The Detroit Red Wings are a fringe playoff team but one trade pitch has them making a blockbuster with a division rival.
The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Red Wings dealing Alex DeBrincat to the Buffalo Sabres.
Red Wings acquire:
Sabres acquire:
The proposed deal would be a blockbuster and would shake up both team’s rosters.
Detroit would acquire Peterka who’s 22 years old and in the final year of his three-year entry-level deal. Peterka was selected in the second round of the 2020 NHL draft and the German has been an impact forward for Buffalo. Last season, Peterka recorded 28 goals and 22 assists for 50 points in 82 games as he’s currently the Sabres second-line left winger.
Greenway, meanwhile, could add some grit and physicality to the Red Wings lineup. The 6-foot-6 forward is in the final year of his three-year $9 million deal and could be a perfect third-liner forward for Detroit. Greenway can add some scoring to the bottom of the lineup but also add some size and physicality.
In return, Detroit would deal DeBrincat who would add an offensive boost to the Sabres. The forward is in the second year of his four-year $31.5 million deal. DeBrincat recorded 27 goals and 40 assists for 67 points with Detroit last season and would be a top-line player in Buffalo.
Red Wings Off to Slow Start
A reason why the proposed deal makes sense is to simply make a change to the roster.
Detroit failed to make the playoffs last season, and through November 1 the team is 4-5-1. It’s been a slow start and coach Derek Lalonde wants to see his team take a step forward.
“Obviously us sitting here, we’ve been a .500 team pretty much throughout the 10 games,” Detroit head coach Derek Lalonde said. “One up, one down. Two down to start. You’re worried about your team and concentrating on yourself internally, but you look around and the division hasn’t gone anywhere. The [Eastern] Conference hasn’t gone anywhere. I’m hoping and expecting some of that parity.”
The Red Wings hadn’t made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season, so the proposed deal would make a change to the core group. And, perhaps, that would be enough to spark the team to go on a run and end the playoff drought this season.
“We’d like to seek some 60-minute consistency,” Lalonde added. “Watching up top, it looks really good at times but not all the time. That’s something we’re battling through. All 12 [forwards] and six [defensemen]. The first 10 games are a tough read, probably feel what our record is, but there’s signs of it being good.
Peterka Playing Key Role for Sabres
Peterka has been an important player for Buffalo this season.
The former second-round pick plays over 20 minutes a night for the Sabres and plays on the top power-play unit.
This season, Peterka has recorded 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points in 9 games. The German forward is a key offensive player for Buffalo, but in the proposed deal, the Sabres would get a bonafide star offensive player in DeBrincat.
The Sabres haven’t made the playoffs since the 2010-11 season.
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