With the National Hockey League trade deadline approaching at 3 p.m. on March 2, Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland decided to make a move.

The Red Wings acquired Erik Cole from the Dallas Stars along with a conditional 3rd round pick for a 2nd round pick and prospects Mattias Backman and Mattias Janmark.

Cole will add a veteran presence in a locker room full of young talent. If any of the younger players struggle in the playoffs, Cole will be valuable, having won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Cole can also help to fill the role of the injured Johan Franzen, as he adds size and scoring ability to the Wings, having scored 18 goals this season, which puts him fourth on his new team in goals.

The prospects that the Red Wings gave up in the deal weren’t among the most highly rated in the organization, but Cole is 36 years old and is only under contract for the remainder of this season. While he will add veteran depth and goal scoring down the stretch, trading youth for an expiring contract isn’t ideal. Overall, the Red Wings didn’t give up too much and gained a valuable veteran presence, but Cole is most likely a ‘rental player’ for this year only and won’t be a major contributor for long, even if he does re-sign in Detroit.