Steve Yzerman has a plan.
It's a good one, too.
The Red Wings' general manager has hoarded NHL Draft picks and created loads of salary cap space. It gives the Red Wings countless options moving forward.
One intriguing possibility is pursuing Columbus defenseman Seth Jones.
Jones is 6-foot-4, considerably more than 200 pounds, an excellent puck mover and a strong skater. He plays more than 25 minutes per game and is effective on the power play. The fourth overall selection in the 2013 draft, Jones, 27 in October, shows up every night. There are no character issues.
Jones, making $5.4 million on the last year of his current contract, is eligible for unrestricted free agency after the '21-22 season. He reportedly has told the Blue Jackets he is not going to re-sign.
Columbus' roster has been gradually gutted, and the Blue Jackets have no choice but to rebuild.
The Red Wings have the draft capital and prospects to deal for Jones. More importantly, the Red Wings have the cap space to sign Jones long-term before he hits free agency.
While those following hockey closely justifiably gush about the skill-level and competitive character Jones possesses, his statistics and metrics don't tell quite as glowing of a story.
Jones was minus-18 last season. His even-strength Corsi was below 50 percent for the second straight season. He is minus-25 for his career and his Corsi a respectable, but not special, 51.3 percent.
Jones appeared to be coming on in 2017-18. He was a second-team All-Star and placed fourth in Norris Trophy voting. At 23, he was plus-10 and had a 54.1 Corsi. He had 16 goals and 41 assists. It was by far his best season on all levels, but he's regressed statistically.
Of course, so have the Bluejackets as a whole, which might provide a viable explanation. Jones has the talent level to be a first-team All-Star and win a Norris Trophy, and he's still in his prime.
Acquiring Jones would require a measuring act by Yzerman. Jones is not signed long-term, but undoubtedly will still be in demand. The Red Wings can't afford to use an early first-round draft pick as bait, but the late first-rounder they received in the Anthony Mantha trade with Washington would definitely be in play. Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond will be off limits, but the Red Wings have a host of recent early-round draft picks that might fit such as Filip Hronek, Filip Zadina, Michael Rasmussen, Joe Veleno and Jonatan Berggren.
Hronek was the Red Wings' leading scorer last season and is a right-handed shot, but so are Jones and Seider.
You have to give up something good to get something even better. That might be Hronek and the extra first-round pick.
There is also the matter of Yzerman's creditibility. The Red Wings aren't remotely a contender, but Yzerman was not only one of the NHL's all-time great players, but the architect behind arguably the NHL's best team, Tampa Bay.
Jones, whose father, Popeye, nearly led 16-seed Murray State to an NCAA Tournament upset of No. 1 seed Michigan State in 1990 with 37 points and 11 rebounds, before embarking on a long NBA career, is familiar with this area. He played two years for the United States Developmental Program when it was located in Ann Arbor.
Yzerman has meticulously built up draft capital and cap space. Acquiring Seth Jones could be worth using much of it.
It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. It's entirely possible under the circumstances.
