Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland admitted that he was on the fence about making a trade before the NHL trade deadline Monday afternoon at 3 p.m. EST, but he quickly went from a trade deadline bystander to an active participant.
News broke early this evening that the team has acquired Dallas Stars forward Erik Cole in exchange for defensive prospect Mattias Backman and forward Mattias Jarnmark, a third-round draft pick from 2013. The two teams also exchanged draft picks, with the Wings sending their second round selection in exchange for Dallas’s third-round pick that reverts back to Dallas if the Wings make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Cole has 18 goals and 15 assists in 57 games this season
“(Detroit is) definitely one of those teams that has the aura about it,” Cole said after the trade was announced. “It’s such a great history and so many great players have played there obviously. We lost to them in the ’02 finals (with Carolina). At the time it was such heartbreak, so I haven’t had super-fond memories of that building (Joe Louis Arena) since that night. Hopefully going in there and being part of the organization, I’ll make some happy memories.
“You hear so many great things about how the organization and the coaching staff handles their players and all the accolades. They’ve had so much success and they have a great playing staff. It should be a great experience.”
At 36-years-old, Cole is in the last year of a contract that pays him $4.5 million per season. His 6-2, 205 pound frame provides some much-needed size for the Wings moving forward for the playoffs—a need the team felt could be addressed with Johan Franzen sidelined with concussion-like symptoms. He also provides additional veteran leadership and scoring depth for what the Wings hope will be a long playoff run.
Cole will likely play with the Red Wings in their next game on Wednesday night against the New York Rangers.
The Wings will likely continue to test the trade market until the deadline hits tomorrow afternoon, with their other most pressing need being a right-handed defenseman. However, with the number one power play in the league and the seventh-best goals against per game average, it’s unlikely the Wings make a lateral move or overpay for a rental.
