Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings Make First Deadline Deal
Not exactly a blockbuster move
Friday is the NHL trade deadline and Wednesday, the Detroit Red Wings got on the board.
Ryan O’Reilly? Dylan Cozens? Bowen Byram?
Not exactly.
In making his first deadline deal, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman was simply helping out an old friend. Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BriseBois was seeking to bring center Yanni Gourde back in to the fold. However, he was in need of help in order to facilitate the deal with the Seattle Kraken.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have acquired a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft in a multi-team trade with Seattle and Tampa Bay.
Trade details » https://t.co/5Abc8LFVY2 pic.twitter.com/deJanUl7sz
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 5, 2025
BriseBois didn’t have enough salary cap space to make it happen. The Red Wings did.
In exchange for absorbing 25% of Gourde’s salary for the rest of the season, Detroit will be receiving a conditional 2025 fourth round pick from the Lightning. It will either be Tampa Bay’s pick, or the fourth-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers, which was previously acquired by the Lightning. Whichever pick comes earlier on draft day, that is the one that will be going to the Red Wings.
Gourde was part of Tampa Bay’s back-to-back Stanley Cup championship squads in 2020 and 2021. It was BriseBois who succeded Yzerman as GM of the Lightning.
Red Wings Deal Aucoin To Lightning
Also as part of the deal, the Red Wings are sending the NHL rights to defenseman Kyle Aucoin to Tampa Bay. A senior at Harvard, Aucoin was selected 156th overall by Detroit in the 2020 NHL entry draft.
He’s the son of long-time Vancouver Canucks defenseman Adrian Aucoin. In 24 games for the Crimson this season, Aucoin, 22, shows 2-2-4 totals.
Since Aucoin is a senior, the Wings would’ve been given until August 15 to sign him to a pro contract. Following that date, if still unsigned by the Lightning, Aucoin will become an unrestricted free agent.
