The Detroit Red Wings find themselves in a familiar spot: searching for stability between the pipes. Coming into the season, the plan was clear - John Gibson was expected to take the reins as the starting goaltender after a high-profile offseason trade.
But as we turn the page on November, it’s Cam Talbot, not Gibson, who’s been holding down the fort. And while Talbot has done an admirable job, the Red Wings’ recent slide suggests they could use some reinforcements in the crease.
Enter Laurent Brossoit.
The Chicago Blackhawks netminder is reportedly back to full health following hip surgery and is available via trade, according to insider Elliotte Friedman. Now, Brossoit isn’t a long-term solution, and no one’s pretending he is. But for a Red Wings team that’s gone 4-4-2 in its last 10 and slipped out of a playoff spot, adding some veteran depth in goal could be a smart insurance policy.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about replacing Talbot. He’s been solid.
But he’s also 36 and can’t be expected to shoulder a full 82-game workload. And Gibson, while not a disaster, hasn’t looked like the guy Detroit hoped he’d be.
His play has been serviceable, but not starter-caliber - and that’s a problem for a team trying to break through in a tight Eastern Conference playoff race.
So why not take a flyer on Brossoit?
Financially, the move is doable. Brossoit carries a $3.3 million cap hit, but with only the remainder of the season left on his deal and the Red Wings sitting on over $16 million in cap space, the money isn’t a barrier.
The real question is whether Brossoit is truly healthy - and whether he can give Detroit league-average goaltending in a backup or 1B role. If he can, that’s already a step up from what they’re getting from Gibson.
There’s also the matter of the Red Wings’ young goalie prospects, Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine. Both are promising, and both figure into the long-term vision.
But neither is ready for a full-time NHL role just yet - and certainly not to carry a playoff push. Brossoit wouldn’t block their development; he’d just buy them more time.
And if Detroit’s front office is thinking ahead - which they should be - there’s another wrinkle here: Talbot is a free agent after this season. If Brossoit comes in and performs well, he could be a short-term bridge or even a potential re-signing candidate. No one’s suggesting a Gibson-Brossoit tandem for next year, but having options never hurts, especially when your goalie pipeline is still maturing.
The league has shown time and again that contending teams often need three NHL-capable goaltenders to get through the grind of a season. Injuries happen.
Slumps happen. And when they do, you’d better have someone ready to step in.
Of course, all of this comes down to the price tag. If Chicago is looking to squeeze a premium out of a goalie coming off surgery, Detroit should walk away. But if the asking price is reasonable - or better yet, if the Red Wings could swing a one-for-one swap involving Gibson - then this becomes a much more intriguing conversation.
At this stage of the season, the Red Wings don’t need a blockbuster. They need smart, measured moves that shore up weak spots without mortgaging the future. Brossoit might not be a headline-grabber, but he could be exactly the kind of depth piece that keeps Detroit in the playoff mix - and that’s worth exploring.