Yzerman says Red Wings 'stuck to the plan' at 2023 NHL Trade Deadline

DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman approached and eventually navigated the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline with an eye on the big picture.

The Red Wings made four moves by the time the deadline concluded at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, trading away four players - defenseman Filip Hronek, and wingers Tyler Bertuzzi, Jakub Vrana and Oskar Sundqvist - all in exchange for future draft capital.
"We spent some time, prior to the deadline, coming up with a plan and preparing," Yzerman said in a post-trade deadline Zoom call with the media on Friday evening. "The [five-game] win streak prior to the deadline, if anything, probably gave food for thought and delayed some things to see kind of see where we were.
"Ultimately, we stuck to the plan with what we had in place. That was to keep our young players and look at opportunities maybe to make a trade with whatever a team was trying to do to see if there was a fit. And then ultimately, decide on any of our impending UFAs - the guys that we couldn't sign, wouldn't be able to sign or for whatever reason might not be prepared to sign them at this point if we got reasonable return, was to move them for future assets."
The action started Wednesday, when Hronek was packaged with a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a conditional first-round selection and a second-round pick in 2023.
Yzerman said the Red Wings were not actively shopping Hronek. But the Canucks presented an offer that was good for Detroit's future.
"I felt that where we are at, and with the return that we were getting, that it was a good decision for the future," Yzerman said. "It stings our team a little bit right now. But again, it's imperative that we make good decisions with those picks for this trade to turn out to be good for the Red Wings."

On Thursday, Detroit traded Bertuzzi to the league-leading Boston Bruins for a 2024 first-round pick and a fourth-round selection in 2025.
Both Bertuzzi and Hronek were second-round draft picks by Detroit and had spent their entire NHL careers with the Red Wings.
"You have mixed emotions," Yzerman said. "These are reasonably young players that are part of your team. I think the return - the assets that we got - I am pleased with that. Whether we use those draft picks in particular at the draft or use them to acquire players, it's important that our staff makes good decisions."
Yzerman made two trades Friday, sending Jakub Vrana to the St. Louis Blues for a seventh-round pick in 2025 and center Dylan McLaughlin. Upon completion of the agreement with the Blues, the Red Wings loaned McLaughlin to the American Hockey League's Springfield Thunderbirds.
Detroit's final transaction at the deadline was receiving a 2023 fourth-round pick from the Minnesota Wild for Sundqvist.
It made more sense to trade expiring contracts for assets, according to Yzerman, rather than see players sign elsewhere as unrestricted free agents.
"In the last few days, it was pretty clear to me that I felt definitely that the right thing to do was that I gotta look towards the future," Yzerman said. "We can't be sitting here when our season ends thinking these players leave and we got nothing in return. Big picture, that was not the right thing to do."
The Red Wings have now accumulated 28 draft picks in the next three NHL Entry Drafts, including five first-round selections and five second-round picks.
"It gives you options," Yzerman said. "Today, do I have many options for trades with those first-round picks? No, but we'll see what comes up. Going into the draft and offseason, it just gives you different options."
Heading into the Friday, March 3 NHL slate, Detroit (28-24-9; 65 points) currently sits five points behind the New York Islanders for the second and final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Yzerman understands Red Wings fans are anxious for postseason hockey to return to Detroit. Fortunately, he believes the tough decisions made ahead of Friday's deadline will help accelerate what has been a steady, strategic rebuild.
"If our ultimate goal is to compete with the best teams in the league, this is what I'm doing," Yzerman said. "And If it doesn't work out, it's on me. I understand that. But it's making decisions today based on the remainder of this year and making decisions this past week for the future of the Red Wings."