Ken-Holland

If the Red Wings make a trade, general manager Ken Holland indicated it has to be a significant upgrade.

(MLive/Ansar Khan)

DENVER - The Detroit Red Wings are in good position, with depth and no glaring holes. Barring a late-season collapse they should extend their playoff streak to 24 seasons.

There is no urgency to make a move by the March 2 trade deadline. But, they're also in a position where the right move could be the difference between a long playoff run and an early exit.

The Red Wings are buyers, but they're not going to make a lateral move or one that might result in only a slight upgrade because the price is going to be high.

"If we can't upgrade - and I'm not talking a little bit - I don't think it makes a whole lot of sense," general manager Ken Holland said. "There isn't one move I can make that can guarantee any playoff round wins. I have to gauge the cost and the impact they're going to have. The word I'm using is 'upgrade.'

"Are there players available at a price you think you can live with?"

Their pro scouts are scattered all over North America, eying potential trade candidates. Holland and coach Mike Babcock had a lengthy state-of-the-team meeting Monday, a good portion of it devoted to trade possibilities.

The Red Wings would like to upgrade their defense, ideally with a right-handed shooter who can generate offense for a unit that doesn't score a lot. But the Red Wings have flourished on the power play (they ranked first in the NHL before Thursday's game in Colorado), so perhaps it isn't a pressing need.

"We were looking for a right-shooting defenseman that could play on the power play and generate points," Holland said. "We made pitches in the summer. Part of that desire was to have him play on the power play. Mike Babcock and the coaches have made adjustments. Niklas Kronwall and Danny DeKeyser have done a good job (as point men on the units). I don't know that we need a right shot D to be on the power play anymore.

"Would we like right-lefty combos because it's a little easier to play? Yeah. For the most part I think we defend pretty good."

It doesn't sound like Holland will be pursuing a forward.

"It's hard to play in our top six, maybe in our top nine if (Johan) Franzen comes back," he said.

Another factor the Red Wings must consider is that the window of opportunity to win with their best players is closing. Pavel Datsyuk is 36, Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall are both 34.

"Our window is closing down," Zetterberg said. "We've been in the league for quite some time now. We're getting older, but in the same way we have a good team. We are (near) the top of the standings. We're still learning, so we have some room for improvement.

"To make a deal just to make a deal doesn't make sense. If you're going to do something it's got to improve your team."

The Red Wings showed interest in Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers earlier this season but discovered the cost was prohibitive (one of top prospects Anthony Mantha or Dylan Larkin as the centerpiece of the package).

Toronto's Cody Franson and Edmonton's Jeff Petry, right-handed shooting defensemen, will be available as rentals. The Red Wings have shown interest in Franson in the past. Petry, who's not as good offensively, might not be much of an upgrade from what they have.

Arizona's Keith Yandle, who shoots left, might be the best defenseman available, but the cost figures to be high.

"It's not Christmas, it's trade, so you've got to give something to get something," Babcock said. "What my job is and what (Grand Rapids Griffins coach Jeff Blashill's) job is is to develop players so we create as many assets as we can. Sometimes you end up with too many guys for one spot and you can make a move to make your team better."

That one spot where they might have trading chips could be defense. They have several promising prospects and probably not enough roster spots to keep all of them in the next couple of seasons.

"The general manager's job is to weigh the current cost vs. the current gain vs. the future damage," Babcock said.

Said Holland: "We've worked hard to develop some players and they're not far away. Some will be on the team next year. Why trade a second-round pick for a defenseman who'll be the 6-7 D?"

It seems unlikely the Red Wings would part with a good young forward on their roster. Why weaken one aspect of your team (offense, which is hard to come by in the playoffs) trying to upgrade another?

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