NHL Rumor Mill – April 24, 2026
The Red Wings could go shopping for help this summer, plus the latest on the Blues in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
RED WINGS TO ATTEMPT MAJOR OFFSEASON ROSTER MOVES
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Bob Duff reports Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman was asked what his club needed to get over the hump and end their decade-long postseason drought.
“Well, the most obvious answer would be we need better players,” Yzerman said. He added that it was “incumbent upon me and my staff to improve the team.”
Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman (NHL.com).
Yzerman made those remarks during his first end-of-season media availability since his club was eliminated from postseason contention last week. Head coach Todd McLellan was seated alongside Yzerman during the presser.
The Red Wings GM indicated that no one on his roster was untouchable, be it a player or a prospect, when it came to trade talks. However, he stressed that he’s not going to get rid of everyone.
Yzerman said the club’s ownership is disappointed with the outcome of this season. However, he said he intends to do his job to the best of his ability and to see this thing through.
Improving the Wings won’t be easy. Duff pointed out that this summer’s free-agent market is thin on the type of talent they need. He speculated that Yzerman could revisit trade talks with the New York Rangers for center Vincent Trocheck, and wondered if the Wings GM would roll the dice on Vancouver Canucks mercurial center Elias Pettersson.
MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan also noted that Yzerman is prepared to make a major move to improve his club in the offseason, but he wondered if such a move is available.
Khan noted that players such as Trocheck and Pettersson, as well as Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues, were the subject of trade rumors this season. He speculated that Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs could become the biggest name in this summer’s rumor mill.
Goalscoring is the Red Wings’ biggest need, especially at even strength. Khan believes Yzerman will seek a top-six forward, preferably a center. They must also improve their bottom-six forwards.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yzerman and McLellan won’t be replaced, but they will be feeling the pressure to bring the Red Wings’ long playoff drought to an end next season.
Most of that pressure will fall on Yzerman, as the past seven years of that 10-year drought occurred on his watch. He could be in real danger of losing his job if the Red Wings fall short next season.
As Duff and Khan observed, finding suitable players to address their roster weaknesses won’t be easy this summer. There’s little available in free agency, and a lot of teams flush with salary-cap space will turn to the trade market, and perhaps even try the offer-sheet route.
Still, Yzerman does have a couple of factors that could work in his favor. The Red Wings have over $32 million in cap space for 2026-27, with 15 active roster players under contract.
Simon Edvinsson is completing his entry-level contract and will get a significant raise. Patrick Kane is the only one of their unrestricted free agents expected to be re-signed. They’ll have plenty of space to add a scorer or two.
Yzerman can also draw on a deep pool of prospects for trade bait. He was reluctant in the past to dangle those players, but his comments on Thursday suggest he understands he must consider that option to address his roster’s pressing needs.
UPDATE ON THE BLUES.
THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford believes the St. Louis Blues would be open to moving forwards Pavel Buchnevich, Jordan Kyrou, and Jonathan Drouin this summer.
Buchnevich is signed through 2030-31 with an average annual value of $8 million. He thinks they’re likely regretting that contract because of the 31-year-old winger’s declining production. As a result, it’s hard to imagine there will be much trade interest in him around the league.
Kyrou’s name wasn’t mentioned as much in trade rumors as other Blues, such as Robert Thomas, Colton Parayko, and Jordan Binnington. However, that doesn’t mean they weren’t shopping the 27-year-old winger. There could be more trade talks involving Kyrou this summer. He’s also signed through 2030-31 with an AAV of $8.125 million.
Drouin was acquired as part of the return in the Brayden Schenn deal with the New York Islanders. He has a year left on his contract with an AAV of $4 million and was a healthy scratch in eight of the last 13 games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kyrou’s recent minor knee procedure explained why his production was down this season. There could be clubs seeking offense willing to bet that he’ll bounce back.
So asked AI, and a package for Pettersson with 3m retained should look something like a first round pick, top 10 protected, a solid prospect, not top of the line and a 2/3rd rounder with Vancouver retaining 3m. Who bites? LA, Detroit, Columbus, Utah, Leafs? Or someone else?
Who’s the most desperate from among that group? There’s your answer Kent. And I would include Seattle in that mix.
Agree, but I don’t think Pettersson would waive for Seattle, the others have something going for them, Seattle is just a mess
Pominville (SEA) would be signing his death warrant by acquiring Pettersson. What has EP40 done in the past 2 seasons to deserve another team taking a chance on him?
