The 2025-26 NHL season is in full-swing, and all 32 teams have an impression of who they are at the start of this campaign. The Detroit Red Wings have proven themselves to be a capable yet inconsistent threat in the Atlantic Division, securing wins in six of their first nine games.
No team is without flaws, however, and every team has a good idea of who the “spare parts” are on their roster or within their organization. The Red Wings are no different as you can already tell where they might have some issues this season and who they should be able to move on from when the opportunity presents itself.
Red Wings Trade Chips
Jonatan Berggren
You would think a player with four points in six games would have a positive sentiment around him, but Jonatan Berggren instead finds himself in a spot where most people agree that his time in Detroit is running out.
As one of the few players remaining that was already in the organization when general manager (GM) Steve Yzerman arrived in 2019, Berggren has had plenty of time to cement himself as a key part of the Red Wings’ offense now and into the future. Instead, he has bounced up, down, in and out of the lineup since 2022. After setting the rookie scoring record for the Red Wings’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, there were high hopes that he would be the next Swedish dynamo on offense, but that has not materialized.
In 160 career NHL games, Berggren has 31 goals and 62 points while averaging 13 minutes of ice-time along the way. He doesn’t do enough away from the puck to warrant a higher role, and he doesn’t produce enough in his limited role to compensate for his lack of impact elsewhere. He’s a talented player, but his fit in the Red Wings’ lineup has always been wobbly at best.
Berggren is a prime candidate for a fresh start somewhere else, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Red Wings trade him for a player in a similar boat with another organization
Erik Gustafsson
It isn’t often that an AHL team welcomes a veteran of over 500 NHL games, but that’s exactly what the Griffins have done this season as defenseman Erik Gustafsson is currently on their active roster. With the arrival of Axel Sandin Pellikka on Detroit’s blue line, the Red Wings waived Gustafsson at the start of the season and assigned him to Grand Rapids after the veteran defender passed through unclaimed.
Despite his current predicament, Gustafsson is still capable as an NHL defenseman. As he did for the Red Wings last season, he can quarterback a power play as he moves the puck well and has good offensive awareness. While he is known to have some gaffes in his own zone, he can provide a spark when his team needs to create some offense.
Related: Griffins Will Appreciate Gustafsson & Holl While They Have Them
Gustafsson will be a free agent at the end of this season, so term will not be a reason the Red Wings have difficulties finding a suitor for him. He does carry a salary cap-hit of $2 million, so teams with little-to-no finiancial flexibility probably aren’t a fit for a potential deal.
The Red Wings are shopping Gustafsson and would almost certainly like to get something in return for him, even if it’s a late draft pick. In lieu of an offer like that, Yzerman and the Red Wings’ front office may decide that having him as organizational depth is more valuable.
Michael Rasmussen
Another player that was already in the organization when Yzerman arrived, Michael Rasmussen seems to have reached an inflection point in his tenure with the Red Wings. After a couple of seasons where it appeared the 26-year-old forward had found his niche with the Red Wings and as an NHL forward in general, he has looked overwhelmed and unprepared in almost every game he has featured in this season.
Rasmussen’s problems came to a head when he was named a healthy scratch for the Red Wings’ game on Oct. 25 against the St. Louis Blues. It was the first time since he became an NHL regular that he sat as a healthy scratch, a clear indication that his play isn’t at the same level it has been in prior seasons. With him losing his grip on his roster spot and prospects like Nate Danielson looking to take someone’s ice time, it’s easy to see how Rasmussen’s path might be leading him away from the organization that drafted him.
Rasmussen is signed through the end of the 2027-28 season at a cap hit of $3.2 million. He’s a bottom six forward with physical tools that can’t be taught, and he’s still young enough that a breakout still feels possible under the right circumstances – namely, a fresh start. NHL GMs covet players with his size, so there would likely be suitors if the Red Wings made him available.
Red Wings Trade Targets
Yegor Chinakhov
Back in July, it was reported that Columbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov requested a trade from the organization that drafted him 21st overall back in 2020. Since then several teams, including the Red Wings, have been linked to the 24-year-old winger.
Chinakhov has flashed the talent that made him a first round selection at times throughout his time with the Blue Jackets, but has been limited to 180 games since debuting in the 2021-22 season mostly due to various injuries. He has 73 points over the course of those 180 games, with his best season coming in 2023-24 when he had 16 goals and 29 points in 53 games.
Chinakhov is essentially in the same boat as Berggren. Both players seem to have hit a ceiling with their respective teams, and a fresh start could lead to a breakthrough in their new surroundings. Chinakhov would essentially take over Berggren’s role on the Red Wings with hopes that he finds the fit and consistency that Berggren hasn’t been able to.
Lian Bichsel
The Dallas Stars recently extended defenseman Thomas Harley on an eight-year contract, locking him in on the left side of their blue line along with Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell. With their left side seemingly set for the foreseeable future, it will be interesting to see what they intend to do with Lian Bichsel, their top pick in the 2022 draft.
At 21 years of age, Bichsel has just 66 games (regular season and playoff) of experience in the NHL, but he has the potential to become an extremely intimidating defenseman. He stands at 6-foot-7, 237 pounds, and he isn’t afraid to use it. He averaged four hits a game over his 38 regular season games last season, and he has 33 hits in 10 games this season. He projects as a physical, defensive defenseman, but he averages under 15 minutes of ice-time on a talented blue line in Dallas.
There is no indication the Stars are looking to move the Swiss defender, but he certainly stands as one of the organization’s most tradeable assets. With Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson already in place, Bichsel could theoretically be the piece that completes the left side of the blue line in Detroit. The Stars would almost certainly want a young player in return – and this situation may not even be a situation at all – but it’s a situation to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
Alexis Lafrenière
The New York Rangers have stumbled out of the gate in what is likely a critical season for GM Chris Drury. As of this writing, they are 4-5-2, with all four of their wins coming on the road. Despite bringing in Mike Sullivan as head coach in the offseason, their roster has some clear flaws that coaching cannot seem to hide. A shake-up feels inevitable.
It’s not secret that Alexis Lafrenière has not lived up to the billing of being the first pick in the 2020 draft. Now in his sixth NHL season, he has yet to truly break out as a top player in the NHL. He has 93 goals and 197 points in 391 games, all with the Rangers. The Rangers have developed a bad reputation for their inability to develop young players, and you can’t help but feel like his best shot at hitting another level is by leaving New York.
If you’re looking for the Red Wings to make a flashy move to bet on a player breaking out with a fresh start, à la the Dylan Cozens trade last season, this is probably one of the flashier options. The Red Wings infamously dropped three spots in the 2020 draft lottery, moving from first to fourth overall, and Lafrenière was the consensus top player available in that draft. Detroit is content with how the 2020 draft played out – after all, they ended up with Lucas Raymond at fourth overall – but it would be fun to see Lafrenière get a chance to reach his potential with the team the hockey world expected him to land with heading into the lottery.
Small Waves, Big Waves
Make no mistake about it, the Red Wings are far more likely to make small moves – like offloading a depth defenseman for a draft pick – prior to the new year. Even a one-for-one swap is more likely than a blockbuster at this point in the season. The Red Wings will also need to keep their early momentum going if they are going to be in a position to add in the trade market.
But make no mistake about it: the Red Wings could be in a position to make a foundational addition down the line if they continue their early success. While it’s clear they have plenty of talent internally, a few smart additions could take their roster to another level.
With the holiday season just around the corner, it may not be long before GM Yzerman goes shopping.
