Detroit Red wings complete trade decision due to big a 2026 draft prospect
Photo credit: NHL.com
The Detroit Red Wings and GM Steve Yzerman held off on an offer sheet for Mason McTavish due to the fact that they're aiming for bigger things in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft.
The Detroit Red Wings were one team that was interested in acquiring forward Mason McTavish from the Anaheim Ducks. An offer sheet was one method they were thinking of using to pry him away from the West Coast.
Rather than doing anything rash, GM Steve Yzerman decided against it due to the fact that they have a 1st-round pick in the 2026 Draft.
The pick itself is the 10th OA pick in 2026, but could improve based on the draft lottery at the end of next season. This is the motivation that led the team to quit pursuing Mason McTavish, a 52-point forward.
Mason McTavish's Competition: Gavin McKenna
The hope now is they can somehow win the 1st OA pick in the lottery and secure the talents of Connor Bedard's cousin, a Medicine Hat Tigers player, Gavin McKenna.
McKenna is the 1st OA consensus pick for the 2026 NHL Draft, due to comparisons to Patrick Kane and Connor Bedard.
"I really believe the whole thing with Gavin McKenna has terrified teams from doing the offers, like this is a player with a chance to do some great things in the NHL," Friedman stated "I think that really scared teams away, not only with McTavish, but with other players so I'm not surprised that didn't happen."
While Steve Yzerman has professed to be interested in building a win-now team, this move, which is a completely conservative move, goes to show that he isn't fully bought into building a winning squad.
No matter what, the white horse native McKenna has deluded a lot of NHL GMs into losing, no matter what (only the Blackhawks and Sharks are built for that).
Perhaps I'm viewing this from too cynical a perspective, but Mason McTavish isn't exactly a bad forward. He's developed maybe a tad slower than some GMs could have liked, but he's coming into his own now.
Well, I think you hired the wrong coach for that. Luke Richardson is still available, though. But we're assuming he thinks he'll tank.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 23 | 237 ANSWERS Detroit Red wings complete trade decision due to big a 2026 draft prospect Do you think it's a mistake that GM Steve Yzerman of the Detroit Red Wings stopped pursuing forward Mason McTavish? | ||
| Yes | 117 | 49.4 % |
| No | 120 | 50.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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