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NHL Trade Deadline: Lalonde Describes What Could be Boldest Move by Red Wings

Larkin calls previous trade deadlines frustrating

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2 months ago

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Dylan Larkin, Red Wings
Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has found frustration previously from the NHL trade deadline.

With a week to go until the NHL trade deadline, Detroit Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde admits he’s a bit perplexed by the notion of how the club should be approaching this big day.

“I don’t know what I would like to see happen,” Lalonde admits.

For certain, this trade deadline will be unlike recent ones in terms of how the Red Wings will be handling it. They aren’t going to be sellers.

That’s a buoyant notion to Detroit captain Dylan Larkin.

“Trading guys for draft picks is frustrating,” Larkin said.

It’s been nearly a decade since the Red Wings were buyers on deadline day. In 2015, they acquired forward Erik Cole and defenseman Marek Zidlicky to bolster their squad.

Could something like that, or even better, be in the works as this deadline nears?

Not necessarily.

Red Wings Could Be Quiet At Trade Deadline

Lalonde is espousing the possibility of taking an Ernie Harwell approach to the NHL trade deadline. He thinks there’s a chance they might just stand there on the side of the road and watch it go by.

“Maybe the most aggressive move of all will be no move at all,” was Lalonde’s suggestion. “I think that would speak volumes on where our group is at.”

He might have a point. The chemistry in the Detroit room is bubbling with confidence. The Red Wings are solidly eight points above the line to miss out on the playoffs.

Do they really need to fix what ain’t broke?

Yzerman will Make What He Thinks Is Right Move

At the same time, let’s be honest here. No one – even several well-placed people within the Red Wings organization – can say with certainty what GM Steve Yzerman has in mind to do over the next week. You can call it the Yzerplan if you like. You can also count on the fact that whatever the plan is, Stevie Y isn’t sharing it.

What the team is counting on is past history. When Yzerman makes a move, it’s generally been the right one.

“I think what Steve has done here in his tenure, obviously, the guys in the room is what he built,” Lalonde said. “I think there’s a huge trust from both coaches and players on whatever he does.

“I think there’s a confidence in what he does.”

In other words, the players and the coaches, they also believe in Steve. They’ll support whatever move he decides to make – or not make, for that matter.

So don’t be surprised if the Red Wings do something before the deadline. But don’t be surprised if they don’t.

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