One of the biggest areas of need for the Detroit Red Wings is the addition of another top-six forward to supplement their center depth.
During his season-ending press conference after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs as a franchise for the 10th straight season, general manager Steve Yzerman acknowledged that his club needs better players in order to end what is now the NHL’s longest active drought.
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That’s where an acquisition of a bona fide top-six center would come in handy, and the Red Wings could soon have an opportunity to explore that possibility.
According to multiple reports, the New York Islanders are said to be interested in shopping forward Mathew Barzal, who would represent an immediate upgrade to Detroit’s forward units.
Barzal, whom the Islanders selected in the first round (16th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft, scored 19 goals with 53 assists for the Islanders in 2025-26 and has twice reached the 80-point threshold in his career.
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Barzal has five years left on his contract that carries a $9.15 million salary cap hit, and also has a 22-team no-trade clause. An acquisition of Barzal would not only take some of the pressure off top center Dylan Larkin but would also help supplement Lucas Raymond‘s playmaking.
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While Detroit would likely ask for the Islanders to retain a small portion of Barzal’s salary, the rising salary cap would help the Red Wings absorb the hit.
The cost to acquire a player of Barzal’s caliber certainly wouldn’t come cheap for the Red Wings, who would likely have to include multiple blue-chip prospects such as the likes of Nate Danielson and/or Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, along with a current young roster player – perhaps Axel Sandin-Pellikka.
While a player like J.T. Compher would likely be Yzerman’s first choice to deal away if it meant acquiring Barzal, it’s hard to say if New York would accept him as part of a package considering his dwindling stats over the last two seasons.
The Red Wings have no shortage of prospects with the Grand Rapids Griffins that they could dangle as part of a package for Barzal, especially if the Islanders plan on building around Calder Trophy winning defenseman Matthew Schaefer.
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Whether Yzerman ultimately chooses to use his bevy of prospects in an acquisition that could help the team immediately remains to be seen.
But based on what he had to say during his season-ending press conference, the door could be open for a significant acquisition in the coming months. If Barzal is available, there wouldn’t be any harm in inquiring.
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