Trade Pitch Has Red Wings Acquiring $39 Million Defenseman From Rival
The Detroit Red Wings are looking to end their rebuild and become a playoff contender and one trade pitch helps their case.
The website PuckPedia has a new tool called PuckGM that lets users create their own trades and one user proposed a deal that would see the Red Wings acquire Mike Matheson from the Montreal Canadiens.
Red Wings acquire:
- Mike Matheson
Canadiens acquire:
- 2025 third-round pick
- 2026 fifth-round pick
The trade pitch is an intriguing one as Detroit would bolster their defense by acquiring Matheson who is entering the seventh year of an eight-year $39 million deal. Matheson has spent the last two years with Montreal, and with Detroit, he would project to be the Red Wings second-line left defenseman.
Matheson would also add some more veteran presence to the blue line. Last season, Matheson skated in 82 games recording 11 goals and 51 assists for 62 points.
As for the Canadiens, they would move off of Matheson’s contract and allow their younger defenseman to fill in. Montreal has first-round picks Logan Mailloux and David Reindbacher both vying for a spot on the roster, so moving Matheson allows the team to get younger while getting draft picks in return.
With Montreal having so many young defensemen under contract, Lane Hutson could spend time in the AHL this season.
Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes went on BPM Sports on August 27 and hinted at Huston potentially spending time in the AHL.
“I don’t want to hide Lane Hutson. We want Lane Hutson to turn into the best defenceman that he can become. If he needs to improve his game and he’s better off in the AHL, we’ll send him to Laval,” Hughes said in French (translated by DailyHive). “We won’t keep him in the NHL just to turn him into a power play specialist.”
Hutson was drafted in the second round of the 2022 NHL draft. He turned pro after Boston University was eliminated in the Frozen Four as he skated in 2 NHL games recording 0 goals and 2 assists.
Red Wings Have 2 Star Players Unsigned
Detroit has still yet to sign RFA forward Lucas Raymond and RFA defenseman Moritz Seider.
Raymond and Seider are two of Detroit’s best players, and Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said he isn’t worried that neither are signed yet.
“I’m not worried,” Lalonde said to The Detroit Free Press. “It’s all part of it. I’ve had a little experience with this in the past with RFAs. It’s all part of the process…
“I’ve talked with them two to three times during the summer and we don’t even talk about the contract,” Lalonde added. “That’s between Steve and them. With us, it’s just the same message as with the other guys. We want to progress, we want to keep moving, keep building this. Obviously, those two guys are a big part of it.”
Last season, Raymond skated in 82 games recording 31 goals and 41 assists for 72 points. Seider, meanwhile, skated in 82 games recording 9 goals and 33 assists for 42 points. Both are former top-10 picks by Detroit.
Although Raymond and Seider aren’t signed, Lalonde expects the young players to be Detroit’s leaders.
“Those two, the role they’ll play on our team. I think it will be a little increased role with our leadership, too,” Lalonde said. “That’s something we talked about with those two over the summer.”
The Red Wings will open its 2024-25 NHL season on Oct. 10 at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
