Derek Lalonde hints at Red Wings Trade Deadline plans

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is perhaps the most secretive executive in the National Hockey League, and you'd be hard pressed to be able to properly gauge his thinking or plans, especially when it comes to team personnel moves. 

The NHL Trade Deadline is now exactly one week away (March 8), and there has been plenty of speculation that the Red Wings could be looking to buck the trend of the last several years in which they've sold off assets and instead add to the team, as they're currently in the midst of a playoff push. 

According to head coach Derek Lalonde, there is a natural trust between him and his players and Yzerman.

“I don’t know what I would like to see happen,” Lalonde said. “I think what Steve (general manager Yzerman) has done in his tenure -- obviously, the guys in the room he built -- there’s a huge trust from both coaches and players on whatever he does. I’m comfortable coaching with whatever he does or brings us. I know he has the best interest in the micro, which is now, and the macro, which is the big picture going forward. So, I won’t lose a ton of sleep. I don’t think our guys will either." 

Lalonde then stated that perhaps the route that the team will go in is to stand pat, which would be an indicator that he trusts the makeup of the roster as is.

“Maybe the most aggressive move of all will be no move at all. I think that would speak volumes on where our group is at,” he said.

Naturally, it would be great if the salary cap was far higher than it is and the Red Wings could have their pick of the best talents in the NHL.

“We’re always throwing things out. Sometimes specific players,” Lalonde said. “I want it all. I want a $210 million cap. I want a ton of depth at every position. I’m a coach. It’s my job to win now. Steve’s got to think about the big picture. He has an entire staff that works on this 24 hours a day.”

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