Red Wings winger Thomas Vanek is no stranger to being moved at the trade deadline. It’s undoubtedly part of the reason he pushed for a no-trade clause last summer in free agency and he managed to get one. Although Detroit is believed to be selling between now and the February 25th trade deadline, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press suggests that it’s unlikely that Vanek will be moved as he’s valued as a leader in the dressing room. For his part, the 35-year-old indicated that thought of waiving his no-trade clause simply hasn’t crossed his mind. Vanek has 23 points in 42 games so far this season.
Elsewhere around the league:
- Golden Knights winger William Carrier has missed the last three weeks with what had been called an illness. Today, GM George McPhee informed reporters including Jesse Granger of The Athletic (Twitter link) that it’s actually an injury that’s keeping him out of the lineup although he declined to provide further specifics or an idea of how much longer he’ll be out. Despite missing seven games already, Carrier remains the league leader in hits by a significant margin and is averaging just under five per game.
- Ducks winger Corey Perry returned to practice for the first time since suffering a knee injury during the preseason, notes Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register. While there is no timetable for his return, head coach Randy Carlyle indicated that he believes Perry is a little ahead of schedule. When he underwent surgery late in September, Anaheim announced that he was likely to be out until early March so that would suggest he’s a few weeks away from returning.
- In the same column, Teaford adds that the Ducks received permission to extend Patrick Eaves’ AHL conditioning stint by two more games. He’s on a Bona Fide Long-Term Injury/Illness Exception Conditioning Loan which is only supposed to last three games or six days, whichever comes first. Eaves has been out of the lineup since mid-November due to a fractured rib and has played in just five NHL games so far this season as well as the past three with AHL San Diego.
A trade deadline where Thomas Vanek isn’t traded? Does such a world exist?
Ken Holland needs to go. Does 90% of the red wings roster have a no trade clause? You can not keep resigning the same players over and over again. Commit to the rebuild. Trade Howard and Nyquist and anyone that helps speed this along so Red Wing fans can once again enjoy a Stanley Cup run.
trading away your best goalie with seemingly no good goalies available won’t help speed anything along. the whole reason why the rebuild is dragging on and happening in the first place is the contracts he’s throwing around
They will be in last with or without Howard so if you can get a second round pick for him and he’s only under contract for a few more months why wouldn’t you?