The Detroit Red Wings have made their first move of the offseason.
This week, the club announced that they signed Swiss National League center Theo Rochette to a one-year deal. Rochette played 46 games for Lausanne HC, scoring 43 points in 46 games with the club. He ended up eighth in all NL scoring, just three points behind former Red Wing Austin Czarnik.
Rochette, 24, comes pre-packaged with familiarity on North American ice. He played five seasons with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens and Québec Remparts of the QMJHL, captaining the Remparts to a Memorial Cup and QMJHL Championship win in 2023. In that time, he scored 317 points in 271 games, finishing off his final season with an impressive 106 points across 65 regular season games.
Rochette comes just in time for the Red Wings, who are currently starved in the center department with the recent trade request of Dylan Larkin.
While accomplished in his junior career, what can he bring at the NHL level? Let's take a closer look:
What the Red Wings get from Rochette
European one-year deals are about as low-risk as they can get. Sometimes, players manifest into something consistent, like Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin. Other times, they fizzle out into Damien Brunner-caliber players. If Rochette can become anything at the NHL level, it should be considered a win.
That said, don't expect the Swiss center to blow the doors off the NHL just yet.
Rochette, per scouting reports, is a playmaking center who involves everyone in the offense. He's the exact kind of center the Red Wings need. Whether he plays in the top-six or works his way through the depth, he provides a much-needed set-up man for the team's would-be goal-scorers throughout the lineup.
Now, whether or not that translates at the NHL remains to be seen. There is a chance - though a small one - that Rochette becomes a key contributor in the NHL. He might even have a shot at a longer-term deal if things pan out. But there's a big difference between the Swiss League and the NHL.
It's entirely possible that he might even play in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins if there isn't enough room for him on the roster.
Yzerman's offseason moves not done yet
Barring the obvious Larkin-sized elephant in the room, there are still a handful of moves the Red Wings have to make this offseason. The team still needs a top-six center and a top line winger. They also need to figure out what in the world to do with Sebastian Cossa. According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, he's already on the outs. Other insiders believe it's much further than Seravalli claims.
Whether Larkin and Cossa are moved within the next few weeks remains to be seen. But, for now, it looks as if the Red Wings are trying anything that'll work in order to solve this problem. Theo Rochette is about as low risk as it gets in the NHL.
