The Detroit Red Wings are looking to make some major changes to their roster this offseason in hopes of snapping their nine-game losing streak.
Heavy.com proposed a deal that would see the Red Wings trading their captain to the Minnesota Wild in a package involving Marco Rossi.
Red Wings acquire:
Wild acquire:
- Dylan Larkin
- 2025 third-round pick
The proposed deal would be a blockbuster as Detroit would move their captain for two young forwards, while also dealing a mid-round pick.
Detroit would acquire Rossi, who’s an RFA and is just 23 years old. Rossi would be a second-line center and could develop into a first-line center in the NHL. With the Wild, he recorded 24 goals and 36 assists for 60 points in 82 games. The trade would have to come with an extension for Rossi. Rossi was selected ninth overall in 2020.
The Red Wings would also acquire Ohgren, who was selected 19th overall in 2022. The 21-year-old has two years left on his entry-level deal and would be a third-line player for the Red Wings. He recorded 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points in 24 games, but would be given a bigger role with Detroit.
In return, Minnesota would acquire a third-round pick and Larkin, who could be the Wild’s first or second-line center and add some more offense to the roster. Larkin has five years left on his eight-year, $69.6 million deal. He recorded 30 goals and 40 assists for 70 points in 82 games.
Larkin Had a Dispute With Red Wings GM
Detroit missed the playoffs for the ninth-straight year, which frustrated Larkin.
Larkin made the playoffs in his rookie season and hasn’t made it since then. So, after Detroit missed the playoffs, Larkin was frustrated that the Red Wings didn’t add anyone at the deadline to help them.
“It was hard that we didn’t do anything,” Larkin said. “And then I felt the group kind of. We didn’t gain any momentum from the trade deadline. And guys were kind of down about it. It’d be nice to add something and bring a little bit of a spark on the ice, and maybe a morale boost as well.”
After Larkin’s comments, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman spoke to the media and responded to his captain’s comments.
“It’s been talked about since the trade deadline,” Yzerman said. “Obviously, I’ve addressed Dylan’s comments directly with Dylan, and I will not elaborate on that in this room. If Dylan wants to share what I had to say with him, he’s more than welcome to…
“Did I get a lot of feedback, or any feedback for that matter, on our morale taking a dip? No, I didn’t,” Yzerman added. “I will say I’m counting on our best players, our leaders, to give us a little bit of a morale boost, that is what they are paid for and that is the expectation for them.”
Yzerman has been Detroit’s GM since 2019 and has yet to lead his former team to the playoffs.
Wild Want to Re-Sign Rossi
Rossi has been frustrated with his role with Minnesota, and his name has come up in trade rumors, or getting an offer sheet.
However, with free agency opening, Wild GM Bill Guerin has made it clear the goal is to re-sign Rossi.
“I’m not concerned,” Guerin said. “We’re prepared. We will match. It’s not an issue with us. I think when you’ve seen (offer sheets) in the past that have been successful, maybe the teams weren’t fully prepared for it. But yeah, we’re prepared for it. We’d rather make a deal with Marco.”
Rossi was demoted to the fourth line in the playoffs which resulted in his name being brought up in trade rumors.
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