- Before the Detroit Red Wings let a third-period two-goal lead collapse to the Minnesota Wild this afternoon, they lost one of their forwards to an apparent injury. After Alex DeBrincat landed a massive hit on Wild defenseman Brock Faber, center Andrew Copp joined the ensuing scrum. The altercation didn’t last long for Copp as he immediately fell to the ice and grabbed at his left shoulder. Copp finished the game with one assist in 10:20 of action.
[SOURCE LINK]
Red Wings Rumors
Detroit Red Wings Recall Marco Kasper, Elmer Söderblom
Although a formal announcement never came from the team, the Detroit Red Wings reassigned youngsters Marco Kasper and Elmer Söderblom to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, before the 4 Nations Face-Off break for cap-related reasons. As expected, the AHL transactions site confirms Kasper and Söderblom have been returned to the NHL roster.
It’s been a tale of two seasons for Kasper during his first full year in the NHL. The Innsbruck, Austria native only mustered two goals and seven points through the first 35 games with an -11 rating averaging 14:06 of ice time per night. His possession metrics were uniquely good (approximately 50.0% CorsiFor% at even strength) for a poor possession team like Detroit, however, his 3.8% shooting percentage had many wondering if he should return to AHL Grand Rapids to continue developing.
New head coach Todd McLellan moved Kasper to the first line in early January and the former eighth overall pick has run with the opportunity. He’s scored seven goals and 13 points in his last 15 games for Detroit playing next to Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond with his shooting percentage jumping off the page at 23.3% in that stretch. Kasper has inarguably benefited from being next to the Red Wings’ top two forwards but his newfound confidence could prove a boon to his overall development.
Söderblom has primarily been relegated to AHL minutes this season having received his call-up in mid-January. The physically imposing 6’8″, 246lbs Sweden has added more size and offense to the Red Wings bottom-six throughout the call-up with two goals, three assists, and 20 hits in nine games.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Detroit Red Wings
Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t often see struggles and front office changes.
PHR is looking at every NHL team and giving a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2024-25 season. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of PuckPedia. We’re currently covering the Atlantic Division, next up is the Red Wings.
Detroit Red Wings
Current Cap Hit: $85,238,023 (under the $88MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
D Simon Edvinsson (two years, $894.1K)
F Marco Kasper (three years, $886.7K)
Potential Bonuses
Edvinsson: $850K
Kasper: $1MM
Total: $1.85MM
Kasper’s first full NHL season has been solid thus far with the Red Wings not throwing a lot at him, allowing him to ease his way in. That doesn’t necessarily bode well for him from a bonus perspective but development-wise, it’s not a bad strategy. At this point, it would seem like a bridge contract would make sense for his next contract but a breakout effort next year could change those plans.
Edvinsson has certainly been an impactful blueliner in his first full NHL campaign. The offensive numbers don’t jump off the chart but defensively, he’s quickly becoming a core piece. Speculatively, he’s someone Detroit might want to bypass a bridge deal with in 2026 and if his production stays around the level it is now, he won’t be able to command top dollar. He could seemingly use Kaiden Guhle’s contract as a barometer ($5.5MM AAV for six years) although in a higher cap environment, the comparable could push past the $6MM mark on a deal of that length. Bonus-wise, he’s well on his way to reaching two of his four ‘A’ bonuses (ATOI and plus/minus) while he’s within striking distance hitting the other two with blocks and assists.
Signed Through 2024-25, Non-Entry-Level
F Jonatan Berggren ($825K, RFA)
D Albert Johansson ($775K, RFA)
F Christian Fischer ($1.125MM, UFA)
G Ville Husso ($4.75MM, UFA)
F Patrick Kane ($4MM, UFA)
G Alex Lyon ($900K, UFA)
F Tyler Motte ($800K, UFA)
D Jeff Petry ($2.344MM, UFA)*
*-Montreal is retaining $2.344MM on Petry’s deal while Pittsburgh is retaining an additional $1.563MM.
