Red Wings Emerge as Trade Fit for $57.5M Zach Werenski After 10-Year Playoff Drought
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 29
Red Wings Emerge as Trade Fit for $57.5M Zach Werenski After 10-Year Playoff Drought
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 29
Summary
The Athletic identified Detroit as a potential trade destination for Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, spotlighting the Red Wings’ need for a top-pair left-shot partner for Moritz Seider.
Detroit’s case rests on a glaring roster hole after a 10-year playoff drought, with the club ranking in the NHL’s bottom half in five-on-five scoring-chance generation over the past two seasons.
Werenski would bring elite production: the 28-year-old posted 82 points in 81 games in 2024-25 and 81 points in 75 games in 2025-26, then won the Norris Trophy.
Two major obstacles could derail any deal: Werenski holds a no-movement clause, and uncertainty around Dylan Larkin’s future could make Detroit less appealing to a defenseman who has not reached the postseason since 2020.
A blockbuster move would still be transformative for Detroit, potentially giving it one of the Eastern Conference’s strongest blue-line pairings if Werenski agreed to join Seider.