Stamkos and Drouin to the Detroit Red Wings?

Could Steve Yzerman provide the Red Wings with a pair of franchise players? Ken Campbell of the Hockey News wrote that Tampa Bay will sign and then trade Steven Stamkos, along with young prospect Jonathan Drouin, to the Detroit Red Wings. In return the Wings would offer Gustav Nyquist, Riley Sheahan, Alexey Marchenko, Anthony Mantha and two first round draft picks. This would take place just before the trade deadline.

Such a bold move would trade the complexion of the Detroit Red Wings. Could it happen? Would it be worth it?

Let’s answer those questions.

Could it happen?

Pros

• Value wise, it might be enough.  It’s a quantity for quality deal from Yzerman’s perspective.  
• Yzerman and Holland have dealt before.
• Yzerman knows a little bit about all of the Wings involved in the trade. He knows the Wings’ organization.
• Conspiracy alert: Maybe Stevie is trading to Detroit because he plans to be here as GM in 4-5 years.

Cons

• Yzerman wouldn’t trade one star and a potential star within his decision.
• Why would Stamkos sign the deal and then agree to a trade? Wouldn’t he just be better off going to UFA?

Would it be worth it?

Detroit

• Steven Stamkos is just 25. Sure he’s past his prime. The 60-goal seasons are a thing of the past. But couldn’t he be a 40-goal man for 6-7 more years? Jonathan Drouin also has elite ability. As Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg decline, the Wings need elite level talent. This deal answers that challenge.
• Nyquist is the best player in the deal for Detroit. And honestly, he’s been underwhelming and often invisible at even strength. Sheahan looks like he’ll never be more than a depth player.
• Marchenko looks ultra-reliable, but not a star. Mantha has 40-goal potential, but there are questions about his commitment. Two first rounders? Detroit drafted Mantha and Dylan Larkin with their last two picks.
• Detroit giving up Mantha and two firsts makes this deal a little painful. And it should be painful.

Tampa Bay

• From Tampa’s perspective I don’t quite see the draw. Sheahan isn’t an answer at center. Nyquist is a perimeter player. Marchenko looks like a solid but unspectacular depth guy. The payoff could be Mantha and the picks.
• Better to get something rather than nothing, right? And that’s what Yzerman faces with Stamkos.
• Yzerman will suddenly have that cap space he wanted. But he won’t need it as badly.

The bottom line is, if Detroit can make this deal, it should.