The Detroit Red Wings want a defenseman. The Ottawa Senators are seeking offense.
Sounds like there could be a trade to be made between the two playoff hopefuls, huh?
Of course, the Wings' playoff hopes are a little more...realistic...than the Sens, but who are we to say what's right and who's wrong in this crazy NHL world we call home?
Especially as we're about to discuss a hypothetical trade involving the two teams...
Anyways, Senators defenseman Marc Methot recently returned from a season-long injury hiatus. He pulled a muscle in his back/hip area in training camp and, a short return in early Dec. notwithstanding, has been out ever since.
The veteran d-man and former sixth-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets participated in the first game of his conditioning stint with the Senators AHL affiliate Binghamton on Saturday.
Sens coach Dave Cameron said Methot looked "rusty" - entirely understandable considering the amount of time he'd been out. He also said he wasn't sure when Methot would rejoin the big club.
Of course, "when" could also turn to "if," were the right deal to present itself.
While the Sens' group of talented, but inconsistent young blueliners - Jared Cowen, Mark Borowiecki, Cody Ceci and Erik Gryba - have struggled to control the puck this season (h/t to Sean Tierney of TheHockeyWriters.com) and Methot is quite gifted in that area, the team is also reportedly on the lookout for some offensive help.
"A source told ESPN.com on Thursday that veteran general manager Bryan Murray has been calling around looking for help to bolster his offense," Pierre LeBrun wrote Thursday.
Along those lines, the team also has plans to "explore the market" for Methot, possibly in exchange for said offense, according to a report from TheFourthPeriod.com.
Among the teams to have expressed interest in the veteran defenseman thus far are the Detroit Red Wings, long rumored to be seeking to bolster their blueline.
While Methot is a lefty with limited offensive upside and the Wings are reportedly seeking a right-handed shot like Buffalo's Tyler Myers or Washington's Mike Green, the veteran Senator won't cost nearly as much to acquire, while still providing a steady, puck-possession presence who could take Jakub Kindl's spot in the top six.
As Ansar Khan of MLive.com notes, the Wings probably aren't trading top prospects like Anthony Mantha and Dylan Larkin or their 2015 first-round pick.
And they're probably not interested in moving a top-nine forward or top-four defenseman, which means that for Detroit, adding blueline depth may involve a player more along the lines of Methot in exchange for second-tier prospects, second-round picks or fringe roster players.
