Marek Zidlicky

New Jersey defenseman Marek Zidlicky has several qualities the Red Wings would like to have on their blue line.

(The Associated Press)

With the NHL trade deadline two days away, Monday at 3 p.m., what else would dominate talk among M-Live readers in this week's mailbag?



The Detroit Red Wings have exceeded expectations and are in a position of strength, not desperation, like last year.



If they don't deal, they're still in good shape. But, maybe their position among the Eastern Conference leaders will prompt them to add a piece to improve their chances -- that experienced right-handed shooting defenseman they've been seeking for some time.



Here we go:



Q: If you had to guess right now, do the Wings deal or stand pat? If they make a move, who do you think is most likely to come here, among the players mentioned in trade talk? Or perhaps someone under the radar? - Morty



A: My first inclination is to say they will stand pat. The trade market seems to be thin, inflating the cost of average players.



The Red Wings aren't going to deal their first-round pick, any premium prospects or good, young roster players, short of landing an impact player. That doesn't leave many trading chips. They would hesitate to deal their second-round pick but it can be had for the right player. And they're not opposed to trading for a rental if the price is right.



If they can acquire Marek Zidlicky from the New Jersey Devils at a reasonable price I could see that happening. He would need to waive his no-trade clause.



He's not big (5-11, 190) and he's old (38), but he would give them an offensive dimension that others (Jeff Petry, Zbynek Michalek) would not. And he might not cost as much as those players.



Zidlicky, a right-handed shot, can quarterback the power play with his passing ability and good shot. Sure, the Red Wings power play is No. 1 in the NHL without him, but he would provide an upgrade.

He'll be an unrestricted free agent in July.



Q: Surprised to hear Dion Phaneuf's name in the rumor mill since Toronto signed him to that big deal last year and he's their captain. At first, I figured it made no sense for the Wings, but then again, they do have a lot of cap space and he would be an upgrade. What do you think? - Blaine



A: I think they'll stay clear of Phaneuf. He'd be an upgrade with his booming shot, albeit left-handed, and physical presence, but it makes no sense to assume that contract, which has six more years at a cap hit of $7 million.



They have ample cap space now, but that isn't necessarily going to be the case next season or the year after. They've got several players up for new deals - Gustav Nyquist and Brendan Smith after this season; Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader and Danny DeKeyser in 2016.



And the Maple Leafs aren't just going to give away Phaneuf.



Q: Columbus is reportedly shopping James Wisniewski. He's undersized, but is a right-handed shooter with power-play quarterbacking ability plus two years remaining at a not totally unreasonable cap hit. If Detroit isn't on his no-trade list might the Wings consider acquiring him rather than a potential rental? -- Ryan K



Q: Do we have any shot at Wisniewski? Rumors have Petry going to Tampa Bay right now. Would love to see JW in a Wings sweater, even with a $5.5 million cap hit. I think it will take at least that much to sign a righty D-man in the offseason. -Jeremy



A: They were interested in Wisniewski when he was a free agent in 2011 but not at the price Columbus paid for him (five years at $37.5 million.). He still has two years left after this season at a cap hit of $5.5 million. I doubt the Red Wings would want to absorb that. Wisniewski, with a limited no-trade clause, can also dictate 10 teams he won't go to. I get the sense the Canton native wouldn't be eager to come home.



Q: With so many defensemen injured throughout the league, why hasn't there been more interest in Jakub Kindl, Brian Lashoff and the defensemen in Grand Rapids? They are not great, but the first two are experienced and the latter have upsides. - Kurt



A: Kindl's contract (two more years at $2.4 million per season) might make it difficult to move him, without picking up a portion of the salary, which I doubt the club would do. They tried to move Lashoff for a pick before they waived him but found no takers.



I'm not sure which Grand Rapids defensemen you're assuming haven't drawn interest, or why they'd be looking to move any of the top ones.



Q: I wanted to see what your thoughts are on Andy Miele of the Griffins. He seems to be scoring quite a bit and is third in the AHL right now. For him to get a look on the Wings would take an injury? Seems like he could add some scoring power. - Brad



A: I'm not sure how much scoring power Miele could add. Teemu Pulkkinen was scoring a lot in the AHL, too, leading the league. He's got two points (both goals) in 11 NHL games this season. It's a much different league, needless to say. Miele lacks size (5-8, 175), and while some smaller players have flourished in the NHL, the organization must have some doubts about how effective he would be at this level. If they take a look at another forward this season, it would probably be Landon Ferraro.



Q: There's a cap on player salaries, not a cap on the salary of scouting staff, so why don't crap teams pump more resources and cash into scouting to help build the future? -- Saskatoon Wingnut



A: I don't know how much money lousy teams pump into their scouting staff, so I can't comment on that. But if they aren't putting as much money into their scouting staffs, they really should, because that's the way to build your team these days. The free-agent market is getting thinner by the year; you must build through the draft.



Q: Will the league ever crack down on cross-checking in the back? It's way out of line and you can do it two or three times in front of a referee. It will take injury to a star and maybe they will take notice. If you want to open up the game more (rule) you can't check a player in the back with both hands on your stick; play along the boards would be better and in front of the net more scoring. I know it is 'part of the game,' they all do it. I am shocked sometimes at the chopping in the back with no call. - Jim



A: Someone I worked with once told me he hated hockey because he could never tell what a penalty is and what isn't. You could probably make the same case for football penalties, basketball fouls and the baseball strike zone. Like you said, you see players get away with cross-checks all the time. It just depends on how egregious it appears to the referee. I don't see it changing. Every couple of years the league will send a memo to officials ordering them to crack down on obstruction and stick infractions and we'll see a flurry of penalties in the preseason or early in the season. It soon reverts back to how it was. I don't think anything will change.



Q: Was Jimmy Howard's injury a positive? Petr Mrazek gained experience and Jimmy will be a lot fresher than goalies that have had to grind it out all season long. - Kurt



A: I wouldn't say Howard's injury was a positive. But the Red Wings were fortunate not to suffer, going 9-3 in those 12 games (including the game in which he was injured and the one in which he returned to back-up Mrazek). I don't think missing those four weeks will make him any fresher for the playoffs, but the silver lining was Mrazek gained experience and confidence and the club saw what he can do when given the reins, despite the few bumps he experienced.



Q: What does Mike Babcock mean when he says "be heavy on the puck?" - Kurt



A: Strong on the puck, so that opponents have difficulty taking it away, like with Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk.



Thanks for participating. If you a Red Wings-related question, email me at akhan1@mlive.com.

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