Red Wings Mock Trade Deadline: 2 Trades & Alternative Targets

A three-time Stanley Cup champion, Martinez brings both experience and a winning pedigree. Out of necessity, he’s been logging top-pair minutes for the struggling Blackhawks, but in Detroit, he’d take on a more manageable role. Despite playing on a bottom-tier team, his numbers against mid-level competition remain respectable.

Martinez also offers value on the penalty kill, a key area of focus for the Red Wings. In 55-plus minutes of shorthanded ice time, he has surrendered just five power-play goals, further underscoring his defensive reliability.

The cost shouldn’t be too high. Detroit may even be able to acquire him for less than the third-round pick I suggested above. 

Alternative: The Red Wings could pursue a longer-term option instead, such as LD Bowen Byram or RD Brandon Carlo. Both would cost more than Martinez, of course, but are also controllable for the next few years and add a much-needed top-four defenseman to the lineup.

Red Wings Acquire Versatile Forward From Seattle

Trade: Seattle trades C Yanni Gourde to Detroit for RD Antti Tuomisto and a 2026 third-round pick.

A pending free agent, Yanni Gourde could serve as an Andrew Copp replacement and play a multi-dimensional role for the Red Wings. He can line up at both center and wing, and can provide value on both special teams.

No longer a burner, Gourde relies on his hockey IQ to make plays and has a knack for getting to high-danger areas. At five-on-five, he has helped generate 10.41 high-danger chances per 60 (HDCF/60), which would rank fourth among Red Wings skaters.

It should be noted that Gourde underwent surgery for a sports hernia on January 31, and his expected recovery timeline is five to seven weeks. This should mean a return to the lineup sometime in mid-March – after the deadline and a month before the regular season ends.

I’m banking on Gourde’s injury and Seattle’s lack of defensive prospect depth being key drivers for a mutually beneficial deal between the two franchises. Are there better options? Sure. But the cost-benefit ratio for Gourde holds more value than that of the others.

Alternative: Similar to Carlo and Byram above, Detroit could opt for a forward with term to aid this year’s team and future teams. RW Bryan Rust and LW Lawson Crouse are two names that come to mind here. The Red Wings previously had interest in Rust, who owns a no-movement clause. And Crouse could bring a physical element that is desperately missing from Detroit’s lineup.

Final Word

I expect the Red Wings to pursue long-term options like Carlo and Rust, but only if the price aligns with their vision, which can be a challenge as the trade deadline approaches and market values inflate. It’s not impossible, though. 

But unless a unicorn trade falls into their lap, I anticipate that they’ll end up settling for stopgap solutions like Martinez and Gourde, then revisit bigger changes during the offseason.

Data courtesy of Natural Stat Trick, Puck IQ, and PuckPedia.