The Daily: Can Red Wings Score Enough Without Help?; NHL Trade Deadline Looms

What if the cavalry isn’t coming? NHL Players are probably asking themselves that question today as the time before Friday’s NHL trade deadline disappears with very little action.

The undercurrent is that the small number of available forwards, coupled with a steep asking price for top players, is causing hesitation in the marketplace. Surely, we will see some trades before Friday at 3 p.m. Prices will come down or contenders will give in to high demands. But teams still have to prepare as if they won’t find what they need by Friday.

That’s why Detroit’s 4-2 win against the Nashville Predators was important. It was as if coach Todd McLellan, by mixing up his lines, was challenging his players to figure out how to score more five-on-five goals with the personnel they have. This is a team that showed 99 five-on-five-goals in 60 games before Monday’s contest in Nashville.

The Red Wings scored three five-on-five goals and one shorthanded tally against Nashville.  Before Monday, the Red Wings had scored two or fewer goals in six of their last seven games. You could count the number of five-on-five goals in those games on one hand.

“It’s not necessarily me issuing challenges anymore,” McLellan said.  “It’s them wanting to do it, which is way more powerful. I can come in and lay it out to them or yell and scream, but it’s once they accept that maybe they didn’t perform at the highest of their expectations and respond, that’s much better than the coach leading the troops.”

Emmitt Finnie scored his first goal in 23 games and Marco Kasper had a two-point game. If you start pondering which players have more to give, these youngsters are prime candidates. Everyone had reason for self-evaluation after a losing effort against Carolina.

“I’m sure some guys were challenged, and I’m sure the guys probably challenged themselves, too,” Kasper said. “No one wants an effort like that in a game like that. Guys got a lot of pride in this room. It’s stuff that doesn’t need to be said that you just look within and have another good game. Credit to our guys for coming out, being mentally tough, tough building to play in and afternoon game. They gave us everything that they had and we pushed back.” 

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

Coach Todd McLellan’s team leads the NHL in shot blocking. Bob Duff has the details.

Sources say GM Steve Yzrman has shown interest in Winnipeg defensemen Logan Stanley 

Paywall story: William Wallinder is probably ready, or very close to being ready, for the NHL. To subscribe, click here:

Red Wings Extra

The Red Wings waived defenseman Erik Gustafsson Monday. . . Former Detroit Red Wings player Jonatan Berggren has two goals and three assists for five points for St. Louis in his past five games. . . Detroit prospect goalie Carter Gylander posted a 45-save shutout for the Toledo Walleye over the Iowa Heartlanders on Sunday. That’s the most shots the Walleye gave up in a single game this season. . . Carter Mazur is now fully practicing with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Carter Gylander(7th round’19)
45 save shutout! In a 3-0 win#LGRW pic.twitter.com/z2Tx71xx8A

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) March 2, 2026

 Hockey Now Digest

Colorado: Aarif Deen writes about the possibility of the Avalanche reacquiring Nazem Kadri. Colorado Avalanche 

Montreal: Roni Hermo looks at which Montreal goalie should start down the stretch. Montreal Canadiens. 

Philadelphia: The Flyers are not finished quite yet. William James details an important win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Philadelphia Flyers. 

Pittsburgh: Dan Kingerski digs into how the Penguins are winning without Sidney Crosby. Pittsburgh Penguins.