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The San Jose Sharks’ pursuit of Detroit Red Wings defenceman Simon Edvinsson has taken a more revealing turn. On Saturday, October 31, San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng identified three young players who were reportedly available in trade discussions, one day after Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman reported that Detroit had declined a serious Sharks offer.
According to Peng’s October 31 report, centre Filip Bystedt, winger Igor Chernyshov and defenceman Keaton Verhoeff were all potentially available. However, the source did not establish which players were included in the actual offer or whether all three had been discussed together.
That distinction matters. Friedman reported that Detroit has been seeking young centres in trade discussions, and San Jose’s available prospects may not completely satisfy that requirement.
The Sharks have valuable young players, but the Red Wings appear to want something more specific than an impressive collection of prospects.
With Edvinsson still unsigned and a December 1 deadline approaching, the latest information raises an important question: can San Jose assemble an acceptable package without sacrificing one of its future cornerstone forwards?
Latest Simon Edvinsson Trade Rumors: What San Jose Offered Detroit
In his October 30 edition of 32 Thoughts, Friedman reported substantive negotiations between the Sharks and Red Wings, including at least one serious offer Detroit did not accept.
Friedman also identified Boston, Nashville, St. Louis and Seattle as teams that had examined the possibility of acquiring Edvinsson. San Jose, however, stood out because of the reported depth of its discussions.
Peng’s follow-up provides a clearer picture of the prospects who might help the Sharks construct a deal.
Filip Bystedt, 22, centre: Selected 27th overall in 2022, Bystedt made his NHL debut against Vancouver on October 29. He played 10:28 and recorded two shots, according to the NHL’s official game recap.
Igor Chernyshov, 20, winger: The powerful forward has recorded 11 goals and 23 points in 39 career NHL appearances, according to San Jose Hockey Now. He is an attractive young offensive asset, although he was placed on injured reserve on October 28.
Keaton Verhoeff, defenceman: The ninth overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft is a 6-foot-4, right-shot prospect playing at the University of North Dakota. He represents considerable future defensive value.
There is no confirmation that these players were offered together, and no completed transaction has been announced.
That leaves the most interesting aspect of this story: why a package involving promising young talent might still fall short.
Why Detroit’s Search for a Young Centre Changes Everything
The reported positional preference offers the clearest explanation for Detroit’s reluctance.
Bystedt is a legitimate centre prospect. But there is a difference between acquiring a young player who might eventually become a dependable NHL centre and receiving someone a franchise believes can anchor its top six.
Edvinsson, meanwhile, has already demonstrated that he can handle significant NHL responsibility.
Detroit would be surrendering a 23-year-old defenceman who has played difficult minutes against established NHL competition. In our assessment, replacing that value with several uncertain future contributors would create more risk than the raw number of assets might suggest.
This is especially important given the uncertainty surrounding Dylan Larkin.
Larkin’s own trade dispute has complicated Detroit’s long-term planning down the middle. If the organization eventually moves its former captain, the need for a young centre becomes even more significant.
That makes San Jose’s higher-profile forwards worth examining.
Michael Misa, the second overall selection in 2025, offers the type of high-end centre potential that could change Detroit’s assessment. Will Smith, selected fourth overall in 2023, also brings elite offensive upside, even though he has frequently played wing in the NHL.
However, Peng’s October 31 reporting indicates that neither appears to be available in current discussions.
Our assessment: That may be the fundamental disconnect. The Sharks can offer Detroit valuable prospects, but they appear unwilling to surrender the young forwards most capable of meeting its preferred return.
Why Simon Edvinsson Is Worth Such a Significant Trade Package
The asking price becomes easier to understand when Edvinsson’s production is viewed alongside his defensive responsibilities.
During the 2025–26 season, the 6-foot-6 left-shot defenceman recorded nine goals and 25 points in 72 games, averaging 22:21 of ice time.
His offensive production declined from 31 points the previous season, but his average ice time increased from 21:07 to 22:21.
That additional responsibility matters.
For a club like San Jose, Edvinsson would offer size, mobility and established NHL experience at an age that fits its developing core. He could become an important long-term presence alongside the Sharks’ younger defencemen.
For Detroit, however, moving him creates another difficult question.
The Red Wings already have Moritz Seider as a foundational piece on defence. Trading Edvinsson would eliminate the possibility of building around two established, relatively young defencemen for the next several seasons.
There is also a financial complication.
According to PuckPedia, Edvinsson remains an unsigned restricted free agent after his entry-level contract expired. His previous cap hit was $894,167, but that is not a reliable estimate of his next contract.
