The Detroit Red Wings are looking to end their playoff drought and one trade pitch has them acquiring a star forward.
The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Red Wings acquire Pavel Buchnevich from the St. Louis Blues.
Red Wings acquire:
Pavel Buchnevich
Blues acquire:
Jonatan Berggren
2025 first-round pick
2025 second-round pick
2026 second-round pick
The proposed deal would be a blockbuster as Detroit parts ways with an NHL player, a first-round pick, and two seconds for star forward Buchnevich. Detroit adds more scoring while the Blues get younger and add assets to their potential rebuild.
Buchnevich is entering the final year of his four-year $23.2 million deal, but he already signed a six-year $42 million extension that kicks in the 2025-26 NHL season. So, Detroit would get Buchnevich for seven seasons, which is why the cost is so much.
Buchnevich could be a top-six forward for Detroit and add some more scoring to the lineup. Last season, Buchnevich recorded 27 goals and 36 assists for 63 points in 80 games. In his NHL career, he’s skated in 517 games recording 162 goals and 239 assists for 401 points.
Along with the draft picks, Detroit parts ways with Berggren who’s a 24-year-old forward. Berggren can be a bottom-six forward for the Blues and have a bigger role than he’s had in Detroit. The Swede was selected in the second round of the 2018 NHL draft and last season, he skated in 12 games recording 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points.
Red Wings Sign Berggren to Extension
Detroit signed Berggren who was an RFA to a one-year $825,000 on September 16. It was one of the last things general manager Steve Yzerman had to do. He’s glad to get the contract done, even if it is only a one-year deal.
“Knowing what the salary cap is, [we] probably weren’t in a position at this time to do a two-year deal,” Yzerman said on September 17. “So both parties are comfortable with a one-year deal. Jonatan goes out and has a solid season, he’s in a very good spot to renegotiate after one year.”
Although the Red Wings only signed Berggren to a one-year deal, Yzerman belives the Swede can be an impact player this season.
“He’s got a lot of talent,” Yzerman continued. “We’re really pleased with how he played down the stretch. It was a tough year for him, up and down a little bit. But, he worked hard every time he went back to (Grand Rapids) and seeing him here in Detroit in the preseason, he looks like he’s worked really hard this summer. He’s in good shape, he’s a smart hockey player, he’s got good skills. And it’s just the ability to do it at the NHL level, and he’s shown in some of his call-ups and brief periods that he’s called up that he has the ability and the hockey sense to play in the NHL. He’s worked hard, he’s been patient, and he’ll get a good opportunity this year.”
Detroit opens its 2024-25 NHL season at home on October 10 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Analyst Praises Buchnevich’s Contract
Buchnevich signed a six-year, $48 million contract extension with the St. Louis Blues on July 2.
NHL analyst Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic believes the Blues did well with the contract.
“This is a terrific contract for the Blues, who kept Buchnevich’s term to six years rather than the maximum eight, which means it will expire in his mid-30s. The AAV is also well within reason for a player who has posted nearly a point per game (0.96) in his three seasons in St. Louis,” Rutherford wrote.
Buchnevich has been with the Blues since being traded from the New York Rangers in July of 2021.
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