Detroit Red Wings acquire $25M defenseman from the Edmonton Oilers in an intriguing trade proposal

The trade, which was posted by Heavy.com, was intriguing as the Red Wings could get rid of one of their worst blueliners, making a significant upgrade by acquiring Mattias Ekholm.

Ekholm has helped the Oilers stay in playoff contention since he was part of a deal between the Predators and the Oilers, which sent to Alberta during the 2022-23 season.

For the Red Wings, it'd require sacrificing goalie prospect Sebastian Cossa and Justin Holl.

They'd restock their draft capital with Ekholm coming to Hockeytown in return.

While the Edmonton Oilers would receive a franchise goalie in Sebastian Cossa, the Red Wings would gain a piece that would again put them back on the path of contention.

GM Stan Bowman could give Cossa time in the NHL as a backup, considering he's already played one game in the league in 2024-25. He had a record of 21-15-5, 2.45 GAA, and a .911 save percentage in the AHL.

While the Red Wings would get Ekholm to bolster the blueline, and if Yzerman couldn't convince him to re-sign, it might be a situation where he's a rental.

Ekholm has a cap hit of $6.25 million and has one year left on his deal.

Could he be the answer the Red Wings need?