It’s not trade deadline season if the Detroit Red Wings do not pull off a deal with the St. Louis Blues. General Managers Steve Yzerman and Doug Armstrong continue to funnel players back and forth via trade.
This time, the Detroit Red Wings traded forward Jakub Vrana to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick and Dylan McLaughlin. The Red Wings will also retain 50% of Vrana’s salary as part of the trade.
Yzerman has been busy trading Filip Hronek to Vancouver and Tyler Bertuzzi to Boston; he’s had his hands full. But he continued to work the phones and dealt with one of his remaining assets. He’s still got some more if anyone else comes calling too.
The Red Wings are likely to keep exploring their options too. If the right offer presents itself, I would not put it past Yzerman to make another deal or two before the 3 P.M. deadline. Especially if there’s a team willing to fork over some draft capital.
Detroit Red Wings trade Jakub Vrana to St. Louis.
The Red Wings practically gave away Vrana on this deal, but there was a rhyme and reason for what Yzerman did. It may sound a little silly, but the result of this deal nets an AHL addition and a free draft pick, even if it’s a seventh.
The catch is the deal will work out cheaper with the salary being eaten by Detroit, working out better than it would if the Red Wings opted to buy out Vrana after this season. The trade has its mixed reactions, but if Yzerman was going to buy out Vrana anyways, it was better since he got something out of it.
Vrana logged just five games for Detroit in his return to the ice. After exiting the Player Assistance Program and getting back on track, he got back on the ice but never found his way back to the goal-scorer he had shown he was in the past.
It has to be a little frustrating to see Vrana struggle like this. But he’ll get his chance to get back on track with the Blues. Best of luck to Jakub in his new home.
For the Red Wings, McLaughlin will not be some top-tier prospect or anything. In fact, he’s a 27-year-old centerman who’s been playing in the AHL after a collegiate career with Canisius. In 2022-23, McLaughlin has just six games played with a goal to his credit.
Last year, McLaughlin played in 55 AHL games with the Rockford Ice Hogs, where he scored 13 goals and added 29 assists for 42 total points. He’s going to head to Grand Rapids and slot into their lineup.
The move likely frees up another roster spot as well. With Vrana on his way out and another trade deadline deal in the books, look for Yzerman to continue shopping players before this afternoon.