NHL Trade Rumors: 4 Reasons Red Wings Need to Make a Move

With the NHL Trade Deadline approaching, the Detroit Red Wings seem to have lost their groove at just the inopportune time.

The Red Wings had their 23 game win streak snapped last week by the Vancouver Canucks in a 4-3 shoot out decision.

Saturday night's affair against Colorado, a chance for a rebound game, proved to be just the opposite, as the Red Wings gave up two goals in the first 2:42 of the game, falling behind 3-0 after two periods, trailing 4-1 at one point in the third before they made it close and lost 4-3.

As the the home stretch of the season is upon us already, Detroit's two game slide at home is something to worry about because of their road woes, well documented by their 15-16-1 road record.

Needless to say, because Detroit has now lost at home and their road woes continue, it is time for Detroit to make a change.

But if you're still not sold on the Red Wings needing to make a move at the deadline, here are four more reasons why Detroit must make a move at the deadline.

1. Lack of a Bonafide Goal Scorer

There's nothing quite like it.

Watching one player single-handedly take over a game with a single shot into the back of the net.

Well, Detroit has plenty of players that can put the puck in the net, but does not have a player in the top-30 in terms of goals.

"But Detroit has more players with over 10 goals than any other team in the league!"

Well, sad to say it, but sometimes a superstar does wonders that all-star players cannot do.

In this case, it would be scoring goals.

Now if Detroit made a move for a goal scorer, one could almost put the other teams in the rear view mirror with how many good passers the Red Wings have on the team.

In my opinion it's harder to find a team that's better at passing but at the same time worse at shooting the puck and hitting the net.

Once again, if Detroit had a bona-fide goal scorer, this problem would be something of the past.

2. Pavel Datsyuk's Injury

Pavel Datsyuk brings something to this Detroit Red Wings lineup that can't be explained in words.

Only by actions and by numbers. The actions I speak of are his assists, and highlight reel goals.

The numbers?

Well that's wins and losses.

Datsyuk had arthroscopic knee surgery last week and Detroit is 0-2-1 since then and 0-1-1 at home.

The play-making abilities that Datsyuk possesses are second to none in the NHL and he will be out for at least another one to two weeks.

If Detroit cannot acquire someone to partially fill his shoes, or help soften the loss, Detroit could lose a couple more games and fall out of contention for home ice advantage in the highly competitive Western Conference.

3. Power Play Struggles

Over the past two decades, part of the Red Wings success has been the power play.

Since the start of the 2000s, it has been common to see Detroit's power play among the league's best, usually within the top five, or minimum top 10.

This season, that has been far from the case.

Ranked 14th in the NHL (seemingly not too bad for most teams), Detroit's power play has failed them at key times this season.

Detroit's power play is converting just 17.5 percent of the time, the lowest it has been since the 2006-07 season where the Wings ranked 21st in the League at 17.1 percent with the main advantage.

This season has gone better than most had hoped as far as Ian White essentially replacing Brian Rafalski on the blue line, but the power play is one aspect that Rafalski excelled in far better than White.

The Red Wings need to start converting more on their power play if they expect to continue their quest for Western Conference (or President's Trophy) champions in the regular season. And obviously the power play is a must for the playoffs.

A trade for Alexander Semin mentioned on the previous slide, or any other outside player, would be enough to fiddle with the power play just enough to get it over the hump.

4. Other Injuries Leave Roster Space, Why Not Use That Space

With Jonathan Ericsson breaking his wrist against Colorado, Datsyuk out for a couple weeks with knee surgery, and Patrick Eaves likely out for the season with concussion like symptoms, the Red Wings now have a roster space or two to use.

So having read the previous three slide titles, it is both valid and necessary to make a trade right now.

A Pavel Datsyuk caliber player doesn't come along every year in the sixth round, so the next best thing is to get out and get trading.

The longer the Red Wings wait, the steeper the price.

The Red Wings have a window of opportunity that will not come around again for a while if Nick Lidstrom decides to retire.

Less than 41 hours to go til the trade deadline.

Better get a trade done now.

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