The High Cost of a Defensive Gamble: Why Toronto's Interest in Simon Edvinsson is a Risky Bet
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As Detroit's Simon Edvinsson seeks a trade, the potential price tag for the 23-year-old defender could compromise Toronto's long-term ceiling.
Q: What is the current situation regarding Simon Edvinsson and the Detroit Red Wings?
A: As Sportsnet first reported, Simon Edvinsson prefers to be traded from the Detroit Red Wings. The 23-year-old left-shot defenceman is currently an unsigned restricted free agent. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports that while Edvinsson wants out, Detroit Red Wings interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has stated that the player remains a priority for the club and that the team is working closely with agents to get him signed.
Q: What are Edvinsson's credentials as a prospect and player?
A: Edvinsson is a six-foot-six defender who was selected sixth overall by Detroit in the 2021 draft. During the 2025-26 season, which marked his second full year in the NHL, he recorded 25 points, consisting of nine goals and 16 assists, as reported by Sportsnet.
Q: Why is this a dangerous gamble for a team like Toronto to pursue?
(Opinion) In my view, chasing a player like Edvinsson represents a strategic error in asset management. While his size and draft pedigree are attractive, his production—25 points in a full season—does not suggest he is a transformative talent capable of elevating a team's ceiling. For Toronto to surrender high-value future assets or draft capital for a defender who is currently embroiled in a contract dispute and actively seeking a trade is a recipe for disaster. The cost of acquisition would likely be inflated by Detroit's desire to retain value, but the actual impact on the ice wouldn't move the needle enough to justify the loss of future flexibility.
Q: What is the internal climate in Detroit that might drive this trade?
A: Sportsnet reports that the Red Wings are currently facing the longest active playoff drought in the NHL, spanning a decade. Additionally, the organization is dealing with significant instability; former captain Dylan Larkin was stripped of his captaincy following an off-season trade request and was booed by fans during the home opener against the New York Rangers. This environment of instability makes Edvinsson's desire to leave more understandable, but it also makes any trade negotiations volatile.
Q: Where is Edvinsson currently?
A: Per Sportsnet, Edvinsson was observed practicing in his home country of Sweden this past Wednesday.