3 playoff contenders that will lament standing idle at the NHL trade deadline

Detroit Red Wings

Like the Canucks, the Detroit Red Wings lost a star player right when they needed to keep their best assets healthy. Dylan Larkin may still miss extended time following the latest update, but unlike the Demko situation, Larkin went on injured reserve before the deadline and early enough to where general manager Steve Yzerman had time to make a move. 

Yzerman didn’t need to make a huge move at the deadline to help what has now become a dire situation in Detroit. The Red Wings were struggling before Larkin played his last game on March 2nd, having dropped two straight in that span. They have since lost another four games, with opponents outscoring them 23 to eight between March 6th and March 12th. 

Larkin is the team’s best scorer, but Yzerman didn’t necessarily need to trade for another high-scoring forward here. No, scoring eight goals in four games isn’t ideal, but allowing 23 goals, 12 of which occurred after the deadline, should have Yzerman rethinking his strategy. 

Why not add a defensive forward to the mix? This would have allowed Larkin to reignite what has become a pedestrian team in the offensive zone, and it would have given the team much-needed help in what has been a weakness all season.