One of the first people Oskar Sundqvist talked to after being traded to the Detroit Red Wings was Nicklas Lidstrom, the legendary defenseman turned team executive. One of Sundqvist’s first laughs came when he shared a memory of going up against another former Wings defenseman: Niklas Kronwall.
The two Swedes used to battle one another when Sundqvist was with the St. Louis Blues and before that, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sundqvist recalled the time the two collided.
“I ended up on the ice after that,” Sundqvist said. “He was very tough to play against. I was happy going into corners when he was not there, more than when he was there. It was great playing against him. It wasn’t always fun.”
NEW LEADER IN TOWN: Wings added Oskar Sundqvist via trade for more than just on-ice contributions
Sundqvist became a member of the Wings this week, along with defenseman Jake Walman. They were part of general manager Steve Yzerman’s trade-deadline acquisitions, along with a 2023 second-round pick, a 2024 fourth-round pick, and a 2022 seventh-round pick, for pending UFAs Nick Leddy, Vladislav Namestnikov and Troy Stecher.
Sundqvist, 27 on March 23, and Walman, 26, found out they’d been traded when Blues GM Doug Armstrong called, just in time.
“We were on the plane with St. Louis, ready to take off to Washington when we got a phone call from Armstrong saying we had been traded to Detroit,” Sundqvist said. “So you get out of your seat, get your suit back on, start from the back of the plane to the front saying bye to everyone, get off, find your suitcase and your stuff, and right after that, Yzerman called and welcomed me and said he had someone that wanted to talk to me. I talked to Nicklas Lidstrom a little bit.
“It was nice surprise. It was a hectic day, a lot of stress, emotional saying goodbye to everyone, but it’s nice to be here.”
WHAT A RELIEF: How Jake Walman fits into Wings’ plans this season and beyond
Sundqvist (6 feet 3, 208 pounds) projects to beef up the right wing or middle, and help kill penalties. Walman (6-2, 215) projects to help the defense with his speed and his shooting.
“I think I can play my game well with the guys who are here, closing plays out in the d-zone and being tenacious all over the ice,” Walman said. “Shooting the puck from everywhere pretty much. If I’m shooting the puck it means I’m on my game.”
The Wings could use someone whose shot can help create chaos around the net. These last few weeks of the season are an audition of sorts for Walman, who will be a restricted free agent this summer. His opportunity in St. Louis was limited behind a good defense corps, but in Detroit, with Nick Leddy gone, there’s opportunity to gain a foothold.
TRADING IN THE COACH? This was Yzerman’s response when asked about Jeff Blashill
“I’m intrigued by Jake,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “He’s got great skating ability. He’s a great shooter.”
Sundqvist is signed through 2022-23 with a $2.75 million cap hit. He hasn’t shown the same offensive output as Namestnikov, but there’s more size, and as Kronwall could attest, there’s certainly a battle level.
“Oskar is a real good hockey player, meaning he’s got good hockey sense, he’s strong on his stick,” Blashill said. “Because of that he’s a really good two-way player who can play on the penalty kill and power play. I think he can be a real good addition. He can play wing and center, plays a 200-foot game.”
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.