It never did seem quite right Kyle Quincey left the Red Wings.
General manager Ken Holland hasn't made too many glaring mistakes down through the years, but one of them was keeping an aging Chris Chelios over Quincey near the beginning of the 2008-2009 season. Salary cap and waiver rules forced the decision. The Red Wings had to either release Chelios or risk putting Quincey through waivers before sending him to Grand Rapids. There was no way Quincey was going to clear waivers. He had played too well for the Red Wings in a pinch during the playoffs in 2007, and the only reason he wasn't playing regularly after that was because they had a glut of veteran defensemen.
Chelios' career hit a wall that season, while Quincey immediately played effectively with the Kings. He's been a very good player since for Los Angeles and Colorado.
So it is fitting the Red Wings got Quincey back Friday. He had been traded to Tampa Bay from Colorado earlier in the day - and subsequently moved to the Red Wings.
The cost is steep - a first round draft choice, but Quincey is worth it. He is big, reasonably physical and can move the puck. He is also familiar with the Red Wings' system. The Red Wings didn't desperately need a sixth defenseman, but they don't desperately need anything. Quincey is a clear upgrade from Jakub Kindl and Mike Commodore.
He is a restricted free agent this summer, and will draw a lot of interest. But it was a calculated gamble for the Red Wings. They already had arguably the best defensive corps in the NHL. This move only accents the point. And if there is any team that should be concerned only with winning now, it's the Red Wings.