Insider reveals when the Red Wings will trade Simon Edvinsson

TSN insider Chris Johnston believes the answer on whether the young defenseman signs or gets traded will not come until the final days of November.

That timeline matters because Edvinsson is an unsigned restricted free agent. If he does not have a contract by 5 p.m. ET on December 1, he cannot play in the NHL this season.

The deadline also travels with him, so any team that acquires his rights inherits the same ticking clock.

Edvinsson, 23, logged about 22 minutes a night last season, yet he has spent the fall without a contract. He attended Red Wings training camp, went back to Sweden, and later returned to North America to train.

Reports say he would prefer a fresh start elsewhere, while interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has said he has zero interest in trading him.

Detroit has shown some movement toward longer term, though the club has mostly pitched shorter deals.

Money is not the obstacle for Detroit, which carries roughly $16.8 million in projected cap space. San Jose has emerged as a leading trade suitor, and the two clubs have reportedly talked at length.

Still, any trade also requires the acquiring club to reach terms with Edvinsson, which adds another hurdle in a short window.

Johnston has also cautioned that Edvinsson's return to North America for training should not be read as a sign a contract is close.

For fans, the message is simple: prepare for a tense finish. Either Edvinsson signs in Detroit, or Horcoff moves his rights to a team that can lock him up before time expires.

Waiting this long carries real risk, since a missed deadline would cost a 23-year-old defenseman an entire season and leave everyone involved with nothing to show for it.

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