Potential Bonuses
Kane: $2.5MM
Kane’s second season with the Red Wings hasn’t gone quite as well as his first. After hovering near the point-per-game mark in 2023-24, he isn’t producing close to that level this year while dealing with some injuries. Nonetheless, the bonus-laden structure shields Detroit a bit. Speaking of those bonuses, he has already reached $1.5MM of those and if he stays healthy the rest of the way, he’ll get at least another $250K. The other $750K ($500K for making the playoffs and $250K for making the playoffs and getting 60 points) are less likely although if Detroit was to move Kane to a contender at the trade deadline, he could still reach that. With how this year has gone, a similar one-year deal could still be doable, perhaps with a bit less guaranteed money in there.
Fischer is having a rough year and while he has a track record of being a good fourth liner, a small dip into the six figures still seems likely for him. Berggren has arbitration eligibility and with a 28-point rookie season under his belt and being on pace for a similar number this year, doubling his current price tag could be doable. If Detroit doesn’t want to take the risk of an award from a hearing, he could be a non-tender candidate as well. Motte has been just above the minimum salary the last couple of years and although he’s a serviceable penalty killer, it’s possible he might wind up dropping to the minimum salary of $775K for next season.
For many years, Petry was a solid top-four defender who could handle top-pairing minutes when needed. That’s not the case anymore. He’s more of a fourth or fifth option at this point and at 37, there’s a risk of the decline being fairly steep. Accordingly, he’s likely looking at going year-to-year now. Something around the price that Detroit is responsible for on his current contract might be reasonable with some incentives pushing the potential total past the $3MM mark as well. Johansson is in his first NHL season and has had a limited role thus far. He’s arbitration-eligible as well which should allow him to get more than his $813K qualifying offer. Something a little closer to the $1MM mark could be doable.
Lyon has become quite a bargain for Detroit. Originally viewed as a third-string option, he took over as the starter last year and has improved on those numbers this season albeit in more of a backup role. With the way the market has gone for higher-end backups lately, a short-term deal around the $3MM mark is where his market could fall. Husso, on the other hand, was supposed to be the starter when acquired but has played his way down to third-string status. It’s hard to see him getting an offer to be a backup goalie this summer but because he has done well in the minors and has a bit of a track record in the AHL, he could land a deal similar to what Lyon’s getting now, a one-way pact worth more than the minimum to be an experienced third option.
Signed Through 2025-26
D Ben Chiarot ($4.75MM, UFA)
D Erik Gustafsson ($2MM, UFA)
D Justin Holl (3.4MM, UFA)
G Cam Talbot ($2.5MM, UFA)
F Vladimir Tarasenko ($4.75MM, UFA)
F Joe Veleno ($2.275MM, RFA)
Tarasenko had to settle for a one-year deal in 2023 and, despite having a solid season, he didn’t seem to have a strong market last summer, yielding this two-year pact at a small pay cut instead. This season hasn’t gone well for the 33-year-old and it’s possible that Detroit looks to try to move him to get out of the second year of the contract. If this production carries over into next season, he could be dropping closer to the $3MM range on his next deal. Veleno has never been able to carry over his offensive success in junior to the pros although he has become a capable checker. His deal is a little front-loaded, meaning the qualifying offer only checks in at $1.75MM which is notable as if his usage continues as more of a fourth liner, that’s more of the price range he should be in. He’ll be arbitration-eligible and a likely non-tender candidate if a deal can’t be reached by the start of the 2026 free agent period.
Chiarot’s contract drew some ire when it was signed a couple of years ago as a high price for someone who’s probably best served in a fourth role. He plays enough to make the price tag somewhat reasonable although for someone who doesn’t contribute a lot offensively, it’s still on the high side and it’s one Detroit could try to get out of if they want to open up some flexibility this summer. He’ll be 35 for his next trip on the open market and it’s hard to imagine he’d get this type of money again. A deal with an AAV starting with a three might be more plausible.
