Red Wings 2026: 3 Trade Candidates Paying the Yzerplan Tollbooth
Yzerman said 'we need better players.' See the 3 Red Wings trade candidates this summer: Compher's $5.1M and 10-team list, Johansson's clean exit for Sandin-Pellikka, and the top-10 prospect funding the next star.
'We need better players.' 10-year drought. One press conference. Three Red Wings paying the toll this summer.
41 goals at 5-on-5 since January 24. Dead last in the NHL. Ten years of patience, one number of reality.
$5.1M AAV · 78 GP · 11 goals · 43.62% on faceoffs. The middle-six chip every reporter types before July 15.
82 GP · $1.125M · RFA next summer. Sandin-Pellikka is NHL-ready. This is the trade Yzerman makes first.
No 2026 first-round pick. No 2027 second. Cossa or Danielson becomes the currency for the 'better player' Yzerman demanded.
Trade-probability composite: Johansson 8.0 · Compher 7.6 · Top-10 Prospect 6.9. Johansson moves first.