As reported by Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen, teams are interested in acquiring Danny DeKeyser.

The Wings have defenceman Mike Greene on the market and teams have called about Danny DeKeyser… -Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Citizen

Ignoring the misspelling of Green’s last name, this is certainly interesting with the deadline rapidly approaching in two weeks.

Stats

According to Corsica, this season, DeKeyser has scored 4 goals and 6 points in 37 games played with an average TOI of 19:39. 2 of those 4 goals came in the February 3rd lost to the Florida Panthers. So not the offensive output you want from anyone on your team.

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At 5v5, DDK has a 48.19 CF%, good for 13th on the team. As well as a 0.63 Game Score/60 – 19th on the team, but 4th among the Wings defenceman. Among 155 defenceman in the league that have played at least 600 minutes, DeKeyser ranks 125th with that 0.63 GS/60. Although, no defenceman on the Wings is within the top-100.

You wouldn’t call him an offensive dynamo and he’s mediocre on the defensive side as well.

-Micah Blake McCurdy, hockeyviz.com

Comparing shot locations with and without DeKeyser on the ice at 5v5, you can see that the opposition is taking way more shots on the left side of the goal. Assuming, that DeKeyser is allowing the opposing forward to cut in and take well-positioned shots on goal. Therefore, making him essentially useless on an opposing rush.

Contract

I have no idea why any team would want the contract that Danny DeKeyser has, on their books. He has a cap-hit of $5M for the next 4 seasons after this one finishes.

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To pay that much money to your 4th (at best) defenceman is the wrong way to go with building your blueline.

DeKeyser has a No-Trade-Clause, but that doesn’t kick in until January 1st, 2021. The Wings have time to trade him away – but what could you expect for a return?

My assumption is that the Wings will have to retain at least some of his salary, 1 or 2 of that $5M he will be making for the next 4 seasons is manageable for both teams involved. At most, I could see the return be a mid-round pick, but you never truly know what some GMs value in their players.

I honestly just hope to get his contract mostly off of the Wings cap – he’s bad and he’ll only get worse. Addition by subtraction.