- Henrik Zetterberg is out for two months and Pavel Datsyuk three weeks. The Red Wings need to win now to make the playoffs and Legwand is a proven commodity on both the power play and penalty kill. He has been particularly effective on the power play this season.

David Legwand: Will upgrade Red Wings

- The Red Wings did give up a good prospect for him, even though Legwand is eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer. But they didn't give up Tomas Tartar or Gustav Nyquist or Tomas Jurco or Anthony Mantha. The Red Wings didn't pay with their future in this deal, yet they played for the present. Legwand is from Grosse Pointe, has always wanted to play here and will likely resign this summer with Detroit. If not, he would not have his no trade clause. Nashville is still in the playoff race and he is the franchise's all-time leading scorer. At 33, he has not lost any of his speed, remaining one of the fastest skaters in the NHL. And there is some question whether the prospect the Red Wings moved in the deal, Calle Jarnkrok, will return to Sweden to play next season.
- This isn't the NBA. An 8th and 6th seed met in Stanley Cup finals in '12. The Red Wings, as a seventh seed, pushed the eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks to overtime of Game 7 in the second round last year. Get Datsyuk healthy, get in the playoffs, maybe get Zetterberg back...and play to win. Losing organizations are perpetually rebuilding. The Red Wings are doing the right thing.
- The only thing that would be wrong about this is if Jarnkrok were able to help them now as much Legwand, and that clearly isn't the case.

With all due respect to Mr, Hockey and The Captain, why Nicklas Lidstrom is the greatest Red Wing of all time. My column: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20140305/with-due-respect-to-mr-hockey-and-the-captain-nicklas-lidstrom-greatest-detroit-red-wings-player-ever-pat-caputo-says