The Detroit Red Wings are one of the hottest teams in the NHL and a trade pitch has them acquiring a star forward to bolster its roster.
The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Red Wings acquiring Mathew Barzal from the New York Islanders.
Red Wings acquire:
Islanders acquire:
- Trey Augustine
- Nate Danielson
- 2026 first-round pick
- 2027 second-round pick
The proposed deal would be a blockbuster as Detroit would acquire Barzal for two draft picks and two prospects.
Barzal is in the second year of his eight-year $73.2 million deal with the Islanders. He could play on Detroit’s first or second line and would help bolster the offense. Barzal has skated in 22 games recording 4 goals and 9 assists for 13 points.
In return, the Red Wings would deal a first and second-round pick. Along with the draft picks, Detroit would deal top goalie prospect Augustine. The goaltender was selected 41st overall in the 2023 NHL draft and is playing at Michigan State. He also backed Team USA to back-to-back World Junior gold medals as the starting goalie.
Danielson, meanwhile, was Detroit’s first-round pick in ninth overall in 2023. The forward is playing in the AHL and could help replace the void of Barzal. He’s skated in 35 games recording 3 goals and 16 assists for 19 points.
Red Wings Back in Playoff Contention
Detroit had hopes of competing for a playoff spot entering the year but the Red Wings struggled out of the gate.
The Red Wings ended up firing coach Derek Lalonde and replacing him with Todd McLellan. Since the chance, Detroit is 7-2 but is coming off a blowout 6-3 home loss to the San Jose Sharks, which McLellan says hopefully will fire his team up.
“We’ll have a good skate tomorrow (January 15), and then I’m anxious to see how we do,” McLellan said. “Do we carry this with us or do we respond and do the proper things? I don’t know if we’ll win or lose, but we’ll give ourselves a chance. And if we don’t, then we got a lot of work to do.”
The Red Wings will return to the ice on the road against the Florida Panthers on January 16. Detroit is 20-19-4 and is four points back of the final Wild Card spot.
Barzal Could Listen to Trade Rumors
Despite Barzal being in the second year of his eight-year deal, his name has come up in trade rumors.
The Islanders are 17-19-7 and in second-last in the Eastern Confernece. With New York well out of a playoff spot Winnipeg Jets reporter Carter Brooks mentioned Barzal as a name to watch ahead of the deadline.
“Mathew Barzal – an intriguing name I have been told the #NHLJets have some interest in. The reported return is far too high in my opinion… but time will tell. As it stands, the 27-year-old has 10 listed teams he would accept a trade to. He’s on year 2 of an 8-year $73M deal,” Brooks wrote.
Barzal is a three-time NHL All-Star and was selected 16th overall in 2015 by the Islanders.
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