The Detroit Red Wings have had a rough start to the season, and one trade suggestion has them making a splash by acquiring a star forward in a blockbuster move.
Using the PuckGM tool from PuckPedia, which allows users to create their own trade scenarios, one user proposed a deal in which the Red Wings would acquire Mika Zibanejad from the New York Rangers.
Red Wings acquire: Mika Zibanejad
Rangers acquire: J.T. Compher
Jonatan Berggren
Jesse Kiiskinen
2026 second-round pick
2027 third-round pick
The proposed trade between the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers would be a blockbuster, as it sees the Red Wings acquiring star forward Mika Zibanejad in exchange for two NHL players, a prospect, and two draft picks.
Zibanejad, who is in the third year of his eight-year, $68 million deal, is one of the Rangers’ top players and would immediately become a star in Detroit. This season, he has played 28 games, scoring 6 goals and adding 15 assists for 21 points. Zibanejad would likely slot in as the Red Wings’ top-line center.
In return, the Red Wings would send a combination of players and future assets to New York. J.T. Compher, who is in the second year of his five-year, $25.5 million contract, is included to help balance the salaries in the trade. Compher could serve as the Rangers’ third-line center and provide additional depth scoring.
Jonatan Berggren, a former second-round pick, has shown potential but would likely fill a bottom-six role with the Rangers. He has 6 points (4 goals and 2 assists) in 29 games this season with Detroit.
Jesse Kiiskinen, selected in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft, is playing in Finland and has been performing well in his season, registering 7 goals and 13 assists for 20 points in 25 games. Kiiskinen would be a long-term prospect for the Rangers, adding future potential to the deal.
This trade would bring a top-tier talent like Zibanejad to Detroit while the Rangers receive a mix of players who can contribute immediately, along with prospects and future draft picks to support their rebuild or continued growth.
Rangers Open for Business
The New York Rangers have faced struggles this season, currently sitting outside of the playoff picture. With the team’s performance faltering, the Rangers have made several key players, including Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider, available for trade in an effort to shake things up.
TSN’s Chris Johnston discussed the situation on Early Trading, noting that the public availability of these star players highlights the Rangers’ challenging position. “The mere fact that they’re publicly known to be available, amongst other Rangers players, tells you a little bit about the situation in New York, which might surprise some people,” Johnston explained.
Despite holding a playoff spot as of now, the Rangers’ management is clearly dissatisfied with the performance of some of their veteran players. “They’ve dropped three games in a row and management is now considering other options to try to shake things up,” Johnston added.
Currently, the Rangers are in fifth place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 15-12-1.
Red Wings Trying to ‘Get Rid of The Noise’
The Detroit Red Wings entered the season with high expectations of making the playoffs, but they have struggled so far.
Currently outside of the playoff picture, the Red Wings are 11-14-4 and sit in sixth place in the Atlantic Division. Head coach Derek Lalonde emphasized the importance of tuning out distractions as the losses continue to accumulate. “You get rid of the noise,” Lalonde said, via the Detroit Free Press. “It’s the reality of our profession. Control things we can control and that’s our process. At times it’s pretty good; at times, we need more of it.”
The Red Wings are working to find consistency and improve their performance as they push to get back in the playoff race.