Holl’s contract seemed like quite an overpayment given his limited usage late in his time with Toronto. Unfortunately for them, that has largely been the case. He cleared waivers in October but has spent most of the year with Detroit in a limited role. He’s a possible buyout candidate or could be moved with retention. Either way, his next deal might not be worth half of this one. Gustafsson had a strong year with the Rangers which allowed him to get a multi-year contract for the first time since 2018. He hasn’t produced at the same level with the Red Wings but the cost is low enough that it shouldn’t be much of a burden. He’ll need to pick up the pace in terms of his points though as otherwise, he’s probably back in the year-to-year territory with a cost closer to half of what he’s making now.
Talbot opted for the security of a two-year deal last summer over going year-to-year which, at 37, probably wasn’t a bad strategy for someone viewed as more of a platoon option at this point. He has been more than that for Detroit as he has been their primary netminder while putting up numbers above league average. That said, if there’s another contract coming, it’d be for his age-39 year so the cost will likely be low even if he keeps up this level of performance.
Signed Through 2026-27
F Andrew Copp ($5.625MM, UFA)
F Alex DeBrincat ($7.875MM, UFA)
DeBrincat and the Red Wings couldn’t work out a long-term deal after he was acquired so the sides settled on a medium-term pact instead. It’s working out reasonably well so far although the price tag is a little high for someone whose production is in the lower-end range for a top-line winger. That said, by the time DeBrincat reaches free agency (when the salary cap is much higher), he could still be in line for a raise if he stays in the 25-30-goal, 60-plus-point range. Copp received this contract coming off a career year, one he hasn’t been able to repeat since then. He’s more of a bottom-six pivot getting paid as a second-liner which isn’t great value but he is a valuable secondary piece nonetheless.
Should Red Wings Try To Move Tarasenko Even If They're Buyers At The Deadline?
While the Red Wings have played their way back into the playoff battle, one veteran who hasn’t had a big hand in their recent success is winger Vladimir Tarasenko. Accordingly, even if Detroit acts as a buyer over the next few weeks, MLive’s Ansar Khan argues that the team should be looking to move the 33-year-old anyway and if it doesn’t happen, then they should consider making him a buyout candidate this summer. Tarasenko has just seven goals and 15 assists through 53 games this season in a little under 15 minutes a night of playing time. As someone who has reached the 20-goal mark in eight of the last 11 years, it’s fair to say Detroit was expecting more than that for their $4.75MM commitment through next season. It would be tough to offload that contract in its entirety but a swap of underachievers might be the way to for the Red Wings, as long as Tarasenko, who has a full no-trade clause, approves the deal.
Trade Deadline Primer: Detroit Red Wings
With the 4 Nations Face-Off break upon us, the trade deadline looms large and is less than a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Detroit Red Wings.
It’s been a tale of two seasons for Detroit. The playoff-hopeful Red Wings started the 2024-25 campaign with a 13-17-4 record, nearly falling to last place in the Eastern Conference. Since relieving former head coach Derek Lalonde of his duties and replacing him with veteran bench boss Todd McLellan, the Red Wings have vaulted themselves back into the playoff conversation. Detroit is holding down the final wild-card spot in the East heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off thanks to a 15-5-1 record under McLellan. The recent hot streak has likely changed Detroit’s trade deadline strategy.
Record
28-22-5, 5th in the Atlantic
Deadline Status
Conservative Buyer/Conservative Seller
Deadline Cap Space
$12,626,183 on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 47/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2025: DET 1st, DET 2nd, NYR 3rd, DET 3rd, DET 5th, DET 6th, STL 7th, DET 7th
2026: DET 1st, DET 2nd, DET 3rd, DET 4th, DET 5th, DET 6th, DET 7th
Trade Chips
The Red Wings are in a position to buy leading up to the trade deadline now that they’re back in the playoff conversation. Still, general manager Steve Yzerman has been known to trade expiring assets even with his eyes set on the playoffs.
