Red Wings Trade Deadline Notebook: Targets, Players to Avoid & Trade Chips

We’ve reached the final countdown toward the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline and the Detroit Red Wings are poised to strike. They sit second in the Atlantic Division and are close to ending their playoff drought.

We’ve already audited the team to determine strengths and weaknesses, identified trade deadline needs and potential targets, and highlighted their entry into uncharted territory as buyers. Now, it’s time to empty the trade deadline notebook with only a few days left to complete trades.

Red Wings Trade Chip Tiers

Now that the Red Wings have positioned themselves as buyers, the reality is clear: meaningful additions will require equal returns. And acquiring top-of-the-lineup talent won’t come cheaply. With that in mind, here’s how I would rank the assets they could realistically include in trade offers.

Tier 1

• Trey Augustine
• Carter Bear
• Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
• Sebastian Cossa
• Nate Danielson
• Marco Kasper
• Axel Sandin-Pellikka
• 2026 first-round pick
• 2027 first-round pick

Tier 2

• Dmitri Buchelnikov
• Emmitt Finnie
• Eddie Genborg
• Albert Johansson
• Anton Johansson
• Amadeus Lombardi
• Carter Mazur
• Max Plante
• Elmer Soderblom
• 2026 second-round pick

Tier 3

• Jacob Bernard-Docker
• Shai Buium
• Jesse Kiiskinen
• Michael Rasmussen
• Antti Tuomisto
• William Wallinder
• 2026 third-round pick
• 2027 third-round pick

Tier 4

• All other prospects
• All other draft picks

Emptying the Red Wings Trade Deadline Notebook

1. Detroit visits the Nashville Predators on Monday, giving Yzerman the opportunity to meet with Predators GM Barry Trotz face-to-face. Ryan O’Reilly, Nick Perbix, and Michael Bunting all could be of value to the Red Wings.

2. Trey Augustine is an intriguing trade chip for the Red Wings, especially for teams without a top-tier goaltending prospect. But any offer involving Augustine will likely need to come with an assurance that Augustine will sign after his NCAA season ends. Otherwise, there’s risk in him returning for his senior year and opting to become a free agent in the summer of 2027.

3. Detroit has 45 players under contract – five short of the 50-contract maximum. This is worth keeping an eye on as the organization seeks to add at the deadline, especially with Trey Augustine and Dylan James likely turning pro after their NCAA seasons end. The same goes for Dmitri Buchelnikov, whose KHL contract expired this spring. 

4. Tyler Myers rumors aside, Vancouver feels like a logical trade partner, especially if they fully commit to a rebuild. Marcus Pettersson and old friend Filip Hronek would add value on defense, and there’s been prior interest in (the forward) Elias Pettersson and Evander Kane. 

5. Calgary Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar has been connected to the Red Wings by a couple of NHL reporters. I see the fit, but would hesitate to move a Tier 1 asset for the 32-year-old blueliner who’s signed for $6.25 million through 2031. 

6. The same goes for Justin Faulk. Fit? Yes. Worth the asking price? No.

7. In fact, I don’t think any of the defensemen reportedly on the trade block—Weegar, Myers, Perbix, Faulk, Rasmus Ristolainen, Dougie Hamilton, Mario Ferraro, or Connor Murphy—are worth a Tier 1 asset. If anything, the Red Wings should save those trade chips for a high-end forward like Robert Thomas or Elias Pettersson. 

8. Lately, the relationship between Matvei Michkov and the Philadelphia Flyers has been … interesting. Certainly worth a phone call to see where he stands within the organization.

9. Other top-six forwards I’d check in on: Yegor Sharangovich, Alexis Lafreniere, Luke Evangelista, and Owen Tippett. All four are young, top-six forwards that align with Detroit’s contention window. All four could be off-limits, too, but you don’t know unless you ask.

10. One last note about Pettersson and Thomas (plus Jordan Kyrou): there is no urgency to move these players. They are signed long-term – not rentals. If the Vancouver and St. Louis don’t get an offer that they love, they can simply sit back and wait until the offseason to see if better offers come along. Given this, the Red Wings will need to blow them away if they want to acquire any of these players before the trade deadline. 

Related: Red Wings Trade Deadline Blueprint: Top-Six Help, Defensive Upgrades & Players to Target

Final Word

Only a few days separate the Red Wings from this year’s trade deadline – their first as buyers under Yzerman’s guidance. There’s no doubt that a lot of work has gone into preparing for this moment. Now, it’s time to execute. 

Data courtesy of PuckPedia.