.”
What follows is a list of three potential Red Wings trade targets. The theme is "substantial upgrades," with a specific eye toward forwards that could make an immediate impact in Detroit's top six. While I won't necessarily try to put a precise name on the return necessary to acquire them in a fluid market, suffice it to say that none will come cheaply.
As a native of Shelby Township and University of Michigan alumnus, Connor is certainly a name familiar to Red Wings fans. As of this writing, Connor is fresh off a three-point Game Seven to help spark the Winnipeg Jets to a come-from-behind 4–3 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues, with a second round date with the Dallas Stars set to get going Wednesday night. Because of Winnipeg's status as a contender, Connor is perhaps the hardest player on this list to pry loose.
However, it's also not inconceivable that he could be moved this summer, depending on how the rest of their postseason shakes out. The 28-year-old is signed to a deal with a $7,142,857 cap hit through the end of the '25-26 season with a 10-team no trade list. The Jets always have to be concerned about free agent retention, so with Connor's deal running down, they may deal him to avoid losing him for free via free agency next summer. Presumably, the no-trade clause wouldn't be a big deal when it comes to bringing Connor back to his home state, but there's certainly no guarantee Winnipeg would want to make the move.
As far as what Detroit could acquire in Connor, he's coming off a season with 41 goals (32 of them at five-on-five), 56 assists, and 97 points (the latter two career highs). That offense could be a serious boost to the Red Wings' push, though it's worth pointing out he wouldn't have much to offer when it comes to the team's desire to get harder to play against.
The Nashville Predators are coming off an unmitigated disaster of a season: massive free agent spending generating hype the team's results immediately failed to live up to. The 30-year-old Forsberg is signed through 2029-30 at $8.5 million against the cap, and he has a full no move clause.
So, why might Nashville deal him? Well, after this season's disaster, Barry Trotz and co will presumably be considering a lot of options heading into the summer. At least one of those likely includes getting younger with some version of a re-tool, and Detroit could potentially entice the Preds with some talent that has either just broken onto the NHL stage or might be ready to imminently.
Forsberg is a star with term left on his deal, so he won't come cheap, and the no move means the Wings would also have to win him over. He scored 31 goals and 76 points a year ago, a step back from the 48 and 94 he deposited a season prior. If Detroit can arrive at the right price, he is a creative skilled scorer, whose attacking flair comes in service of a power game driving pucks to dangerous areas. It wouldn't be an easy deal to pull off, but it could be one that pays serious dividends for the Red Wings.
The New York Rangers are in the midst of a public organizational crisis that puts some petty commentary about trade deadline plans to shame as offseason drama. Zibanejad—32 years old, signed to an $8.5 million cap hit through '29-30. The Rangers obviously have eyes on a shake-up, and Zibanejad is one of the veterans whose name has been dragged through the mud by fans and media alike. He has a full no movement clause, but New York has been merciless in pushing back against that negotiated contractural right to ship Barclay Goodrow and Jacob Trouba out of town under broadly similar circumstances.
The risk with acquiring Zibanejad is that the counting stats suggest he may be entering a decline or perhaps that the heights of his mid-20s were anomalous. He posted 91 points in '22-23, only to follow it up with 72, then 62 in the last two seasons.
However, Zibanejad would hardly be the first player to benefit from a change in scenery, and nothing about the working environment of the Rangers over the last two years seems pleasant. New York also has a history of parting with prominent players for relatively cheap if they can clear cap space in the process.
Zibanejad could help the Wings at center or on the wings, bringing a scoring touch and 200-foot presence to the top six. However, it wouldn't be an easy deal to pull off, and to be a benefit, it would require Zibanejad to revert to form he hasn't shone all that often recently. For those reasons, this is probably the biggest long shot of our list.
