Steve Yzerman's worst trade as Red Wings GM haunts them even more during this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs
Photo credit: Tampa Bay Times
Steve Yzerman's worst trade as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings haunts them even more during this year's playoffs.
At the end of the season, Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin blamed the team's management for their lack of moves at the trade deadline:
"We didn't gain any momentum from the trade deadline, and guys were kinda down about it. So it'd be nice to add something and bring a little bit of a spark on the ice and a morale boost as well.
You gotta come up with wins, and I think, especially in March, it was hard that we didn't do anything."
You gotta come up with wins, and I think, especially in March, it was hard that we didn't do anything."
Yzerman was widely criticized for his lack of actions, but critics are also coming for a deal he made last summer.
Yzerman's Worst Trade Returns To Haunt Him
During the 2024 summer, Steve Yzerman traded defenseman Jake Walman alongside a second-round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks for future considerations.
Then, at the deadline, the Sharks sent him to the Edmonton Oilers for a first-round pick and prospect Carl Berglund:
In the end, the Sharks got a first- and second-round pick and a prospect for a player that Yzerman paid to get rid of.
Now, Walman is playing an important role for the Oilers in the playoffs. He only scored two points, including a goal, but is a crucial part of the defensive unit, currently boasting a league-leading +13 goal differential and ranking 8th in the NHL for blocked shots, with 28.
The defenseman opened up on his success in a recent interview:
"I take pride in that statistic (plus-minus), I want to be in the positives. I absolutely hate being on the ice when the other team scores. When you stay in the positives, you feel more confident. But that stat has its flaws - it's not perfect."
Walman and the Oilers are currently waiting to find out their Conference Finals opponents, which will be known at the end of the series between the Dallas Stars and the Winnipeg Jets.
| POLL | ||
MAI 16 | 115 ANSWERS Steve Yzerman's worst trade as Red Wings GM haunts them even more during this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs Do you think Jake Walman and the Edmonton Oilers will win the Stanley Cup this year? | ||
| Yes | 54 | 47 % |
| No | 61 | 53 % |
| List of polls | ||
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