The Red Wings Are Four Wins Away From Getting A 2nd Round Pick in 2020

If you’re looking for a reason to be invested in this year’s playoffs, here’s a tiny one. The Red Wings have a 2nd round pick on the line with the San Jose Sharks.

If you remember back to trade deadline season, the deal that sent Gustav Nyquist to San Jose had a 2nd round pick in 2019 and a conditional 3rd round pick in 2020 coming back to Detroit. The conditions on that 2020 3rd rounder were based on the Sharks making the Stanley Cup Finals. If they make it all the way to the end of the playoffs, that 3rd in 2020 turns into a 2nd.

Well, last night the Sharks defeated the Colorado Avalanche in game 7 to advance to the Conference Finals where the St. Louis Blues await them after their own game 7. I’d be lying if I said I’ve had full confidence in the Sharks so far these playoffs. They looked shaky against the Vegas Golden Knights in round one and couldn’t finish the Avs off when they had them up against the ropes in game six. Now they’re facing a red hot Blues team who has all the confidence in the world in their rookie goaltender and is getting production all through their lineup. This one is going to be a real challenge to the Sharks.

The Red Wings have three 2nd round picks in 2019 (including the Sharks) and upgrading the 2020 pick to a 2nd would bring their total to three for that year as well. Of course, the deeper the Sharks go into the playoffs, the later the pick becomes.

Nyquist hasn’t been the stunner in these playoffs that he can be, contributing only one goal and seven assists through his 13 games. Here’s to hoping he can contribute to at least four more wins for the Sharks in these playoffs. He’s an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.