Detroit Red Wings: Adding Tyson Barrie offers offense to the blueline
By Tyler Kotila
The Detroit Red Wings need to make a splash in this year’s free-agent market; defenseman Tyson Barrie is worth a look to upgrade the team’s blueline.
While the rest of the hockey world is awaiting the announcement to return to play, the Detroit Red Wings have their sights fixed on the offseason. The team is still awaiting their fate in the NHL Draft Lottery, but doing some prep for this upcoming free agency cannot hurt.
General Manager (GM) Steve Yzerman needs to go into free agency and make a splash by making a signing to aid the defense core of this Red Wings team. The player he should target most is Torey Krug, but if he chooses elsewhere, giving Tyson Barrie a look is more than warranted.
Barrie, from first glance, could be signed to a multi-year contract and become a substantial addition to the Toronto Maple Leafs blueline. He was traded to the Maple Leafs in the Nazem Kadri trade, back in 2019, prior to the start of the 2019-20 season.
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He was brought into the Maple Leafs defense core that was being carried by Morgan Rielly who has been the Leafs rock-solid number one.
Barrie was a supplement to Rielly, who was coming off a Norris Trophy type of season, but 2019-20 was not the same for either Barrie or Rielly.
This past season with the Leafs, Barrie did not have the best year, but still showed the ability to add offense from the blueline.
In 70 games played, Barrie tallied five goals and 34 assists for 39 total points on the season while having to fill in for Rielly when he headed to the injured reserve.
The twenty-eight-year-old Barrie is not a first pairing top defender if the Red Wings add him; he is not going to be the next Nicklas Lidstrom.
However, he will add value to a line with someone like Filip Hronek or even could be paired with a physical defender to have a bit of contrast between the two. The 5-foot-11, 197-pound, right-handed shooting Barrie is a more than a viable option as a two or three in terms of defenseman.
With the hopes that Moritz Seider can be that number one defenseman in time, adding a core around him between what the organization has and free agency will work well. The organization has the potential to breed a few exceptional prospects between Jared McIsaac, Seider, and others.
Barrie has made $5.5 million the past four seasons on a four-year, $22 million contract he had signed with the Colorado Avalanche before being traded. The Red Wings could afford to pay him on a multi-year deal if they miss out on someone like Krug.
Adding some talent to this Red Wings blueline is going to be crucial for the success of this rebuild and this team. A veteran scoring presence would pair nicely as the younger defenders try to find their way in the NHL roster as mainstays.
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The Detroit Red Wings need to make some kind of a splash this summer in free agency, adding a consistent and viable top-pairing defenseman is the best move, and Tyson Barrie is worth a look.