The Detroit Red Wings should look to add more grit and toughness to their roster and should look to the trade market to solve it.
Heavy.com has a trade idea that sees the Red Wings acquiring Lawson Crouse from the Utah Mammoth in an intriguing move.
Red Wings acquire:
Mammoth acquire:
- J.T. Compher
- 2026 third-round pick
The proposed deal would be an intriguing one as Detroit would acquire Crouse to be a middle-six forward to bolster their lineup. Utah, meanwhile, gets a third-round pick and a solid third-line center to bolster its lineup.
The Red Wings would acquire Crouse to be a middle-six forward and add some more size to the lineup. He’s entering the fourth year of a five-year, $21.5 million deal. Crouse was selected 11th overall in 2015, and the 6-foot-4 forward would add some secondary scoring to the lineup. He recorded 12 goals and 6 assists for 18 points in 81 games, but with an increased role, he could be a 40-point player.
In return, Utah would acquire a third-round pick and Compher, who can be a third-line center. Compher is entering the third year of a four-year, $25.5 million deal. Compher recorded 11 goals and 21 assists for 32 points last season. Utah gets a third-rounder to take on Compher’s salary, given he makes more and has an extra year left.
Crouse Could be Available in a Trade
Crouse’s name has come up in trade rumors, and if he is indeed made available, it would be wise for the Red Wings to pursue a trade for him.
Utah analyst Spencer Lazary of The Hockey News named Crouse as a potential trade candidate this summer.
“The Utah Mammoth seem to be involved in just about every rumor leading into the 2025 NHL Draft. If the reports are accurate and they’re looking to make a splash this summer, there’s a real possibility they’ll need to clear some cap space to do it,” Lazary wrote. “One name that’s come up repeatedly over the last few seasons is Lawson Crouse.
“He’s been tied to trade speculation for a while now. So, could this finally be the offseason where Utah moves on from him to open up space for upgrades? It would definitely be bittersweet. Crouse has been a long-time member of the organization, spanning both the Arizona Coyotes era and now the Mammoth. But at the end of the day, the NHL is a business—and sometimes that means moving on from players to improve the roster.”
If Crouse is available for trade, several NHL teams should be interested in him. But, he makes a ton of sense for the Red Wings as he’d make them harder to play against.
Red Wings Believe They Are Better
Detroit has missed the playoffs in nine straight years, and they are looking to put that to an end.
The Red Wings added more depth players to raise the floor, and general manager Steve Yzerman believes the team is better.
“Today, I think our team is a little bit more competitive,” Yzerman said. “Maybe constructed a little better than it was at this stage last year, so I’m hopeful that we take a step… Overall, I think we’re a little bit better. How many points does that translate to in the season? We’re going to find out.”
The Red Wings still have nearly $12 million in cap space.
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