SEA has plenty of playmakers but nobody who can score. EP40 is a playmaker not a scorer, so I don’t see that trade happening
Botterill hiring just made the Kraken worse
I would throw the Jets in the mix for a package like that. I have seen what Petterson can do when he is on his game.
They need a 2c, 3mil retained is managable, and need a retool. They can spare a top 10 protected first and a 3rd round pick along with one of their many solid but not top prospects (projecting to be NHLers but not stars)
The Red Wings need a much better bottom 6, but what they most lack is elite scoring (after DeBrincat) and especially 5×5. Those guys rarely become UFAs, and if they do, have more desirable places to sign than Detroit. I’d like to see them offer sheet Jason Robertson; pay him whatever it takes, $12m, $14m, and give up the 4 first rounders.
I can’t tell if you are being facetious but giving up 4 first rounders from a team that can very well miss the playoffs over the next 4 seasons (and I mean no disrespect to the Red Wings and their fans) would be a very poor decision.
Not being facetious. They may well miss the playoffs, but not by enough to get a difference maker drafting 12-15 every year. Four more MBN/Danielsons in the system aren’t likely to move the needle. In the meantime, Larkin is about to turn 30 with a fair amount of injuries in the last few years. He’s not the Wings’ problem, but at this point in his career, and with a history of neck/back injuries, I can envision a quick dropoff in his play. I’d consider moving him while his value is still high.
4 first rounders is what you pay when you are a sure playoff team the next 4 years and the guy is a top 5-10 young player like bedard or Schaefer or just below those guys. Detroit has a good prospect pool, but due to some bad luck have no top top prospects that will also make them a perennial contender in my opinion
No to that, if they go big it needs to be a C. But no ideal candidate exists! Thomas is there, but St Louis would want WAY TOO MUCH. I could see Y going after Josh Norris despite his injury history……but do not trade Danielson for him.
I would rather that Stevie would bolster his bottom 6 and use the youth next season.
Indecently, I think the Red Wing 1st (not top 10 protected) that was traded away for Faulk hits lottery luck and appears at #5. It was not top 10 protected and would be the ultimate dagger to the heart for Red Wing fans.
why does Pettersson’s name keep appearing in every single trade rumor out there? Sure the Canucks want to get rid of him (probably the source for the breakup/trade of Miller and Hughes and others) but at his $11M AAV, what time in their right mind will take on that contract, and risk he won’t rebound, unless VAN takes back cap hits of a similar amount, basically a garbage-out-garbage-in deal
and if VAN were to do that, then what’s the point of trading Pettersson’s contract?
Such as Compher, a 1st and Rasmussen and a 2nd for Petterson
But that won’t happen……
Whatever you think of him, he is still a good player, if not worth 11,6m and a good, not great, 2nd line c is worth at least 8m. The allure being that in a new surrounding he gets back to something to what he was.
As for Vancouver, yes they can keep him since they have the cap and money, however when will they be good again? Better to trade now to get something for the future
I would call him a low end 2C Kent.
Has skill, smart defensively, but not physical and never will be because he is a rail. Just reality.
First off to be valuable Pettersson needs to produce offence, and he hasn’t for 2 years. Barely 2C production. Then he simply needs be smart positionally and with the puck. He has done that by all accounts.
No idea what he is like in the room, but with the media he sure seems like a Debbie Downer. If he is like that all the time? No thanks.
Shows zero passion or willingness to battle to get this turned around.
Watching the playoffs so far, does he seem like a guy who is going to help lead you to a victory in a long series? Seems like the opposite to me.
Hard pass until we see some will to win/hate to lose in this guy.
Yep. Look at the Philly/Pens and Tampa/Habs series so far. Can you see EP40 anywhere but on the bottom of a scrum?
But most of all I would be extremely thorough about his attitude. None of us know for sure what he is like but if he is a problem that would kill a team.
Pettersson was saddles with Evander Kane on one wing and a host of bottom 6 wingers on his other. If the Canucks can improve their offensive talent he may rebound as he may on another team with better linemates. As far as his willingness to battle, he led all NHL forwards in blocked shots.
So you are saying he is slow and can’t get out of the way?
Yzerman stated he wants guys that are hard to play against. EP does not fit that description. Expect Yzerman to bring in 2 or 3 agitator type players (think Maltby type). They won’t br flashy so detroit fans will hate the moves.
We have said it before – Yzerman has to go. Don’t care who disagrees