The Detroit Red Wings are in the hunt for a playoff spot, and a proposed trade scenario suggests they could land a former first-round pick in a major three-player deal.
Using PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool, which allows fans to create trade proposals, one user suggested a trade that would send top star from the Anaheim Ducks to the Red Wings.
In this proposed blockbuster trade, the Detroit Red Wings would acquire top star, while the Anaheim Ducks would receive Joe Veleno, Erik Gustafsson, and a 2025 first-round pick.
Zegras, a fan-favorite forward, could benefit from a change of scenery. He is in the second year of a three-year, $17.25 million contract and has played 32 games this season, recording 6 goals and 9 assists for 15 points. After dealing with an injury earlier in the season, he has struggled to regain his form. However, a fresh start in Detroit could help him get back on track, where he would likely slot into a top-six forward role.
In return, Detroit would send its 2025 first-round pick along with Joe Veleno, a 2018 first-round selection. Veleno, currently in the first year of a two-year, $4.55 million contract, has played 50 games this season, tallying 5 goals and 5 assists for 10 points. Like Zegras, he could benefit from a fresh start with a new team.
Additionally, Erik Gustafsson would be included in the deal. The veteran defenseman is in the first year of a two-year, $4 million contract and could bring valuable experience to Anaheim’s blue line. He has appeared in 47 games this season, recording 2 goals and 11 assists for 13 points.
Red Wings Battling for Playoff Spot
Detroit is determined to end its playoff drought and remains in a tight battle for a postseason spot.
Heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the Red Wings are holding onto the final playoff position. Head coach Todd McLellan believes the break comes at an ideal time for the team.
“We can take some time to breathe,” McLellan said. “As a staff, we’ll review where we’ve been and what we need to work on. Some of the things we saw [Saturday] are important. Game-management skills are really hard to work on in practice because there is no score or fatigue and not a lot of line-matching. It’s hard to recreate stressful situations, so game-management skills just have to keep coming through video and experience. For us to move forward, those are going to have to improve.”
Detroit entered the break with strong momentum, posting a 7-2-1 record in its last 10 games to improve to 28-22-5 on the season. The Red Wings are aiming to reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
Zegras Returned From Knee Injury
Zegras suffered a torn meniscus on December 4 but was able to return to the lineup on January 21.
The star forward admitted that being sidelined was challenging but was eager to get back on the ice.
“During the process, it’s a bit frustrating,” Zegras said. “You want to play, you want to get back out there. You hate missing games, (especially) after last season. I feel good. I feel confident and strong and ready to go.”
Selected ninth overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, Zegras has played 243 career games, tallying 61 goals and 108 assists for 169 points.