Detroit doesn’t have many valuable rental pieces. Patrick Kane’s no-trade clause and looming $1MM performance bonuses (should the acquiring team make the playoffs) will likely drive away most interested parties. Defenseman Jeff Petry’s recent surgery could keep him out of action until a handful of games remain in the regular season, although his $2.34MM salary is more than palatable. Lastly, netminder Alex Lyon may be the most valuable rental asset, but the goalie market and the Red Wings’ desire to win should preclude his name from any trade conversations. 
The one established player recently mentioned in trade rumors is winger Vladimir Tarasenko. In last week’s ’Saturday Headlines,’ Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes that Tarasenko is a player to monitor, even with his entire no-trade clause in effect this season. The former 40-goal scorer is enthralled in one of the worst statistical seasons of his career, scoring seven goals and 22 points in 53 games in the first year of a two-year, $9.5MM contract signed with Detroit last offseason. Reasonably, assuming the relationship hasn’t proven beneficial for either side, Detroit may work with Tarasenko to send him to a more favorable destination.
If the Red Wings aim to make a strong playoff push this season, they must actively engage with other teams about their prospects. Detroit has not historically been motivated to move their prospects, especially under Yzerman’s regime. Defensive prospects such as Axel Sandin-Pellikka, William Wallinder, and Shai Buium are likely out of the question, given the lack of long-term contracts on the blue line on the NHL roster. Still, the Red Wings could dangle forward prospects such as Nate Danielson, Carter Mazur, or Amadeus Lombardi should the right player become available.
Team Needs
1) A Right-Handed Defenseman: Although rookie defenseman Albert Johansson has filled in nicely next to Simon Edvinsson on the second-pairing after Petry succumbed to his injury, Detroit would be better served having a more experienced talent on the right side. Moritz Seider and Sandin-Pellikka are assuredly the long-term answers on the right side of the defense, so it may be an opportune time to enter the rental market. Now that Cody Ceci has already joined the Dallas Stars for the rest of the season, Montreal Canadiens’ David Savard and Buffalo Sabres’ Henri Jokiharju may be the remaining options.
2) A Second Line Center: Despite signing Andrew Copp and J.T. Compher in back-to-back offseasons, the Red Wings have yet to figure out their long-term answer behind Dylan Larkin. Yzerman might believe Marco Kasper will fulfill that role as his game develops, but it’s challenging to rely on that now in his career. Detroit has already been linked to Buffalo’s Dylan Cozens and Vancouver Canucks’ Elias Pettersson. Still, the latter may have already been pulled from the trade block, given their recent trade activity. Casey Mittelstadt of the Colorado Avalanche and Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks have also been floated as trade candidates this year. At any rate, it might be time for the Red Wings to take a shot.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Detroit Red Wings Activate J.T. Compher
The Detroit Red Wings will only have one player remaining on the injured reserve heading into today’s action against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Red Wings announced they’ve activated forward J.T. Compher from the injured reserve, giving context to Dominik Shine’s reassignment on Wednesday.
Compher has missed the last five games for Detroit due to an upper-body injury. The incident that caused his injury led to a two-game suspension for Lightning defenseman Emil Martinsen Lilleberg, as Compher’s head was the primary point of contact. This issue may remain a storyline in today’s matchup if the Red Wings feel compelled to respond.
The former Stanley Cup champion is expected to center Detroit’s fourth line this afternoon, flanked by Joe Veleno and Jonatan Berggren. Compher’s ice time has been significantly reduced this season, dropping from an average of 19:23 during his first year with the Red Wings to just 16:41.
The reduction in ice time is justified. After coming close to scoring 20 goals in each of the past three seasons, Compher has only managed to score six goals this year. His performance falls well short of the expectations the Red Wings had for him as their fifth-highest-paid forward on the team.
