Substantial upgrades incoming for the Detroit Red WIngs this off-season according to Steve Yzerman himself

«When you say 'make substantial upgrades,' it's easier said than done," Yzerman answered, in response to a question about the urgency for improvement created by the success of rebuilding division rivals in Ottawa and Montreal. "Yeah, we're gonna continue to try to get better, to try to keep pace with these teams and not only them, there's no guarantee that Florida and Toronto and Tampa are going anywhere from at the top. It's just imperative that we continue to strive to get better and figure out ways to improve our team and bring better players that make us a better team.»

As a native of Shelby Township and University of Michigan alumnus, Connor is certainly a name familiar to Red Wings fans. As of this writing, Connor is fresh off a three-point Game Seven to help spark the Winnipeg Jets to a come-from-behind 4-3 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues, with a second round date with the Dallas Stars set to get going Wednesday night. Because of Winnipeg's status as a contender, Connor is perhaps the hardest player on this list to pry loose.

However, it's also not inconceivable that he could be moved this summer, depending on how the rest of their postseason shakes out. The 28-year-old is signed to a deal with a $7,142,857 cap hit through the end of the '25-26 season with a 10-team no trade list. The Jets always have to be concerned about free agent retention, so with Connor's deal running down, they may deal him to avoid losing him for free via free agency next summer. Presumably, the no-trade clause wouldn't be a big deal when it comes to bringing Connor back to his home state, but there's certainly no guarantee Winnipeg would want to make the move.