- The Red Wings have agreed to terms with Harri Sateri, reports Fox Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland (Twitter link). The 28-year-old spent most of last season with Florida’s AHL affiliate in Springfield, posting a stellar .927 SV% with a 2.30 GAA in 29 games. He got into nine games with the Panthers down the stretch, going 4-4-0 with a 2.92 GAA and a .911 SV%.
Red Wings Rumors
Red Wings Interested In Derek Ryan
While center Derek Ryan won’t be returning to Carolina, he will have quite a few teams to choose from. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports (Twitter link) that he has a pair of multi-year offers on the table, one from Calgary and another from an unidentified Central Division team. He adds that Detroit, Columbus, and Toronto have all expressed interest as well. Meanwhile, Michael Russo of The Athletic notes (subscription required) that the Wild are also interested but doesn’t specify if they have an offer on the table for him just yet.
The 31-year-old is coming off of his best NHL season, one that saw him post a respectable 38 points (15-23-38) in 80 games while winning an impressive 56.5% of his faceoffs. He’s still a relatively unknown player with just 153 career NHL games under his belt but he should slot in nicely as a third line pivot with his new team. Ryan ranks 22nd on our Top 50 Free Agents list with a projected contract of two years and $4.8MM.
More free agent notes with the market set to officially open less than 24 hours from now:
- Winger Austin Czarnik has largely flown under the radar but he has received interest from 24 different teams, reports Craig Custance of The Athletic (via Twitter). He adds that a two-year deal with a Western Conference team appears to be the likeliest outcome at this time. The 25-year-old lit up the AHL this past season with 25 goals and 44 assists in 69 games which ranked third overall in league scoring. He also added four assists in ten games with the Bruins. NBC Sports Boston’s Joe Haggerty tweets that the Oilers are among the teams making a push.
- It doesn’t appear that there is a big gap to bridge between the Bruins and goaltender Anton Khudobin. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reports (Twitter link) that the two sides were only $150K per year apart on talks. However, it appears that Khudobin, barring a change in the next little while, will go to the open market. TSN’s Darren Dreger tweets that Dallas could make sense as a landing spot.
- The Blue Jackets have expressed a desire to keep defenseman Ian Cole in the fold, GM Jarmo Kekalainen told reporters, including George Richards of the Columbus Dispatch (Twitter link). However, based on Kekalainen’s comments, it appears that Cole has his sights set elsewhere. The blueliner ranks 16th on our Top 50 Free Agents list but is the number three rearguard behind only Mike Green and Calvin de Haan.
Snapshots: Ouellet, Ryan, Utah
Xavier Ouellet was bought out by the Detroit Red Wings to open up some roster spots for their young defensive prospects, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be part of an NHL organization next year. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that the Montreal Canadiens have “kicked the tires” on Ouellet since his buyout, indicating that there is at least some interest.
Ouellet was actually born in France but played his minor hockey just outside Montreal and captained the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada during his QMJHL career. It would be a homecoming of sorts for the 24-year old defenseman should he sign with the Canadiens, who have a lot of experience on the blue line but found little success there last season. Montreal may not have room to add him on the NHL roster, but he would certainly provide a solid option for the Laval Rocket who are trying to rebuild after a disastrous season that included losing the last twelve games of the regular season.
- The Calgary Flames are interested in their own version of reconnecting a player with a familiar structure, though this time it’s not a hometown. Derek Ryan is visiting the Flames today according to Frank Seravalli of TSN, a good fit given that his former head coach Bill Peters is now running the show. Peters was the coach who gave Ryan his first crack at the NHL after a long and winding hockey career, and the 31-year old center rewarded him with a 38-point season in 2017-18. Ryan is one of the top centers available this summer behind John Tavares, despite his relatively little experience in the NHL. Making his debut at the age of 29, he has just 153 games under his belt to this point.
- The Utah Grizzlies are the new ECHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, extending their organizational structure to a third tier below the newly promoted Colorado Eagles. The Eagles won the ECHL’s Kelly Cup in each of the past two seasons, but were bumped up to the AHL as a 31st team to provide equal numbers with the NHL. Utah wasn’t so lucky, missing the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade. The Avalanche will try to turn that around immediately, and make a commitment to developing a solid prospect base for the Grizzlies to work with.
Detroit Red Wings Still Talking To Mike Green
The Detroit Red Wings weren’t able to trade the expiring contract of defenseman Mike Green at the deadline given his injury concerns, but now might not be losing him for nothing in free agency after all. Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports that the Red Wings are in talks with Green and believe they can sign him to a two-year contract. Detroit obviously could ink Green to a deal before Sunday since he’s still under their control, though there was expected to be plenty of interest in him on the open market as one of the better puck-moving defensemen available. Green is coming off a three-year, $18MM contract with the Red Wings he signed in the summer of 2015.