His 41.0% CorsiFor% at even strength leaves a lot to be desired and his $5.1MM salary makes him one of the higher-paid bottom-six forwards in the league. Still, the veteran pivot provides respectable value as a defensive-minded forward given his 93.4% on-ice save percentage at even strength.
Red Wings Assign Shine To Grand Rapids
- The Red Wings announced (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned winger Dominik Shine to AHL Grand Rapids. Detroit signed the 31-year-old to a two-year, two-way deal last month, his first NHL contract which came on the heels of a strong first half with the Griffins that saw him record 32 points in 40 games. Shine got into four games with Detroit while being up with the big club, picking up an assist and four hits in a little under nine minutes a night of playing time.
Red Wings’ Jeff Petry Undergoes Surgery, Out 6-8 Weeks
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry has undergone surgery to address an undisclosed injury and will miss the next six-to-eight weeks, per Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff. No specifics of the injury were provided.
Petry has been out of the lineup since suffering an injury in the team’s January 3rd game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He left that game with roughly 10 minutes left in the third period after wrapping awkwardly around Columbus’ Kirill Marchenko while the latter took a shot. Petry went down immediately and took his time getting back up. It wasn’t clear what he hurt on the play. He was designated as day-to-day with injury immediately following the game, then landed on injured reserve three days later. Now, Petry will be a candidate for long-term injured reserve, as he pushes to return before Detroit’s season ends on April 17th.
Petry has dealt with numerous injuries this season. He missed time in early October with an upper-body injury, then sat out with a lower-body injury for parts of early December. In total, he’s only played in 34 of Detroit’s 52 games this season. The 37-year-old has just one goal and six points in the games he’s played in. He’s also recorded 12 penalty minutes, a -7, 56 blocked shots, and 39 hits. Petry was Detroit’s fourth-most utilized defender before falling to injury, averaging just over 19 minutes of ice time – behind Moritz Seider, Ben Chiarot, and Simon Edvinsson.
Petry is just four seasons removed from recording 42 points in 55 games with the 2020-21 Montreal Canadiens. He’s seen a gradual decrease in scoring ever since, netting 27, 31, and 24 over the last three seasons respectively. Those numbers have fallen off a cliff this season. That decrease, during an injury-riddled season, could motivate Petry to retire when his contract ends this summer. That thought may be in the back of his head through the rest of the season, though he hasn’t been ruled out for the year yet.
Red Wings Activate Patrick Kane, Place J.T. Compher On IR
The Detroit Red Wings have swapped forward on injured reserve, activating Patrick Kane and shelving J.T. Compher. Kane has missed Detroit’s last five games with an upper-body injury. He was moved to injured reserve on January 27th, retroactive to his last game on the 21st. Meanwhile, Compher has been nursing his own upper-body injury ever since taking a high hit from Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Martinsen Lilleberg on January 25th. Lilleberg was suspended for two games for the hit, while Compher will miss his fourth consecutive game on Sunday. Both Kane and Compher traveled with the team on their two-game road trip to the Pacific Northwest, but it could be a long while before Compher returns to the ice. He is currently listed as out indefinitely, per Rotowire.
With this news, Detroit receives back the all-offense, no-defense style of Kane. The future Hall-of-Famer ranks fifth on the team in scoring with 11 goals and 30 points in 42 games. That’s an 82-game pace of 52 points, continuing Kane’s gradual decline in scoring after scoring at a 77-point pace last season (47 points in 50 games) and netting 57 points in the year before. Despite ranking near the top of the team in scoring this year, Kane has also posted a dismal -11 and 2.90 xGA/60 (expected goals-against per-60), ranking him second-worst on the team in both categories per Evolving Hockey.
