Detroit Red Wings Trade For Erik Cole

Feb 3, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars right wing Erik Cole (72) skates against the Colorado Avalanche during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Avalanche defeat the Stars 3-2 in the overtime shootout. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Red Wings have traded prospects Mattias Backman, Mattias Janmark and a 2015 2nd round draft pick to the Dallas Stars for Erik Cole and a 2015 3rd round draft pick.

For many Dallas Stars fan it’s been a forgone conclusion that Erik Cole would be traded. Cole has been player very well this season with 33 points (18 goals + 15 assists) in 57 games and his contract expires at the end of the season. He can certainly help a contender in the playoffs and his expiring contract can help with cap room at the end of the season.

The Boston Bruins were the most recent team with an interest in obtaining Cole, but it apparently wasn’t meant to be. That’s when the Detroit Red Wings swooped in and landed winger Erik Cole. The Stars GM Jim Nill spent 19 years in the Red Wings organization before leaving for the Stars job, so a trade with the Red Wings makes sense considering his ties.

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From the Detroit Red Wings official NHL site:

The Detroit Red Wings today acquired left wing Erik Cole and a conditional third-round selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for center Mattias Janmark, defenseman Mattias Backman and a second-round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.Cole, 36, has skated in 57 games for Dallas this season, ranking third on the club in goals (18) and fourth in points (33) in addition to a team-best plus-four rating. The 6-foot-2, 205-lb., forward has skated in 881 games for the Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens and Stars during his 13-season NHL career, totaling 526 points (262-264-526) and 659 penalty minutes.

The Stars in return received a 2nd round pick, replacing the pick they lost this past summer after trading for Jason Spezza, and prospects defenseman Mattias Backman and center Mattias Janmark. According to Hockey’s Future, Backman is an NHL ready defenseman who wouldn’t have been able to crack Detroit’s crowded D-line and Janmark projects as an NHL top six forward.

The immediate impact, however, is in the Detroit Red Wings favor. Cole is a veteran forward with playoff experience and is playing very well in a contract year. His scoring and play making will definitely help Detroit as they try to grab the #1 seed in the Atlantic Division (as of this writing the Red Wings are 6 points behind the Montreal Candadiens for the division lead).

The Dallas Stars, on the other hand, are likely out of playoff contention and are planning for the future with this trade. Losing Cole’s production and leadership will hurt the Stars, who are without center Tyler Seguin due to an injury, but the trade allows Cole to once again contend for a Stanley Cup. Detroit Red Wings fans should be happy about this trade.

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