The Detroit Red Wings have signed defenseman Justin Holl to a three-year contract, but after one season, the deal hasn’t worked out as expected. Now, there’s a trade proposal suggesting that Detroit could unload his contract in exchange for a forward.
Using the PuckGM tool from PuckPedia, a user suggested a trade that would bring Alex Kerfoot from the Utah Hockey Club to the Red Wings.
Red Wings receive
Alex Kerfoot
Utah receives
Justin Holl
2025 second-round pick
2025 third-round pick
This proposed trade would allow Detroit to acquire Kerfoot in exchange for Holl, but they would need to relinquish two draft picks to free themselves from Holl’s contract.
Kerfoot is entering the final year of his two-year, $7 million contract with Utah. He would likely serve as a bottom-six forward for the Red Wings and contribute to penalty killing. Last season with Arizona, Kerfoot played 82 games, scoring 13 goals and providing 32 assists for a total of 45 points.
In return, Utah would receive two valuable draft picks along with Holl, who still has two years remaining on his three-year, $10.2 million contract. During his time in Detroit, Holl played only 38 games, recording no goals and five assists. Prior to joining the Red Wings, he spent six seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Holl Considered a Buyout Candidate for the Red Wings
When the Red Wings signed Holl on July 1, 2023, he was anticipated to be a significant addition to their defense. However, he struggled in his first season with the team.
After the season, there was speculation about a potential buyout for Holl, but Detroit decided against it. NHL analyst Max Bultman from The Athletic suggested that the Red Wings might consider a buyout in the summer of 2025.
Bultman noted, “Your point about the cap hit sitting in the press box is valid. But, the Red Wings likely don’t expect to be as fortunate with injuries this season as they were in 2023-24. If that’s the case, Holl could see more ice time. However, if he remains a $3.4 million scratch for most of the season again, I would imagine they’ll look into a buyout next year, resulting in just two years of dead cap at the same $1.13 million cost.”
With the signing of Erik Gustafsson, Holl is not projected to have a consistent role on the Red Wings this season.
Red Wings GM Expects Team to Compete for Playoff Spot
After narrowly missing the playoffs last season, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman believes his team has a chance to compete for a playoff spot this year.
“I think we’re among the teams that have a shot at the playoffs,” Yzerman stated. “If we stay healthy, if our goaltending is solid, and if players exceed expectations, we might make it. Or we could miss by just a point in the final game of the season.
“That’s the fine line of it all. Looking at the current roster compared to last year’s group, it’s somewhat different. It might be a better fit in terms of player roles,” added Yzerman.
The Red Wings have not qualified for the playoffs since the 2015-16 season.
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