Red Wings: Alex Pietrangelo free agency sweepstakes is heating up

The Detroit Red Wings seem to be interested in a big name defenseman, Alex Pietrangelo is one of the considerations, but his sweepstakes are heating up.

The Detroit Red Wings are likely going to be in the market for a big-name free agent this offseason. It seems like Alex Pietrangelo would fit the bill of a big-name player that the Red Wings would be after in free agency.

While somewhat recent comments from Torey Krug make it clear that he will be testing the free-agent market, he is just one of the big-name defenseman who the organization could sign. Pietrangelo, on the other hand, should be considered just as much as Krug.

The St. Louis Blues recently told Pietrangelo that he should be prepared to head into free agency and that the likelihood of an extension is quite low. Given this, rumors have already started about other teams gearing up for a run at Pietrangelo in the offseason.

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Pietrangelo is the captain of the Blues and has also spent all 12 years of his career in St. Louis. But it seems like that time is up and comes time for the 2020-21 regular season, Pietrangelo will be donning another team’s uniform.

While Pietrangelo says that he has not ruled out signing with the Blues for the 2020-21 season, it seems like this would require a few miracles on the Blues end to make it happen.

This is why the Red Wings need to step in and join the sweepstakes, and at minimum, entertain the idea of signing him.

If the offseason comes along and General Manager (GM) Steve Yzerman is not looking to add some weight onto the organization’s payroll, something is wrong. While Krug seems like the best bet and the safe bet, Pietrangelo could also be that number one defenseman.

He may not possess the offensive prowess that Krug does, but Krug has his downsides. Pietrangelo’s abilities in the defensive zone while also maintaining offensive zone skills easily make him a top-tier get in free agency.

In 2019-20, Pietrangelo had 16 goals and 36  assists for 52 points through 70 games for the Blues. He has been a staple of the Blues back end, a leader for their organization, and would be a fantastic signing for the Red Wings organization.

Given that the Blues are less than likely bringing him back, Yzerman should be thinking already about if Pietrangelo is the player they want to target. At a minimum, even if the organization is going to go all out for Krug, they should be readying an offer for Pietrangelo.

The Detroit Red Wings should be posted to make some sort of a move; signing Pietrangelo is one to consider, even with the buzz around him heating up quickly.