Red Wings Reportedly Have Interest in Vegas D Man

One player was eliminated from the Detroit Red Wings’ potential NHL trade list Thursday and another was added.

Given Detroit’s need for another proven scorer, New York Rangers’ Chris Kreider looked like a possible fit for Detroit. But the Anaheim Ducks landed him Thursday for a modest price of a prospect (Carey Terrance) and a third-round pick. They also had to give up a fourth-round pick to Anaheim.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings reportedly are among the teams possibly interested in Vegas 6-foot-6, 245-pound defenseman Nicolas Hague, 26, who has spent his entire career with the Golden Knights. He’s been an 18-minute defenseman who seems to enjoy clearing the crease. Hague has a mean streak.

Vegas talking trade with multiple teams over Hague https://t.co/aSNDEOhJG8

— The Fourth Period (@TFP) June 11, 2025

The Golden Knights appreciate what he contributes, but they are short on cap space, especially if they make a run at potential UFA Mitch Marner or another player in the marketplace.

“Hague is a tough customer,” Vegas Hockey Now’s Hannah Kirkell wrote recently, “unafraid to drop the gloves to stick up for a teammate. He’s nasty in front of the net. He doesn’t always play up to his size, but he’s plenty physical. Hague isn’t exactly an offensive defenseman, but he moves the puck reasonably well.”

Over the past three seasons, he has averaged 106 blocks and 117 hits per season. He is a left-shot blueliner who will be a restricted free agent. He’s coming off a three-year contract paying him an average of $2.294 million per season,

But left-shot defensemen Noah Hanifin and Brayden Hanifin are ahead of him on the depth chart.

“The Golden Knights would probably like nothing more than to keep Hague– he’s big, young, and physical. Unfortunately, they just can’t afford to,” Kirkell wrote. “AFPAnalytics projects his next contract to be two years, $2,639,381,25– but I’d bet he’s asking for more. I’d also bet that any team that can afford to pay Hague will gladly meet his asking price.”

The Red Wings have more than $21 million in salary cap space, and they likely will be in contention for one of the top free agents. Whether they can persuade one of them to join a team that has missed the playoffs for nine years is certainly in questions

The Pittsburgh Penguins are considered one of the favorites for Hague. It hasn’t been confirmed that Detroit is interested in Hague, or how much interest they really have.  Detroit is also thought to be interested in Florida pending UFA defenseman Aaron Ekblad.