Trade Pitch Has Red Wings Adding Star $92 Million Defenseman in Blockbuster

The Detroit Red Wings are looking to end its playoff drought and should be buyers before the trade deadline.

The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Red Wings acquiring Erik Karlsson from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Red Wings acquire:

• Erik Karlsson

Red Wings acquire:

• Ville Husso
• Justin Holl
• Dmitri Buchelnikov (Signing rights)
• 2025 second-round pick
• 2025 third-round pick (Rangers’)

The proposed deal would be a blockbuster as the Red Wings would acquire Karlsson who is a star defenseman. In return, Pittsburgh would acquire two draft picks, a prospect, and two players the Red Wings are looking to get off of.

Karlsson is in the sixth year of his eight-year $92 million deal. He was supposed to help Pittsburgh be a Stanley Cup contender but that hasn’t happened, so his name has come up in trade rumors. He would add some much-needed offense to the blue line and could help run the power play.

In return, the Red Wings would deal Husso who’s in the final year of his three-year $14.25 million deal. Pittsburgh has struggled in net so the Penguins take a flier on Husso who can start games for them.

Holl, meanwhile, is in the second year of his three-year $10.2 million deal. He could replace Karlsson on the blue line and add some veteran presence to the back end.

Buchelnikov, meanwhile, was selected in the second round of the 2022 NHL draft but has yet to sign his entry level deal. The forward is playing in the KHL.

Red Wings GM Expects Team to End Playoff Drought

Detroit hasn’t made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season, but Red Wings general manager Steve Yzmeran was confident the team could end the drought.

Detroit barely missed the playoffs last season and Yzerman liked the team to take another step forward.

“We all would love to make the playoffs next year… but ultimately, we’re still trying to put together that core of young guys that is going to be together and start to creep into the playoffs and hang around the playoffs and maybe eventually win,” Yzerman said back in July…

“Our fan base wants to win. Pressure, whatever you want to call it, it’s not going to change what I’m trying to do. It’s the right way to do it. And it’s taken some time. And I can’t tell you it’s five years, seven years, 10 years. I’m just going to stick with it here.”

The Red Wings are off to a 7-7-1 start to begin the season and in sixth place in the Atlantic Division.

Peguins Open to Trading Everyone Except for Sidney Crosby

Pittsburgh has struggled once again to begin the season as the Penguins may make significant trades to begin a rebuild.

Penguins reporter Taylor Haase of DKPittsburghSports reported that everyone except for Sidney Crosby could be moved.

“A league source told me earlier this week that Kyle Dubas has made it known to other teams that “everyone is available, except 87,” Haase wrote.

The Penguins did trade Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals on November 12  for a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.