💸 1. Compher’s Big Cap Hit
- J.T. Compher carries a $5.1M annual cap hit for each of the next three seasons—a figure that’s hard to move in today’s cap-strapped NHL.
- With minimal wiggle room, the Wings now have just about $12M in projected cap space, making it difficult to add new salary unless a trade offloads significant cap dollars.
⚖️ 2. Compher’s Decline and Limited Value
- After a solid 2022–23 in Colorado, Compher posted just 32 points and a –7 rating in 2024–25, with decreased ice time and effectiveness.
- That regression makes him less appealing as a trade chip, especially at his salary level, limiting Detroit’s leverage in negotiations.
🔁 3. Teams Reluctant to Take on His Contract Without Concessions
- Rumored potential trades—like sending him back to Colorado or to Nashville—would require Detroit to retain salary, likely $2M+ to make the deal flexible.
- This retention reduces the cap relief for Detroit and makes these deals more cumbersome from a financial standpoint.
🎯 4. Red Wings’ Roster Constraints
- Detroit’s forward core already includes Patrick Kane ($4M), Andrew Copp ($5.6M), Vladimir Tarasenko ($4.75M)—all with no-trade or partial clauses on big contracts.
- Adding Compher’s $5.1M without meaningful outgoing salary would severely limit flexibility for future moves or reinforcements.
❌ Why Casey Mittelstadt (or Similar) Swap Falls Through
If the proposed swap were for a player like Minnesota’s Casey Mittelstadt:
- Mittelstadt would still carry cap burden and term, offering no immediate relief to Detroit’s financial squeeze.
- Without Detroit taking on additional salary or significant draft assets, teams would be unlikely to agree to absorb Compher’s contract.
- As a result, Mittelstadt’s cap hit (comparable or lower) wouldn’t offset Compher enough to make it viable for Detroit.
✅ Bottom Line
- Compher’s $5.1M cap hit and multiyear contract, combined with his subpar 2024–25 performance, makes offloading him challenging.
- Detroit lacks flexibility: they can’t offer significant incoming salary, and they must retain dollars to entice another team, cutting into any cap savings.
- This combination effectively blocks a straight swap for Mittelstadt or similarly valued forwards.
Detroit’s best remaining options are modest asset trades—offloading Compher with added sweeteners—or steering clear and focusing on internal development.
