The biggest injury blow the Red Wings have suffered this season won't force Steve Yzerman's hand before the trade deadline. But it does highlight what they need.
Top-pair defenseman Simon Edvinsson will miss the next five games before the Olympic break with a lower-body injury, but is expected to return when Detroit resumes play in late February. It probably won't be pretty for the Red Wings without him, especially with a home-and-home looming against the Avalanche, the highest-scoring team in the NHL.
Fact is, another top-four defenseman has been on Yzerman's shopping list since last offseason. Edvinsson's absence is the latest reminder that Detroit still needs to upgrade the blueline as it aims to snap a nine-year playoff and perhaps make some noise this spring.
But it doesn't change the tenor of roster conversations between Yzerman and head coach Todd McLellan related to the deadline.
"If I came in today and said Simon is done for the season, then it might change, but we're going to get Simon back," McLellan said Monday. "It's not like he's going to lose his game anywhere. He's already missed two games, so he'll have seven total games missed when he does get back, and (the schedule) is compacted right now. When he comes back and he begins to play again, everybody will be coming off that break, so he'll fit right in with the rhythm of the team. I don't think it changes anything dramatically."
Plenty of veteran defensemen could be targets for the Red Wings ahead of the March 5th deadline, on either side of the blue line. With Edvinsson out, the left side will be pinched. But the right side still feels like their biggest need behind Moritz Seider.
Right-shot defensemen Dougie Hamilton (Devils) and Justin Faulk (Blues) are among those who could appeal to Detroit, along with rentals Luke Schenn (Jets) and Connor Murphy (Blackhawks). The market doesn't appear to be as deep on the left side, with Logan Stanley (Jets) and Mario Ferraro (Sharks) looking like two of the more desirable names.
The Red Wings will make do in the meantime without Edvinsson. Right-shot Jacob Bernard-Docker has slotted in next to Seider on the top pair at times, but has also teamed up with lefty Albert Johansson on the third pair. Travis Hamonic, another right-shot, will also continue to get a look in Edvinsson's absence.
The arrangement isn't ideal, "but we have others that are going to have to go in and play, and they've done that already for a couple of games and done an admirable job," McLellan said.
"When you lose players, there are all the cliches of somebody else stepping up, and it means everybody has to pull a little harder and do a little bit more," he said. "And if you manage the game properly, you can get through it."
Edvinsson's injury, a tweak of a prior injury that cost him a few games in November, occurred during Detroit's recent roadtrip. He played nearly 27 minutes in the team's overtime win over the Maple Leafs last Wednesday, but was unavailable the next night in an overtime loss to the Wild. He also missed the Wings' win over the Jets last Saturday.
"We don't want Simon out of the lineup, but the fact that we have to shuffle some things around and guys have to play with other partners and in different situations is not a bad thing for the group," McLellan said. "They haven't had a lot of adversity back there (on defense), knock on wood, for injuries, so now we have to deal with it and it's not the end of the world."