Red Wings Weigh Pettersson, Thomas as Deadline Nears; Mackenzie Weegar Draws Interest
With the March 6 trade deadline less than two weeks away, the red wings are actively linked to top-center options while a right-shot defenseman and a high-priced winger have emerged as movable pieces around the league. Detroit’s front office is being credited with a need at second-line center and continues to monitor an evolving market that could force quick decisions.
Red Wings linked to Elias Pettersson and Robert Thomas
General Manager Steve Yzerman has made it clear that Detroit is hunting for a top-six center with term remaining on his contract, and two names have surfaced prominently: Elias Pettersson and Robert Thomas. Pettersson’s recent production shows both upside and decline — totaling 102 points and 89 points in back-to-back seasons, then 45 points through 64 games last year and 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) through 49 games this season — figures that help explain why he is being viewed as a trade-candidate amid a broader rebuild by his club.
Thomas is also linked as a potential fit for a club seeking to shore up its second line. The calculus for Detroit is straightforward: add a center with remaining term to increase the team’s immediate playoff ceiling without sacrificing future control. What makes this notable is Yzerman’s stated preference for players under contract beyond this season, which narrows the market and elevates the price on established players with multi-year deals.
Mackenzie Weegar and Calgary's calls to shape the deadline
Mackenzie Weegar has become one of the most discussed defensemen as teams look for right-shot blueliners. Weegar, 32, is in year three of an eight-year, $50 million contract and carries a full no-trade clause for at least one more season. Flames GM Craig Conroy is taking calls on several players, and that outreach has put Weegar squarely on the radar of clubs including the Ottawa Senators, Detroit and the Boston Bruins.
Weegar’s profile — a right-shot who can also play the left side and handle heavy minutes, having averaged more than 21 minutes per game in his career — fits the Red Wings’ stated need for a top-four defenseman. Conroy has not yet had the formal conversation with Weegar or his agent about waiving the no-trade clause, but that discussion is expected soon. Until Conroy and Weegar speak, the situation remains fluid; if the Flames are prepared to move him, his contract and skill set would likely generate a substantial return.
Patrik Laine's availability and cap constraints
On the forward side, Patrik Laine has been listed as available, a development that sharpens decisions for clubs balancing scoring needs with salary-cap realities. Laine, 27, is in the final year of a four-year, $34. 8 million deal that carries an $8. 7 million cap hit. He has appeared in just five games this season while nearing a return, and the expectation across the league is that he could be moved before the deadline.
Montreal’s roster and cap position also factor into how a deal could be structured: the club has just over $1. 2 million in cap space and available salary-retention slots, meaning any suitor would likely need to negotiate retention or other creative cap work to accommodate Laine’s $8. 7 million hit. That cap reality limits the pool of realistic landing spots and raises the importance of retained salary and draft-asset cost in trade talks.
Other defensive names have also been discussed in relation to Detroit’s ambitions. Justin Faulk, 33, has been described as a two-way option who already has 11 goals this season and carries a $6. 5 million cap hit; bringing him in would likely require a first-round pick, a conditional second-round pick and a top prospect. That sort of price underscores the trade-off Yzerman faces between immediate upgrades and preserving the club’s asset base.
The timing matters because teams like Calgary appear willing to listen on core players, and deadline movement often accelerates once formal conversations with no-trade clauses occur. For Detroit, the next week will be critical: Yzerman’s preference for players with remaining term, combined with other clubs’ willingness to move veterans, sets up a condensed window in which the Red Wings must weigh cost, contract length and immediate playoff impact.
As the March 6 deadline approaches, Detroit’s decisions on centers, right-shot defensemen and high-cap forwards will determine whether the club pushes aggressively for an immediate upgrade or prioritizes longer-term flexibility.
