NHL Rumors: Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman Must Have Something Else Planned

Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on the Jeff Marek Show, hosted by Matt Marchese on what is next for the Detroit Red Wings after the Jake Walman trade to San Jose.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Marchese: “So this one hits close to home for you because he’s the pride of Armour Heights. That is Jake Walman.

Okay, explain this to me because Detroit attaches Tampa Bay’s second round pick. They already had cap space, my, I think it was just a shade over $28 million before they made this deal.

So what what’s going on here please explain this because when I saw it and saw them attaching a second round pick to guy they just extended, something didn’t smell right here.”

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Friedman: “Yeah, I, it’s an interesting one. This isn’t one of those, that’s sort of like, okay, this just happened, what’s next? Yeah, I was I was disappointed to hear that the pride of Armour Heights got traded.

And the thing is, to me , it’s not really about trade. Anyone can get traded. It’s what was in the deal. And basically, this is a good young defenseman who they had to send a sweetener with and got nothing back in return. So that says to me that Steve Yzerman felt had to make this deal.

And it’s like one of those logic puzzle games. Hey, if A plus B equals C, then A equals, sorry, A equals B and B equals C, then A equals C, and I’m still trying to figure out what that middle step is.

To me, it says Yzerman’s got something cooking. It’s got something he wants to do and it’s on all of us to figure out what that is. You know, he’s a tough guy to crack. It’s not It’s not easy to figure out what he’s up to. But I really do believe that it is the prelude to something else that he’s working on. And we’ve just got to figure out what that is.”

Marchese: “It was just, I can’t imagine that there are other teams that looked at that went, ‘Hold on a second. We didn’t get a chance to get in on that one,’ Because maybe they didn’t think he was available after just signing an extension. Definitely. One of the weirder ones that we’ve seen.

Now, when it comes to Detroit and maybe trying to make these puzzle pieces fit. Where does goaltending come into that and do you think that could be the avenue in which we see them add some significant salary?”

Friedman: “Well, I do think he’s been looking at the goalie market. He said in his previous availability last week, they didn’t want somebody for short term who’s going to be two, three years away and then, there and leave.

I do think that he’s been, at least talking to Anaheim about John Gibson. I’ve also heard Tristan Jerry’s name out there. So I wonder about that one, too, that it could be a possibility he’s discussed Jarry.

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But I also do wonder, Matt, if this is another position as well.Llike, you know, they brought in Patrick Kane. He was very helpful to them. I, you know, Kane wants term. I’m not sure how comfortable Yzerman feels about it. So I wonder if he’s looking at someone else up front.”