The 2025 NHL trade deadline has passed and it was a baffling one for the sinking Detroit Red Wings.
General manager Steve Yzerman made two moves in the final week of deals. The Wings acquired a fourth-round pick in a three-team deal in exchange for cap space and shipped out Joe Veleno to the Chicago Blackhawks for center Craig Smith and goalie Petr Mrázek, a former Red Wing, 30 minutes before Friday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.
The Red Wings sit one point outside the Eastern Conference wild-card standings with 66 points through 62 games. However, Detroit lost four straight games in regulation heading into the deadline, including a 4-2 home loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday.
With 20 games left in the regular season, the Red Wings are fourth in the wild-card battle, behind the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers. The top two teams make the playoffs.
Here is how Red Wings fans and the hockey world reacted on social to the team’s deadline strategy:
