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Report: Wings shopping Datsyuk's contract, interested in Stamkos

Dave Reginek / National Hockey League / Getty

The Detroit Red Wings are reportedly keen on taking a run at Steven Stamkos this summer, and general manager Ken Holland is apparently already trying to clear cap space to do it.

"(They're) most definitely looking at Steven Stamkos as an unrestricted free agent option, but in order for the Red Wings to get into that game, obviously they're going to have to move out the money of Pavel Datsyuk," TSN's Darren Dreger reported on Friday's edition of "Insider Trading."

Datsyuk, who has one more year remaining at a cap hit of $7.5 million, has received an offer to play in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg, but won't decide on his future before meeting with the Red Wings later this month.

"Ken Holland ... is actively trying to move that one year, the remaining year on his contract," Dreger said Friday. "Maybe there's a team out there that needs that $7.5 million to get to the (salary cap) floor, but the Red Wings know in order to move it, they're going to have to sweeten it."

Dreger cites young forwards Tomas Jurco and Teemu Pulkkinen as players who could potentially be packaged with the hefty sum to entice a trade partner, adding that Holland is "hard at it" in his attempt to get a deal done.

Datsyuk has said he's willing to help the Red Wings out by agreeing to have his contract moved if he chooses to depart for Russia.

Stamkos will become a UFA if he's not re-signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning before July 1.

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