Detroit has often offset Kane’s near-total lack of defense with the stout two-way play of Compher, who has 21 points in 48 games of his own this year. Compher has also recorded a +4, which leads all Detroit forwards and ranks second on the team to Simon Edvinsson’s +13. He has been a stalwart centerman in the Red Wings’ middle-six, clearly benefiting from the addition of Andrew Copp to help shoulder responsibility in the middle lane. Compher has averaged nearly 17 minutes of ice time this year, nearly three minutes fewer than he averaged through the last two seasons. But the decreased minutes hardly indicate a decreased role, with Compher still serving time on both special teams and a go-to option in odd-man situations.
The Wings have so far promoted Michael Rasmussen to fill Compher’s tough minutes – to good effect. Rasmussen has two points and a +2 through his last five games, while averaging stout third-line minutes behind Copp and Dylan Larkin. Rasmussen has scored 15 points in 51 games on the year, putting him on pace for just 24 points – his lowest since the 2020-21 campaign. An extended absence for Compher could set Rasmussen up to boost his scoring up, though he’ll need to do it while commanding the team’s second power-play unit and handling tough, top-nine minutes.
Afternoon Notes: Kulich, Stolarz, Savage, Durzi
The Buffalo Sabres cleared up space in their bottom six by placing winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel on waivers. After the team’s practice, head coach Lindy Ruff shared that the decision was influenced by how well 20-year-old Jiri Kulich has performed as of late, per Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News. Ruff elaborated that the team will face a roster crunch with Jordan Greenway expected to return to practice soon. An undisclosed injury has forced Greenway out of 28 of Buffalo’s last 32 games.
Through the weeds of roster moves, this news shines a spotlight on Kulich. The young center recorded the first three-point game of his career last Tuesday, and was promptly awarded with the most ice time of his career on Thursday. Kulich didn’t manage any scoring, but made sure to find the scoresheet in Buffalo’s Saturday game – scoring one goal on a career-high seven shots. He’s playing much more confident and determined than he was earlier in the year, and the Sabres seem ready to reward him with a hardier role and a chance to prove his worth.
Across the Atlantic Division, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube told media after practice that he won’t hold back goaltender Anthony Stolarz if he’s healthy before the league breaks for the 4-Nations Face-Off, captured in a video from TSN. Stolarz participated in his first full practice after missing the last 21 games with a knee injury. He’s been upgraded to day-to-day and nearing a return, but will have just five chances left to return before the Leafs go on a two-week break.
Stolarz effectively leads the league in save percentage among goalies with 10-or-more games played. He’s recorded a .927 through just 17 games this season, backed by a stout 9-5-2 record. Stolarz seemed to be the reliability in net that Toronto had been seeking, but his untimely injury has put the team in a challenging spot. The Leafs have been outscored 70-to-69 since Stolarz’s injury, though they’ve still managed a 12-9-0 record. His return will be hotly anticipated as, hopefully, the catalyzing piece of a second-half run in Toronto.
Traveling south of Toronto, Michigan State Spartans captain and Detroit Red Wings prospect Redmond Savage has suffered a season-ending injury, Spartans head coach Adam Nightingale told local reporter Conor Earegood of Detroit News Sports. Savage’s season will end with 11 points in 20 games – a dip in scoring pace from his 27 points in 38 games last season, but still a better pace than his two years at Miami University of Ohio. Detroit drafted Savage in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft, but haven’t yet signed him to his entry-level contract. They will lose his rights next summer if he doesn’t sign.
Finally, out in the plains of the Western Conference, Utah Hockey Club defender Sean Durzi returned to the team’s practices on Tuesday. Durzi has missed Utah’s last 45 games with a shoulder injury. Head coach Andre Tourigny joked about the defender’s return to Belle Fraser of the Salt Lake Tribune, saying that Durzi looked a bit rusty but that the team is incredibly excited to have him back. Utah signed Durzi to a four-year, $24MM contract this summer, but he’s so far only played four games on the deal. He was still productive enough to illicit excitement in the brief showing – recording two assists, seven penalty minutes, and a +2. Durzi will likely return to a role on Utah’s second pair, once he eases his way back to full practice.