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Steve Yzerman's 2021 NHL trade deadline work brings in another fourth-round pick

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press
·2 min read

Steve Yzerman is doing what he can to add to the Detroit Red Wings’ rebuild.

Entering Saturday’s game at Carolina, he had netted his team two fourth–round picks after Yzerman was part of an afternoon three-team trade that netted the Wings a fourth-round pick in 2021.

In exchange for the pick from Yzerman's old team in Tampa Bay, the Wings shipped minor-league defenseman Brian Lashoff to the Lightning, and absorbed 25% of the contract of Columbus defenseman David Savard, who was also headed to Tampa Bay. The Blue Jackets will cover 50% of Savard's contract in exchange for a 2021 first- and a 2022 third-round pick. (Oddly enough, Lashoff will remain in Grand Rapids, as the Lightning re-assigned him to the AHL squad after the trade.)

Friday night, he traded defenseman Patrik Nemeth to the Colorado Avalanche for a fourth–round pick in 2022.

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Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman, left, looks on during a scrimmage Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman, left, looks on during a scrimmage Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Defenseman Jon Merrill, a pending unrestricted free agent, was not part of the lineup for Saturday's game, indicating he might be traded soon.

Yzerman's ability to be a seller at the deadline took a hit with top-six forward Bobby Ryan being ruled out for the remainder of the season because of an upper–body injury. Forward Sam Gagner missed Saturday's game because of injury; his name has also been in play in advance of Monday's 3 p.m. deadline.

In addition to Merrill, the Wings' other pending unrestricted free agents include goaltender Jonathan Bernier and forwards Luke Glendening and Darren Helm.

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings' NHL trade deadline work brings in 4th-round pick