The Toronto Maple Leafs can be regarded as a model rebuild; turning around their performance in a matter of a couple seasons (albeit with the fortunate luck of winning the Matthews draft).

It comes as no surprise that the Wings have many bad contracts ourselves and, as a result, we won’t be competitive for the next couple seasons. Additionally, we don’t exactly have the best prospect group to succeed the current NHL players. Ideally, we need to ‘stock the cupboard’ with both picks and prospects. I spent quite a bit of time researching each of the 30 other NHL teams and found players on bad contracts the Wings could bring in with picks and/or prospects attached to them – what Toronto successfully did in 2015.

I was looking for players on LTIR, players with bad contracts, or players who aren’t working out on their current team. Additional criteria was that there are 2 or less years remaining on their contract. Obviously, there are a ton of examples of bad long-term contracts, such as Loui Eriksson in Vancouver or Karl Alzner and Andrew Shaw in Montreal, but bringing in long-term bad contracts is not a route any GM should take.

The following is a list of players Detroit should bring in with a prospect or draft pick or a combination of both to take from their respective teams.

Attached to each player is how many years remaining on their contract after this season partnered with their cap hit.

Clarke MacArthur (Senators) – 2 years with a $4,650,000 cap hit

MacArthur’s career is all but done. He failed his medical during training camp due to his concussions and has since moved to Florida with his family. Dorion is not optimistic MacArthur plays again and since Ottawa has the cheapest owner in the league, MacArthur is an easy target to cherry pick a draft pick from the Senators. Dorion offloaded Phaneuf this week to the Kings and Melnyk was happy to see the team save $4 million over the course of the next 3(!) years. This is almost insulting to the NHL. But I digress. If this is how Melnyk runs his team, then acquiring a draft pick to take MacArthur’s contract off of his hands is a no-brainer.

Patrick Eaves (Ducks) – 2 years with a $3,150,000 cap hit

This is a sad situation. Eaves was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disorder where the body’s immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system. I can’t help but feel awful for him and his family, it is a very painful situation and there is no expectation of a return to the NHL.

On the side of hockey operations, Anaheim has raises coming to Manson and Fowler that kick in next season and they also have to get Kase and Montour signed as they are both RFAs. The Ducks might be looking to shed Eaves’ contract to have some flexibility on July 1st. The Red Wings can afford to take on LTIR contracts and we won’t be looking to spend a lot of money for the next couple of years anyway; this contract just makes sense to take back in a deal where Detroit benefits.

Derek Dorsett (Canucks) – 1 year with a $2,650,000 cap hit

Similar to Eaves, Dorsett’s career is finished due to health reasons. This is always the worst reason to end a career. The Canucks have bought into Benning and his vision by signing him to an extension this week. Vancouver has a plethora of solid prospects on the rise and with a likely top 5 draft pick this summer, they’ll be looking to be competitive next year. Vancouver has $14 million coming off the books this summer in the Sedin brothers and they’re not exactly a team that struggles with financial resources. However, if ownership decides they want to cut back, Detroit should be their first call to unload Dorsett’s remaining year.

David Clarkson (Golden Knights) – 2 years with a $5,250,000 cap hit

Clarkson is an interesting case. Like the three aforementioned, he isn’t playing again. Why is this an interesting case? Vegas’ ownership can afford to pay the remaining balance on his contract, but, they did just pay $500 million to participate in the NHL. I wouldn’t be surprised if they encourage McPhee to move his salary to balance the books as soon as they can.

Nathan Horton (Maple Leafs) – 2 years with a $5,300,000 cap hit

Everyone knows the Leafs have financial resources like no other team. However, they have to abide by the same rules set out in the NHL CBA that every other team follows. The Leafs are dealing with cap overages from last season from their rookie performance bonuses. Further to this, they will likely carry rookie bonuses into next season as well. Relieving themselves from Horton’s contract will be a step in the right direction to clean up their cap situation.

Jason Spezza (Stars) – 1 year with a $7,500,000 cap hit

Spezza has a ton of skill and Dallas has next to no cap space. Is this a perfect storm? I don’t want to add Spezza to the Wings lineup. What I want is Spezza and a draft pick or two. Spezza can play on our power play and in our top 6 and would be an easy rental to move next season to gain more assets. This would be a strategic move Holland could make.

Mikkel Boedker (Sharks) – 2 years with a $4,000,000 cap hit

I have a lot of interest in Boedker and Paul Martin from San Jose. Boedker hasn’t played up to the expectations he had when he signed for 4 years. He has 44 points in his first 130 games for the Sharks; he is way over paid for what he has brought to them. It’s not for a lack of trying either, he’s had time with Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski, Couture, as well as having Burns behind him. I think San Jose is as good of a trade partner as anyone – they could use Nyquist or Tatar, but that’s a topic for another day. If they want to get out from under his contract, Detroit is an easy partner with a combination of picks & prospects AND we have some players that would look great in a Sharks uniform.

Jori Lehtera (Flyers) – 1 year with a $4,700,000 cap hit

Lehtera and MacDonald hold down $9,700,000 of the Flyers’ cap next season. That is brutal. Obviously Lehtera wasn’t the main piece of the Brayden Schenn trade, but I think Philly wouldn’t mind moving on from him to free up money they never seem to have.

Andrew MacDonald (Flyers) – 2 years with a $5,000,000 cap hit

Looking ahead to the summer, there will be a lot of speculation that Detroit buys-out the remaining year on Kronwall’s contract. This frees up another position on defence. Further to this, Hicketts and Hronek (and maybe Sulak) are the only Red Wings defensive prospects ready to make the jump to the NHL. Philadelphia has been trying to move MacDonald’s contract for a couple years and has never found a real suitor. The Flyers have a ton of good prospects and I think they’d be willing to use any of them to move MacDonald.

