Hockey Prospectus is taking a look at the NHL division by division and suggesting ways each team should tackle the forthcoming trade deadline. On Thursday, we continue with the Central Division.
Feb. 28 marks the NHL's trade deadline, and every team in the league -- both playoff-bound and those likely for the draft lottery -- has needs to address. To prepare for the final flurry of transactions, we're going team-by-team to see which players can help fill some holes on contenders or provide some foundational stability for teams building for next season and beyond.
One statistic you'll come across in the analysis below is GVT, the main player valuation metric used by Hockey Prospectus. For a detailed explanation of GVT, click here.
Detroit Red Wings
The Problem: When Joey MacDonald is leading your team in save percentage, you know you have a problem. According to GVT, Detroit is ranked 20th in net, almost dead last among playoff-bound teams, a weakness that is further aggravated by being merely average defensively. Chris Osgood is 38, out with a sports hernia and not a great option even if he did return at 100 percent. That leaves the Red Wings' fortunes in the hands of struggling sophomore Jimmy Howard.
-6.2
Smith GVT