NBC's Pierre McGuire: Don't be surprised if Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman trades Filip Zadina

The Detroit News

NBC analyst Pierre McGuire said don't be surprised if Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman trades 2018 first-round draft pick Filip Zadina.

McGuire was asked on TSN radio in Ottawa on Thursday if it's too early to consider trading Zadina, who has three goals in 12 games with Detroit's minor-league affiliate in Grand Rapids after scoring 16 goals in 59 games with the Griffins last year.

"It's a fair question to bring up," McGuire said. "When I've watched him play, the one thing that stands out is when the puck is going his way, it's really good. When it's not going his way, it's not so good. He's going to have to find a way to get over that.

"You have to compete without the puck, you gotta want to get it back and you can't quit on plays. That's something I've seen him do when it hasn't gone his way. When it goes his way, he's pretty good. But we'll see. It's pretty early in his career."

McGuire was asked if the Red Wings are more likely to trade Zadina because he wasn't drafted by Yzerman.

"Usually, when you're drafted by an organization and those management people are still there, you get a little bit more of a reprieve and a little bit longer leash to run with," McGuire said.

"Once you change the management and you were drafted by the previous group, you don't have nearly as much familiarity with the guys coming in and they don't have the same familiarity with you. Usually but not always, it opens up more potential to be moved."

When asked if Yzerman likely had reports from his days as general manager in Tampa Bay that Zadina never should've been picked sixth overall in the 2018 draft, McGuire said, "That's fair. That's more than fair."

McGuire also said Yzerman's trade with the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues late Wednesday for Robby Fabbri in exchange for Jacob de la Rose was a bit of a gamble because of Fabbri's two knee surgeries.

"I can't say this enough," McGuire said. "Coming back from one ACL injury is tough, but coming back from two ACLs is unbelievable. The fact that he was able to do it and find his way on a Stanley Cup roster and hoist the Stanley Cu\p is a testament to his will.

"Maybe there's still something left for him to do, but the pace of the league is so quick now and you have to get to those areas and at this point, I just don't know (if he can get to those areas). I just don't know."

McGuire was also asked if could take over one of the two teams tied for last place in the standings, Detroit or Ottawa, which team would he take for the quickest turnaround based on current roster, picks and prospects.

"I like Ottawa," McGuire said. "Detroit has some building blocks with (Dylan) Larkin, (Anthony) Mantha, (Andreas) Athanaiou and (Tyler) Bertuzzi and they have some burgeoning players like (Dennis) Cholowski, even though he was minus-three last night, and (Filip) Hronek is a good player.

"They've got some good things in Detroit, but Ottawa's upside is huge with five picks in the first two rounds next year and the San Jose pick (acquired in the Erik Karlsson trade) could be substantial."