The NHL’s 2026–27 salary-cap ceiling is $104 million.
Any interested team must therefore consider both the assets needed to acquire Edvinsson’s rights and the future cap commitment required to sign him.
A trade that works in terms of prospect value might still be difficult financially if the acquiring club cannot agree on a contract.
NHLTR Trade Market Watch: Which Sharks Prospects Fit Detroit’s Needs?
Who Could Be in an Edvinsson Trade?
Five names to watch in San Jose’s pursuit of the Detroit Red Wings defenceman.
Filip Bystedt
Fits Detroit’s preferred position. Made his NHL debut on October 29, but remains relatively unproven at that level.
Igor Chernyshov
Promising offensive forward with 23 points through 39 NHL games. Does not directly address Detroit’s centre preference.
Keaton Verhoeff
Ninth overall pick in 2026. Offers substantial defensive upside but is not the young centre reportedly being targeted.
Michael Misa
Second overall pick in 2025. A potential positional match, but no actual offer involving Misa has been established.
Will Smith
Fourth overall pick in 2023. Elite offensive potential, but has frequently played wing and is not known to be part of an offer.
Sam Dickinson
Another young cornerstone. San Jose Hockey Now reports that he has not been made available so far.
Detroit’s reported preference for a young centre makes positional fit especially important. A substantial offer can still be the wrong package. This is an editorial comparison, not a numerical trade-value or probability model.
Reporting: San Jose Hockey Now, Oct. 31; Sportsnet, Oct. 30. Bystedt debut: NHL.com, Oct. 29. NHLTR’s assessment is qualitative and based on reported availability, position and experience. Statuses are not confirmations of trade offers.
What a Potential Sharks–Red Wings Trade Could Look Like
There are several ways to evaluate a potential agreement, but none should be mistaken for a confirmed negotiation structure.
Scenario 1: Bystedt leads a multi-asset package.
This would be the most straightforward possibility involving the reported available names.
San Jose could attempt to build around Bystedt and add valuable young talent. Chernyshov and Verhoeff would increase the package’s upside, but Detroit would still need to decide whether Bystedt projects as the kind of centre it wants in return.
From our perspective, this is a difficult sell without a particularly strong supporting package.
Scenario 2: San Jose makes a premium centre available.
If Michael Misa were to enter discussions, Detroit’s evaluation could change considerably.
However, that would require a significant shift from the negotiating boundaries described in Peng’s reporting. There is no verified report that Misa has been offered.
Scenario 3: Detroit keeps Edvinsson.
This remains entirely plausible.
Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff publicly stated on October 14 that he had no interest in trading Edvinsson and wanted to sign him.
Serious discussions with another team do not necessarily contradict that position. Detroit can explore Edvinsson’s market value while continuing to pursue an agreement.
Our view is that the Red Wings should not trade him simply because another organization has assembled a large offer. The return needs to address a specific organizational problem.
The December 1 Deadline Adds Pressure to Both Teams
Edvinsson must sign an NHL contract by December 1 to become eligible to play during the remainder of the 2026–27 season.
That puts an important deadline on the negotiations, although it does not force Detroit to make a trade.
The Red Wings can continue trying to sign him. San Jose can continue evaluating its available assets. Other interested clubs could also revisit their offers.
But the closer the deadline gets, the more difficult it becomes for any party to remain comfortable with the uncertainty.
One particularly important development to monitor is whether another team offers Detroit a better young-centre option.
The Sharks may have made the most substantive reported offer so far, but that does not automatically mean their proposal is the best fit.
Final Take: San Jose Has the Assets, but Detroit Wants the Right Ones
The biggest revelation from October 31 is not simply that three Sharks prospects were available.
It is that Detroit appears to have rejected a serious offer despite San Jose possessing enough young talent to build an attractive package.
That suggests the Red Wings are focused on the quality and positional fit of the return rather than the number of prospects involved.
In our view, San Jose has good reason to pursue Edvinsson aggressively. A 23-year-old defenceman with his size and experience could fit the Sharks’ long-term plans exceptionally well.
But if Detroit insists on a potential top-six centre, the two organizations may remain apart until San Jose changes its offer or another team provides a more compelling alternative.
For now, Simon Edvinsson remains a Red Wing, and the December 1 deadline continues to approach.
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Stay up to date with the latest Detroit Red Wings news and trade rumors, including Simon Edvinsson contract updates, Dylan Larkin trade developments and potential roster moves.
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