Why the Detroit Red Wings Should Take a Risk on Oliver Wahlstrom
Photo credit: NHL
As the Detroit Red Wings have been hit hard with injury news lately, forwards Andrew Copp sidelined for the rest of the season and Michael Rasmussen out day-to-day after that brutal hit from Trevor Zegras-who's now serving a three-game suspension-the Red Wings are left with voids to fill in their lineup.
News broke Thursday that the Boston Bruins placed former 11th overall pick Oliver Wahlstrom on waivers, right before their game against the New York Islanders.
Wahlstrom was likely gearing up for some payback against the Islanders, the team that drafted him, only for the Bruins to pull the rug out from under him by tossing him on waivers.
Boston's been struggling offensively and finds themselves outside the playoff picture for the first time in years.
Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Instead, the Red Wings have been fighting to make the playoffs over the past several years.
Red Wings could use Wahlstrom as a short-term rental
Back in 2018, Wahlstrom was a big deal as he was picked 11th overall by the Islanders after tearing it up with the U.S. National Team Development Program.
The 18-year old had top-six potential written all over him. But after just one year at Boston College, he jumped to the pros, then to the NHL, and since, he hasn't lived up to the hype.
The Bruins took a chance on the Portland, Maine, native, probably hoping the hour's drive from his hometown to Boston would spark something. It didn't, clearly. Now he's placed on waivers.
Going from leading the morning skate stretch at 11AM to being dumped is truly a bad look for the Bruins.
Could Wahlstrom be the rental Detroit needs? With Copp done and Rasmussen banged up, there is roles in need of filling up front.
Wahlstrom's no superstar, but he's got a cap hit of just $1 million with only one year left on his deal. That's a low-risk high-reward move for Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman.
The Red Wings are nowhere close to having an overwhelming amount of depth on the forward front of things, and Wahlstrom could find a potential spark in Detroit - if not? The Red Wings could simply place the 25-year old forward back on waivers once Michael Rasmussen returns.
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 27 | 175 ANSWERS Why the Detroit Red Wings Should Take a Risk on Oliver Wahlstrom Should the Red Wings take the risk on Oliver Wahlstrom? | ||
| Yes | 88 | 50.3 % |
| No | 87 | 49.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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