Detroit Red Wings: Steve Yzerman adds to draft capital as deadline looms
By Tyler Kotila
The Detroit Red Wings have made yet another deadline trade. While neither have been groundbreaking deals, in fact, this one was a smaller minute trade; the Red Wings walked away on top both times.
Detroit Red Wings General Manager (GM) Steve Yzerman has worked his magic once again; this time, it was a three-team deal where he weaseled his way into getting more draft capital. Through both of his trades this season, he has acquired two fourth-round draft choices, one for the 2021 season and the other for the 2022 season.
The first trade was the Patrik Nemeth trade with his former rival, Colorado Avalanche. Patrik Nemeth did not really serve much of a purpose of being here besides being an extra body. While yes, it is nice to have a guy like Nemeth, the Red Wings being in the rebuild meant their season was done about five games in.
Yzerman has stood true to his Yzerplan and continued to make deals to make the Red Wings a better hockey team overall. In this case, he is just adding more opportunities to find diamonds in the rough for prospects.
Beyond that, more draft capital could aid in moving up in the drafts. As fans saw in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Yzerman is not afraid to pick up the phone and move around in the draft order when he sees it best fit. Having extra draft capital helps Yzerman have the ability to do this if he would like to.
For Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman, draft capital is the name of the game.
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The price paid in both trades is more than worth the returns that Yzerman has received.
Being able to part ways with Nemeth for any value was worth it; it was a great move for the organization to keep adding draft capital, which, as it says above, is the name of the game.
So far, Yzerman has made a few trades and most of the time, adding some draft capital is the result on the other end.
This is not shocking given the state of the rebuild; the Red Wings are not looking to add big names.
For example, some of the “key” players the Red Wings have traded for under the Yzerplan have been Robby Fabbri and Adam Erne.
Fabbri has worked out handsomely and earned himself a nice two-year extension.
On the other hand, Erne has been playing phenomenally for the Red Wings to the surprise of most expectations. For the Red Wings, these two trades have surprisingly worked out. Otherwise, Yzerman has been banking draft capital and either spending it in 2020 or banking it for 2021 and 2022.
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The trade deadline is still looming as Monday approaches; the Detroit Red Wings will likely be active if Steve Yzerman finds any new suitors.