The Red Wings are reportedly connected to Steven Stamkos and John Gibson.
The Detroit Red Wings are reportedly eyeing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos and considering a trade for Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson as the NHL free agency period nears. According to sources, TSN’s Chris Johnston mentioned on TSN Insider Trading on June 26 that the Red Wings are clearing salary cap room to potentially make a significant bid for Stamkos.
“One team to watch closely is the Detroit Red Wings, who recently cleared cap space by trading Jake Walman,” Johnston mentioned. “There’s speculation that they are positioning themselves to pursue (Stamkos) if he becomes available as a free agent.”
David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period stated that Detroit is in talks with Anaheim about Gibson, exploring a possible trade for the goaltender during the offseason.
“Reports indicate that Anaheim is actively seeking to trade goaltender John Gibson,” Pagnotta stated on X on June 26. “He has submitted a 10-team no-trade list. It appears discussions have been ongoing between Anaheim, Detroit, and another club.”
PuckPedia forecasts that the Red Wings will have $31.8 million in salary cap space heading into the offseason, with contracts secured for only 13 players.
Red Wings to fight Predators for Steven Stamkos
The trade of Jake Walman to the San Jose Sharks has sparked increased speculation about Detroit’s plans to acquire players through free agency.
The Wings dealt Walman to the NHL’s last-place Sharks on June 25, along with a 2nd-round pick, in exchange for “future considerations.” This transaction enabled Detroit to free up salary cap space in preparation for the upcoming free agency period, removing Walman’s $3.4 million salary from their financial commitments.
Pierre LeBrun from TSN reported that multiple teams are keen to engage in discussions with Steven Stamkos and his agent, Don Meehan. However, any potential impact on the veteran’s future hinges on whether he becomes available as a free agent on July 1. LeBrun specifically highlighted the Nashville Predators as a potential rival to Detroit in pursuing Stamkos.
“Teams are preparing to engage with Steven Stamkos and his agent, Don Meehan, once the market opens on Monday,” LeBrun reported. “Tampa Bay may need to adjust their current offer, and there’s still time for that before Monday. I’ve been informed that among these teams, the Nashville Predators are interested.”
Stamkos recently finished an eight-year, $68 million deal with the Lightning. As captain, he recorded 40 goals and 41 assists, totaling 81 points in 79 games in the 2023-24 season.
Evolving Hockey anticipates Stamkos signing a four-year contract worth $8.7 million annually, whether it’s with Tampa Bay or another team. Conversely, The Athletic projects his next contract to have a slightly lower average annual value of $8.4 million.
Detroit’s Interest in John Gibson.
Besides pursuing Steven Stamkos, the Detroit Red Wings are also targeting Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson to strengthen their goalie rotation.
Detroit’s general manager Steven Yzerman addressed reporters before the draft and emphasized the team’s priority of adding a third goaltender.
“We will explore the goalie market, and if there’s an opportunity that we believe enhances our team, whether through trade or free agency, we’re open to it,” Yzerman stated.
The Ducks are receptive to trading Gibson, who possesses a 10-team no-trade clause, as per Pagnotta. However, any trade involving Gibson would require him to exclude Detroit from that list.
Gibson is coming off a challenging 2023-24 season where he started 44 games and made two relief appearances. He concluded the season with a .888 save percentage and an average of 3.54 goals against.
Currently, the Red Wings have two goalies under contract for the 2024-25 season: Alex Lyon and Ville Husso. Both are set to become unrestricted free agents in July 2025.
