The Detroit Red Wings made a splash Tuesday, sending a first-round pick and minor-league prospect to Tampa Bay for defenseman Kyle Quincey. But are the Red Wings done dealing?
The prevailing consensus — basically confirmed by Wings GM Ken Holland — is that if Detroit makes another move, it would be to add some depth up front. One possible addition: Buffalo center Paul Gaustad, whose name has repeatedly been linked to the Red Wings as Monday’s trade deadline approaches.
We chatted about Gaustad-to-Detroit rumors on our latest Detroit Sports show:
The latest mention came Wednesday from ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun:
Gaustad would be just what the Wings need, adding a physical presence to their skilled forward set. Remember what the scout above said about putting him with speedier linemates? How about Darren Helm? That would be a good fit in my mind. The Wings are 20th on the PK and could use him there. I also think the Wings got pushed around a tad in back-to-back playoff exits to San Jose. Gaustad’s size would be welcome.
Gaustad is definitely an intriguing possibility. He’s set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year — though there was some chatter in the past 24 hours that Buffalo would try to re-sign him before the trade deadline.
As LeBrun points out, he’s a physical presence but also a responsible one on the defensive end, something that would fit nicely with Detroit’s approach. He’s not a top-six forward but could be a guy that either takes Cory Emmerton’s spot as the fourth-line center or adopts the role vacated by an injured Patrick Eaves — a grinder and penalty-killer that sees about 10-12 minutes per game.
Detroit gave away a big trade chip in the Quincey trade by dealing its 2012 first-round pick, but Gaustad, with seven goals and 10 assists this season, should command a lower price than that. Plus, with Quincey on board, it’s possible the Wings could dangle Jakub Kindl in discussions.
It looks more and more like the Wings will play the low-risk type of game if they make a deal for a forward. Gaustad might fit the bill.