Why Kreider Makes Sense for the Red Wings; And Why He Doesn’t

Should the Detroit Red Wings be interested in the soon-to-be-available Anaheim Ducks forward Chris Kreider?

Absolutely, they should.

Are the Red Wings likely to be Kreider’s next landing spot?

The Ducks placed veteran left-winger Kreider on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract.

There are an abundance of reasons why Kreider would be a great fit in Detroit. Just as several variables would prevent this possibility from coming to fruition.

Let’s delve into both sides of this debate.

Even before Patrick Kane signed elsewhere and Dylan Larkin decided he wanted out, the Red Wings were already in the market for more goals. Before his ouster as GM, Steve Yzerman’s wish list for the Red Wings was for more scoring and another top-six forward.

Kreider could check off both of those needs. Last season, he was good for 22 goals and 50 points.

He’s scored at least 20 goals in eight consecutive NHL seasons. That’s consistency.

Adding Kreider and assuming Larkin is dealt later rather than sooner, the Wings could have a top-six including those two players, with Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat, and Viktor Arvidsson. Sure, they still don’t have a legit No. 2 center, but hey, you can’t have everything you want.

Kreider could also boost the Detroit power play, helping offset the loss of Kane to the Chicago Blackhawks. He tallied eight times with the man advantage last season.

He’s scored 66 power-play goals over the past five seasons.

Kreider is also a physical beast at 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds. That would fit nicely on a team that lacks imposing size in its top-six forward group.

Does Kreider Want to Come to Detroit?

Here’s the first fly in the ointment, a problem that’s become commonplace in this self-proclaimed Hockeytown. Players don’t want to play hockey in this town.

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Kreider wants to return to the East. While the Red Wings play in the Eastern Conference, Detroit really isn’t in the East geographically.

And the Wings haven’t made the playoffs in a decade. For a 35-year-old player who’s never won the Stanley Cup, that could be a deal-breaker.

The Red Wings do project to have $20 million in available salary cap space. They need to save a chunk of that cash to get RFA defenseman Simon Edvinsson locked into a new pact.

Even so, there should be more than enough left over to sign Kreider. He made $6.5 million with the Ducks last season.

Then again, is there anyone available to offer Kreider a contract? According to Edvinsson, no one from the club has talked to him about his contract situation since Yzerman’s removal.

If you’re Kreider, do you want to come to a team that, from the outside, appears to be in disarray?