Red Wings’ Edvinsson trade talks shift focus to young centre targets

The Detroit Red Wings’ blue-line standoff with Simon Edvinsson is quickly becoming one of the most important storylines of their season. The towering defenceman, a 2021 first-round pick and unsigned restricted free agent, is training in Sweden while the team weighs its options. According to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, Edvinsson would now prefer to continue his NHL career with a different organization, putting real pressure on Detroit to explore the trade market.

The ripple effects extend well beyond one player. Captain Dylan Larkin, who requested a move out of Michigan last spring but recently returned to the lineup, remains a major piece of Detroit’s future puzzle. From the outset, any potential Larkin deal was thought to hinge on the Red Wings getting an NHL-calibre centre back. If general manager Shawn Horcoff can land a premium young pivot by moving Edvinsson, the team’s stance on possible Larkin trades could shift.

While a new contract for Edvinsson is still possible, Sportsnet’s Frank Seravalli has raised the idea that Detroit might need a broader organizational reset. In that scenario, flipping a high-end defence prospect for a centre with top-six upside becomes a central tool in reshaping the roster down the middle.

Utah, Seattle and Boston match blue-line needs with centre depth

The Utah Mammoth have already been linked to Edvinsson. Since relocating in 2024, Utah has aggressively upgraded its roster, acquiring Mikhail Sergachev from Tampa Bay and later adding MacKenzie Weegar while also bringing along promising blueliner Dmitri Simashev. Even with those pieces, the idea of building a massive, multi-dimensional defence with Edvinsson in the mix could tempt Utah to move a premium centre prospect, such as a recent top-four pick beginning his pro career in the AHL.

Seattle is another logical suitor. The Kraken’s back end still needs help despite the addition of prospect Chase Reid at the 2026 draft. Up front, they boast a cluster of centres at various stages of development, including Matty Beniers, 2025 eighth-overall pick Jake O’Brien and right-shot pivot Shane Wright. A 2024 top-10 centre who has yet to fully break through adds to that depth, creating a situation where Seattle could deal from a relative position of strength to address its defence.

In Boston, a 2025 seventh-overall pick who has started his NHL career on the wing represents another intriguing target. The Bruins are searching for their next wave of offence but also know the value of a franchise-defining defenceman, having built around Charlie McAvoy on the right side. Adding Edvinsson as a long-term, high-minute partner on the left would be appealing, though Detroit would have to weigh whether that young forward truly projects as a full-time centre or settles in as a scoring winger.

Blues and Blue Jackets present alternative pathways for Detroit

The St. Louis Blues offer a different kind of fit. With Robert Thomas and Mason McTavish locked in as their top two centres, a 2023 top-10 pick down the middle could find his path to bigger minutes crowded in the long term, despite a strong first NHL season and a hot start this year. St. Louis already has promising young defencemen such as Philip Broberg and rookie Adam Jiricek, but Edvinsson would likely become the blue-liner with the highest long-range ceiling on their roster.

Columbus, meanwhile, has a skilled forward who has seemingly been in trade discussions for years. The former first-rounder has already produced a 24-goal, 57-point campaign over 68 games, underscoring his offensive talent even if his long-term future with the Blue Jackets is uncertain. To land Edvinsson, Columbus would need to build a larger package around him, but doing so would give the Jackets meaningful insurance and flexibility on the back end.

For Detroit, the challenge is turning a contract impasse with a prized defender into a cornerstone at centre. Whether a deal materializes with Utah, Seattle, Boston, St. Louis or Columbus, the priority is clear: acquire a young, high-upside pivot who can anchor the next generation of Red Wings. How the Edvinsson situation unfolds could also go a long way in determining Larkin’s fate and whether the franchise fully commits to a new direction in the coming years.