Another Affordable Deal That Could Be Costly
The Detroit Red Wings had a big win, acquiring goalie John Gibson. Unfortunately, a sizeable loss occurred just a day later with defenseman Nicolas Hague. The Nashville Predators acquired Hague, and the price was low.
Detroit could certainly have matched the price of Colton Sissons and Jeremy Lauzon. The question is, why didn’t they do it? With a historically bad penalty kill, a defensive defenseman should be a high priority. This isn’t the only questionable blue line decision for Detroit in the past several days.
Lagesson Re-signed, Johansson Sent Back To Sweden
Over the weekend, the Red Wings re-signed defenseman William Lagesson to a two-year extension. This move seemed curious considering Lagesson’s sparse deployment last season. The blue liner was only used in seven games, sitting as a healthy scratch for most of the season.
According to DetroitHockeyNow, Lagesson seems earmarked for service in Grand Rapids. It also appears that recently extended Antti Tuomisto is likely for AHL duty. Both players would require waivers at the beginning of the season.
In the same article, it is revealed that Anton Johansson will be heading to Sweden for the upcoming season. The 6’4” right-shot defenseman made a big impression in his AHL debut. Still, with a crowded roster it was decided that he would be best served in Sweden. Johansson is more likely to have top-pairing minutes overseas.
This slate of moves is all disappointing signs of a defensive core that is stagnating. Johansson or Tuomisto could have filled in a 3rd pairing role over Justin Holl. Holl is another free agent signing that has failed to deliver for Detroit.
All Eyes Are On K’Andre Miller
Detroit has another opportunity to bring in a defensive upgrade who can be a part of the team for several years. K’andre Miller has been made available by the New York Rangers. Detroit is rumored to have made a significant offer. Unfortunately, the line for Miller’s services is long.
As many as 15 teams are said to be inquiring about Miller. The 6’5” defenseman is only 25 and does not currently have a deal. As a restricted free agent, the price tag for a deal at 4 years and above may be more than the Rangers want to invest. The club may still attempt to complete a bridge deal in the meantime.
Miller could certainly step into Detroit’s top four. Moritz Seider is in need of a left-side complement, and Simon Edvinsson may not be ready for that deployment. Even if he is, Miller would lend strength to the top 4 leading the second pairing. Depth that Detroit is in desperate need of.
The market of obtainable young defensemen that can move the needle for Detroit is thinning. If Byram proves to be unobtainable, the choices are much more limited. Should Detroit fail to bring in a significant upgrade, the season could be another chapter in the lengthy postseason drought.
