Darren Dreger said Tuesday on OverDrive that the Boston Bruins would love to make a deal with the Red Wings, and Simon Edvinsson is the name.
According to Dreger, Boston would like Edvinsson probably more than Dylan Larkin. That is a twist for anyone who has followed the Detroit captain's saga over the past two days.
Most of the chatter has centered on Larkin. The Red Wings reportedly want him to expand his 10-team trade list, and his camp isn't budging, as we reported in the Red Wings' standoff with Dylan Larkin.
Larkin is 30 and has 6 points in 10 games this season. Edvinsson is 23 and a 6'6 defenseman who went sixth overall in 2021. He has 60 points in 175 NHL games, and he has yet to play this season.
That last part matters. Edvinsson is listed on injured reserve with the designation Contract Dispute, out indefinitely. Any team calling about him is calling about a player who isn't in the Detroit lineup.
Boston can afford to be picky. The Bruins are 11-4-1, first in the Atlantic Division, with a +20 goal differential.
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | DIFF | |
| 1. Boston Bruins | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 23 | +20 |
| 2. Montreal Canadiens | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 21 | +5 |
| 3. Tampa Bay Lightning | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 20 | +7 |
| 4. Ottawa Senators | 16 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 19 | +1 |
| 5. Florida Panthers | 15 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 18 | +3 |
| 6. Toronto Maple Leafs | 17 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 18 | +6 |
| 7. Buffalo Sabres | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 17 | -6 |
| 8. Detroit Red Wings | 16 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 17 | -2 |
Why Edvinsson makes sense for Boston and Detroit
Contenders usually shop for finished products. Going after a young defenseman with 19 career goals says Boston is thinking about its blue line, not a rental at center.
Detroit is in a different spot at 7-6-3, eighth in the Atlantic. The Red Wings lost 4-2 at Tampa Bay on Tuesday night, and their goal differential sits at -2.
Moving Larkin would be a statement about the direction of the franchise. Moving Edvinsson, who is not playing, would be a very different one. It would also solve a standoff without touching the captain, and that might be the more tempting outcome for a front office that has hit a wall on the other file.
Larkin's camp has reportedly shut the door on the Red Wings' request, and David Pagnotta's look at the teams still in on Larkin showed the market is still taking shape. Boston's reported preference muddies it further.
Edvinsson over Larkin is the right call by Boston, if the price is sane. A 23-year-old defenseman with that size and pedigree is worth more to a contender than a 30-year-old center with a trade list holding things up.
Nothing is done, and Dreger framed it as interest, not a deal. The Bruins visit Pittsburgh on Thursday, the same night Detroit hosts Vegas, and the Edvinsson situation will keep moving behind the scenes.
Should the Red Wings trade Simon Edvinsson to Boston instead of Dylan Larkin?
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