Could the Detroit Red Wings trade a young forward for a defenseman?

Embed from Getty Images At the World Championships, Detroit Red Wings forward  Anthony Mantha is generating a lot of buzz. With 3 goals, 4 assists and 7 points in three games. Anthony Mantha could have possibly  increased … his trade value.

No Red Wings fan should read too much into that. Steve Yzerman pointed out Mantha as being a “core player.” Odds are slight he would get moved. Not to mention Mantha, Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi’s line absolutely exploded the final weeks of the regular season.

Andreas Athanasiou, and Michael Rasmussen, Taro Hirose, Filip Zadina, Joe Veleno, Evgeny Svechnikov and Jonatan Berggren not to mention whoever the Detroit Red Wings  draft next month gives them some great talent at forward.

One problem, outside of Dennis Cholowski and Filip Hronek there is no good defensive talent in the Wings pipeline. Defense is the single most need the Red Wings have.

Tyler Bertuzzi is not going anywhere. He simply brings too much to the table night in and night out for the Red Wings. Which means in a league where you have to give talent to get talent the two names that would bring in a young top line defensive player is Mantha and Athanasiou.

For that to happen it would have to be a trade that makes sense, especially for a general manager like Steve Yzerman. Yzerman, is known as a very aggressive general manager. He will want to get the Wings closer to the playoffs sooner than later.

The Colorado Avalanche, are said to be looking to add scoring. Defensemen Tyson Barrie could be moved for that to happen. That could be an option for Detroit. Also, Carolina, or Anaheim or Nashville all have deep defensive players who could be moved to add scoring.

Players like Mantha and Athanasiou have become valuable bargaining chips if the Wings choose to go the trade route. Both players will become restricted free agents in the summer of 2020, with Mantha currently making $3.3 million per season and Athanasiou $3 million. Both players will be in line for big raises.

Factor in Veleno and Zadina and it is probable a trade is made.