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Detroit Red Wings set to part ways with 390-game former Maple Leafs veteran
Defenseman Justin Holl could find himself traded in July as the Red Wings' defensive core fills out with the core of Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka, taking shape.
Justin Holl hasn't been a particularly helpful defenseman for the Red Wings. With a cap hit of $3.4 million AAV, he hasn't been an affordable one either.
This season he's played 66 games for the Red Wings, and scored only 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) as a bottom-pairing player.
With Seider signed to a long-term deal with the Wings, Edvinsson working through his ELC, and Sandin-Pellika on the way over soon GM Steve Yzerman should work on addressing the Holl mistake.
A mistake that has cost them $3.4 million in cap space for the last two seasons. Now with free agency on the way, Yzerman should make battle plans to get rid of Holl, including as a salary dump with a pick attached.
We already saw how that went down last time with Jake Walman, and how it angered fans across the NHL.
Instead of Walman, let's all admit it should've been Holl. Regardless, the Wings should tap into a familiar connection with Mike Grier in San Jose in order to dump Holl's contract on the rebuilding franchise.
With the team losing Jimmy Schuldt and Jan Rutta in the future, Holl could be a great placeholder there, like he was in Detroit.
The Sharks are nowhere near a finished product, and Holl could be a solution for a very weak defense.
Petry and Holl have to be the next ones shipped out, whether it involves a buyout or a trade.
Previously on Detroit Hockey Insider
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 3 | 166 ANSWERS Detroit Red Wings set to part ways with 390-game former Maple Leafs veteran If you were GM Steve Yzerman of the Detroit Red Wings, how would you solve the issue of defenseman Justin Holl? | ||
| Trade | 71 | 42.8 % |
| Cap Dump | 45 | 27.1 % |
| Buyout | 50 | 30.1 % |
| List of polls | ||