The NHL has just entered a period of urgency. It’s that time of the year when GMs are scrambling, players are being moved like chess pieces, and teams are restructuring. That’s right, the NHL trade deadline is nearly upon us, and with it comes all kinds of moves: some that excite fans and some that leave them in despair. And the Detroit Red Wings are one of the latest teams to make a trade, and it’s one that has fans celebrating.

“Detroit saves $3.6M off their cap by trading Husso to Anaheim,” posted David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period on X. While trading Ville Husso may seem like the exact kind of low-stakes trade that occurs regularly, there is an extra layer of intrigue here. And it comes from the fact that the Ducks have just done a big favor to the Red Wings when they had no reason to do so. This was in many ways a very one-sided trade.

And if you look at the numbers, it isn’t difficult to see why that is. This season alone has seen Ville Husso make just 9 appearances for the Wings, posting a 1-5-2 record, .866 save percentage, and 3.69 GAA. His overall stats for the Red Wings don’t look much better with a 36-32-11 record, .892 save percentage, and 3.26 GAA in 84 appearances. Adding to that is the fact that Husso hasn’t started a game since January 14th, a sure enough indicator that there was no way back in for him.

Furthermore, taking his salary into account makes this trade even more confusing; why acquire an underperforming player who doesn’t exactly come cheap? But according to Jacob Punturi of Sports Illustrated, this could be the sort of trade where one team agrees to help out another team immediately, in exchange for the promise of a future favor. But regardless of the Anaheim Ducks’ motivations, one thing’s for certain: the fans are thrilled.

Ville Husso’s exit leaves fans excited

It’s evident that this was not a trade that fans had expected. “Crazy. What a win for Detroit,” wrote one X user, capturing the overall fan sentiment surrounding Husso’s move. But as excited as fans were, they were also baffled in equal parts. “Question is why?” added another fan. In no way was this a good move for Anaheim, especially considering that Ville Husso was sent to the Ducks’ AHL affiliate.

But amidst the excitement also came voices of reason. Some fans noted that the Ville Husso trade alone wasn’t going to help unless it was supplemented with further moves before the trade deadline.“Wont help them make the playoffs. Also announce Perron and Hamonic for McCaan.” 

But in a similar vein, other fans were busy speculating about what else the front office may have planned now that the Wings have cleared some much-needed cap space. “Barzal to Detroit is cooking,” wrote one fan. But Mat Barzal wasn’t the only option the fans had in mind. “Making room for Mika and Lindgren,” said another.

But the suggestions didn’t end there. This trade had opened up several new possibilities, and the Red Wings faithful weren’t afraid of dreaming big. “Miko Rantanen? That would be such a badass move, lol.” After all, it was not too long ago that rumors came out that the Carolina Hurricanes weren’t opposed to trading the player they themselves had only just acquired.

As the reactions poured in, the mood was one of optimism. Much needed too, considering the Red Wings are just on the cusp of a playoff spot. Could this trade be what they need to get them through? And will the management grant the fans’ wishes by making more trades? There’s just over a week left until the trade deadline closes in, and really anything could happen.