Brooks Orpik (Capitals) – 1 year with a $5,500,000 cap hit

The Capitals are cap-strapped and would be looking for flexibility any way they can get it. Their window to win with Ovechkin is closing and they need a rejuvenated roster moving forward. Without any real prospects to get excited for, I think draft picks would be the way to go to take some or all of Orpik’s contract.

Carl Soderberg (Avalanche) – 2 years with a $4,750,000 cap hit

Colorado is interesting. Since trading Duchene, they’ve won more games than they’ve lost and people expect they might be looking to add this deadline. If that’s the case, they’ll also be active on July 1st and they’ll want as much financial flexibility as they can get. Rantenen will also be due for a raise before Boedker’s contract is finished. They may even be in on Tatar as he’ll be a cheaper acquisition than Nash, Kane, or JVR.

Matt Martin (Maple Leafs) – 2 years with a $2,500,000 cap hit

I just laugh at this contract. He’s been healthy scratched this season and his contributions to wins is minimal, if existent. I don’t think Lou wants to waive him as that would just force them to retain salary in any move. However, they are struggling to give ice time to Leivo. I’d take him off their hands in a Matt Martin trade. The Leafs are also in on Mike Green so they could talk about any scenario here. Soshnikov was another I would’ve taken but he just went to St. Louis.

Ryan Callahan (Lightning) – 2 years with a $5,800,000 cap hit

Callahan gets a little tricky. Obviously Tampa Bay would love to move his contract. I would love to grab one of their B prospects to take Callahan from them. I would say let’s go big and grab an A prospect, but I’d rather get a guy like Boris Katchouk, Ryan Callahan, and the Lightning retain $1.5 million of his cap hit. Callahan’s stats are pretty much that of a fourth liner, however both of his personal shooting percentage and on-ice shooting percentages are low. His stats could get a bit of a boost if he played up in Detroit’s lineup. This would be ideal because his contract would allow us to flip him at next year’s deadline while retaining more salary ourselves.

Martin Hanzal (Stars) – 2 years with a $4,750,000 cap hit

This is a contract I bet Jim Nill would like a re-do on. 2 years left and he has hardly produced this season. Hanzal could play up in our lineup and produce more than he is in Dallas. If he thrives with a fresh start in Detroit, he’d be another piece the Wings could move at next year’s deadline with retained salary. Gaining assets from Dallas to take his contract and then gain more at next year’s deadline would be a great set of moves to make.

Tyler Ennis (Wild) – 1 year with a $4,600,000 cap hit

No one seems to be talking about the Wild. They have a couple of raises to hand out this summer to Dumba and Zucker and they already struggle with the cap as is. Ennis, with 15 points in 54 games this season, has a contract attached to him that any GM should be looking to dump. I really like Greenway as a prospect that could be attached to him.

Jay Bouwmeester (Blues) – 1 year with a $5,400,000 cap hit

I don’t think Bouwmeester is hurting the Blues by any means, I just think they’d benefit from moving him. They have to sign Fabbri this summer and I’d expect that to go to arbitration or get close as he’s been injured but also produces like a top 6 guy when healthy. St. Louis is also in it to win it so they might be a little more liberal with their draft picks than other teams on this list.

Steve Mason (Jets) – 1 year with a $4,100,000 cap hit

Connor Hellebuyck has taken the starting job and ran with it. He is a real candidate for the Vezina trophy. This leaves Winnipeg in a similar situation as Detroit is now – why would you pay a back-up goalie this amount of money? With one of Mrazek or Howard gone this summer, we’ll have room to take in Mason. Winnipeg drafted Kristian Vesalainen in the first round of last year’s entry draft. I think we could handcuff the Jets for Mason & Vesalainen for Mrazek and maybe a later pick.

Troy Brouwer (Flames) – 2 years with a $4,500,000 cap hit

Oh man, this is one of my favourites to think about. When I view Calgary’s organization, two things stick out to me; Brouwer’s awful contract and Jusso Valimaki behind an absurd amount of NHL depth. Also, Calgary could be in the market for Mrazek down the stretch. With a Burke-lead team, you can’t count anything out.

Paul Martin (Sharks) – 1 year with a $4,850,000 cap hit

I think Martin is as obvious of a candidate as anyone. He is currently sitting in the AHL and weighing down San Jose’s cap space. Although Martin has a 6-team NTC, I doubt he’d nix a trade to any team willing to have him on their NHL roster. San Jose drafted Josh Norris in the first round of last year’s entry draft. He plays for the University of Michigan and is a great prospect. I think this could come to fruition of some sort with a combination of Martin, Boedker, Norris, Tatar, and / or Nyquist.

Markus Kruger (Hurricanes) – 1 year with a $3,083,333 cap hit

As my colleague Thomas WIlliams alluded to in his article Trade Matchmaker: Carolina Hurricanes, Kruger is also sitting in the minors and eating cap space. With the recent sale of the team, I don’t think they’d mind finding a way to move his cap hit and use the free’d-up money for roster players. Carolina has plenty of prospects to choose from and Tatar would look great for them as well. Carolina is an obvious trade partner.

Obviously it is unrealistic to bring in more than a couple of these players with both financial restrictions and roster space. However, I’d consider one or two of these guys a success depending on what comes with them. You probably noticed a few teams have more than 1 player on this list and that could really benefit Detroit. The Sharks, in my opinion, are the best trade partner for the Wings. Another hurdle, is that Detroit is also dealing with their own cap issues. We should be fine though when Green  and others are gone.