The 2025 NHL Trade Deadline is just three days away, and the Detroit Red Wings haven’t been too active leading up to it. Some fans love to speculate about what their plans are and what they could do to try and improve their roster, but it doesn’t seem like they’re going to have an overly busy deadline. At the time of this article, they currently sit in the second wild card position but are tied with the New York Rangers at 66 points.
If they want to sneak into that final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference or move up in the Atlantic Division, they will have to make some additions by Friday (Mar. 7). One player who could be available to help them bolster their defensive depth is Seattle Kraken defender Jamie Oleksiak. There is no guarantee the Kraken will move him at the deadline, but his name is out there.
He joins a long list of defenders who have been rumored to be available at the upcoming deadline, but it doesn’t seem like the Kraken would move him unless they are blown away by an offer, which the Red Wings might be able to do. They have future assets in prospects and draft capital to make something interesting and interest the Kraken on pulling the trigger, but they may have to slightly overpay considering he isn’t a rental and is extended through the 2025-26 season.
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Oleksiak, who is 32 years old, has scored four goals and added nine assists for 13 points through 61 games this season. Throughout his career, he has scored 40 goals and added 102 assists for 142 points through 659 games which comes out to a 0.22 points-per-game average. He stands 6-foot-7, 252 pounds, and has established himself as a strong defensive defender who can add strong depth to any contending team.
What Could a Trade Look Like?
The Red Wings have just over $13.5 million in cap space to spend at the deadline, and will likely look to make the most of as much as they can. The positive benefit for the Red Wings if they pursue Oleksiak is that they can fit his entire $4.6 million cap hit, and don’t have to pay more for the Kraken to retain salary for the final two seasons of his deal. They will still have to give up some solid assets to bring him in, but they may be able to bring their asking price down.
Vladimir Tarasenko going back to the Kraken makes sense, considering they could benefit from an upgrade at forward and the fit between the Red Wings and Tarasenko hasn’t been great. However, I would assume the Kraken are more interested in future assets like younger players and draft capital rather than giving a veteran player a fresh start. Realistically, I would guess a trade looks like the Red Wings acquiring Oleksiak in exchange for Albert Johansson, a 2025 second-round pick, a 2025 third-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick. It’s a big package, but it’s worth it if the Red Wings want to sneak into the postseason and have a chance at making it out of the first round, and it also benefits them past this season.
The 2025 Trade Deadline is rapidly approaching and teams are expected to get busier over the next couple of days. The Red Wings and Kraken could make a deal like this happen, but time will tell if the Kraken are interested in moving on from one of their strongest defenders to focus on the future.
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