Wings' Yzerman discusses trade for Staal, Gagner signing

Although the Red Wings aren't in the playoffs, it turned out to be a busy day for them Saturday.
Early in the day, the team announced that it had signed veteran forward Sam Gagner to a one-year contract extension.

In the evening, the Wings said they had acquired veteran defenseman Marc Staal and a second-round draft pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft from the New York Rangers for future considerations.
"The trade accomplishes a couple things," executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman said in a Saturday night Zoom call. "One, as part of our rebuilding process we're trying to add draft picks, prospects, young players and future assets to help us down the line. That's kind of where we are.
"In this trade, we get a second-round pick in the '21 draft but also we have to ice a team. We're trying to be competitive, we trying to improve at the same time. In this deal not only do we get a defenseman who'll go right into our lineup, that plugs a huge hole for us, but we add future assets as well."

Sandwiched in between the Gagner and Staal deals, the Wings also signed center Turner Elson, who has spent the last three seasons with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins, to a one-year extension.
One thing that made Staal an attractive asset was he is a left-shot defenseman.
The only other left-shot defensemen on the Wings roster are Danny DeKeyser, Patrik Nemeth and Dennis Cholowski.
"We're looking to fill spots on the left and right sides," Yzerman said. "He plugs a huge hole on our D. We won't be bringing back Jonathan Ericsson, we won't be bringing back Trevor Daley, so there's two spots on our left side that need to be filled. We have Patrik Nemeth, Danny DeKeyser. Marc Staal fits in nicely on the left side. He's a good, solid defender, good size, he's been in the league a long time, he's a good penalty killer, so he plugs a hole for us on the back end."
Staal, 33, had spent his entire career with the Rangers, as he was New York's first-round pick, 12th overall, in the 2005 draft.
In 892 career games, Staal, who is 6-foot-4, 213 pounds, has 43 goals, 145 assists and is plus-46.
This coming season will be the last one in Staal's six-year, $34.2 million contract.
The Rangers get $5.7 million in cap space, although Staal only gets $4.2 million in salary, $1 million of which was paid as a signing bonus on July 1.
According to CapFriendly.com, the Wings will now have $27,375,000 left in projected cap space.

That kind of space allows for more trades to be made if teams are willing to make them with the Wings.
"For the Red Wings, we are in a position, we do have cap space, we can use it," Yzerman said. "I hope to use it wisely but one way we could like to try to use it is to acquire future assets should any teams be in a position where they really have to move contracts and don't have any other options. Nobody wants to give up picks or prospects, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do to make your team better. We're trying to, I don't want to say take advantage of that, but we're trying to find teams that are in a position and need to do that. We're trying to add picks or prospects and at the same time ice a team."
Yzerman was also asked about the Tampa Bay Lightning, who lead the Dallas Stars, 3-1 in the Stanley Cup Final, about the possibility of his former team winning the championship.
"I definitely will watch," Yzerman said about Game 5. "I'm not sure if it's satisfaction, but I would be really happy for the organization - (owner) Jeff Vinik, (general manager) Julian Brisebois, the players, the coaching staff, and that community. It's a really, a great little hockey market, really cool community, and they've really embraced the Lightning so I think it would be fantastic. I have great friends and a lot of the players, got to know them well and they've worked hard and have built up towards a championship so yes, I will watch and I really hope for them and would be thrilled.
"Down in Dallas, on the other side, we have (former Wings assistant general manager and current Stars GM) Jim Nill, Rick Bowness, he was one of our coaches in Tampa, it would be wonderful for them to win as well. But being so close to the Tampa franchise, I think it would be wonderful and I'd be thrilled for them to win."