The Red Wings had no salary cap concerns during their 2007-08 Stanley Cup championship season, as they were roughly $4 million under the cap heading into training camp. That is not the case this season. After signing Marian Hossa to a one-year, $7.45 million contract and re-upping with Valtteri Filppula on a five-year deal that averages $3 million a season, Detroit is facing a cap crunch.

The Red Wings are less than $1 million under the NHL's $56.7 million salary cap and still need to sign defensemen Chris Chelios and Kyle Quincey. General manager Ken Holland said they will be slightly over the cap heading into training camp, likely forcing a trade prior to the start of the regular season on Oct. 9. They don't need to be cap compliant until Oct. 8.

"We have to be prepared to trade some players. I would expect there would be interest in some of our players," Holland said. "We'll make decisions in September and the first week of October. They can decide it on the ice."

The club will likely need to deal a defenseman for a draft pick. Of their 10 defensemen, only Jonathan Ericsson is exempt from waivers. Holland said they plan to carry eight defensemen.

There are four potential trade possibilities on defense: veteran Andreas Lilja or youngsters Derek Meech, Brett Lebda or Quincey.

It would seem unlikely they would trade Lilja after signing him to a two-year, $2.5 million contract in June, since he took less money than he could have received on the open market to stay in Detroit. Quincey is also not likely to be moved because he provides some much-needed size and abrasiveness, elements the Red Wings lack on defense.

They could be hesitant to move Lebda, a regular during their Cup run, because he has proven himself. Meech seems the most likely to be dealt because he can be replaced over the next few years with others in the system (Jakub Kindl, Logan Pyett, Brendan Smith).

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