Now 32 years old, Green is no longer the dominant offensive weapon he once was. Scoring 31 goals in just 68 games during the 2008-09 season, and followed it up with a 76-point campaign, he finished second in Norris Trophy voting in consecutive years. That incredible powerplay weapon may be gone, but Green can still contribute with the man advantage and be an effective puck-moving option at even-strength. He’s not as weak defensively as some may believe, and doesn’t require extremely sheltered minutes like other offensive-minded players—though he would likely excel if given them.
The Red Wings, who recently bought out Xavier Ouellet and traded Robbie Russo, need someone to play defense for them even if some of their younger players are ready to take the next step. Niklas Kronwall, Trevor Daley and Jonathan Ericsson are all on the last legs of their careers and bring long injury histories, while Danny DeKeyser isn’t as effective as he once was. Re-signing Green would also keep an asset in the organization that could be valuable at the trade deadline, a strategy that could pay dividends if he’s not injured this time and doesn’t demand a no-movement clause.
Green should have enough leverage for a fairly expensive contract, but the Red Wings have plenty of cap space to fit him in. Sitting more than $20MM under the ceiling, Detroit could be quite creative with free agents this summer. Andreas Athanasiou, Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha all need new deals, but for a rebuilding squad that just had one of the best drafts in the league, signing veteran names to short-term deals that could be moved at the deadline is a solid plan.
Detroit Red Wings Closing In On Jonathan Bernier
The Detroit Red Wings have quite a bit of uncertainty in net going forward, with Jimmy Howard signed for just a single season and Jared Coreau leaving the organization as a Group VI unrestricted free agent. Because of that, both Craig Custance (subscription required) and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic have heard a connection to free agent goaltender Jonathan Bernier. LeBrun goes as far as stating that Bernier is “likely” going to sign in Detroit, while Custance believes he could get a three-year deal to provide some stability in goal for the team.
Detroit traded away Petr Mrazek last season after he failed to live up to their lofty expectations, and were left with a 34-year old Howard as their only real NHL option. Though he certainly played well enough to remain with the team, there isn’t a succession plan in place any longer and the team knows they need to find an answer on the market, be that through trade or free agency. Bernier, 29, played some very good hockey for the Colorado Avalanche, going 19-13-3 with a .913 save percentage as they dealt with injuries to Semyon Varlamov. That situates him as one of the better goaltending options on the market, and one that could easily slide into a tandem with Howard next season.
Bernier has long been considered a starting-caliber goalie, though struggled at times in that role in Toronto. One of the league’s smallest netminders, he was an outstanding backup to Jonathan Quick in Los Angeles and has shown an ability to steal games at times with his quick reflexes and solid glove hand. Colorado could have retained him as a complement to Varlamov, but instead went out and acquired Philipp Grubauer to give them a potential long-term option.
Red Wings Seeking To Fill Familiar Roles
According to The Athletic’s Craig Custance, the Detroit Red Wings have special interest in four unrestricted free agents: goaltender Robin Lehner, center Valtteri Filppula, winger Thomas Vanek, and defenseman Mike Green. What all four of these players have in common is that the Red Wings have a very specific role in mind for each player. Detroit is seeking to replace, or in some case retain, players who had success in a certain organizational role.
Lehner, 26, appears to be a priority for the Red Wings. The former Buffalo Sabres starter reportedly visited Detroit today to meet with the Red Wings’ front office and coaching staff. Custance points out that Lehner is still young enough that he could get his game back on track and step into the starter role if and when 34-year-old Jimmy Howard leaves when his contract expires after next season. This was the exact role that the team had planned for Petr Mrazek, ironically the other big-name non-qualified goaltender. Mrazek was ahead of schedule and took Howard’s job for much of 2015-16 and 2016-17, but a drop-off in his performance eventually ran him out of town. The Wings seem to now see Lehner as a second chance at their plan, replacing Mrazek in hopes of landing a young heir apparent behind Howard.
Filppula is a name that Red Wings’ fans are familiar with. The veteran pivot was drafted by the team back in 2002 and spent eight seasons in Detroit. Who better than a wise, capable long-time Red Wing to replace a wise, capable long-time Red Wing? Custance writes that Detroit is worried that injuries may keep Henrik Zetterberg from returning this season and pursuing Fippula gives them a back-up option if their seasoned leader isn’t around. Both players are versatile, two-way centermen who can help the team in many ways. Even if Zetterberg is healthy, Filppula’s return to Detroit could help to groom some of their younger talent.
Vanek and Green are interesting targets in that the Red Wings want them back to avoid having to find another way to replace them. Vanek scored 38 points in 48 games with Detroit in 2016-17, but was traded to the Florida Panthers at the deadline. Almost immediately it was rumored that the Red Wings hoped to bring him back as a free agent. Instead, Vanek signed with the Vancouver Canucks and again was a deadline acquisition, this time by the Columbus Blue Jackets. While Vanek registered 56 points in 80 games, Detroit struggled to make up his production. They are now back in the running for his services this off-season in hopes that he can again provide a spark on offense. They are also trying to avoid losing Green and, like Vanek, immediately regretting the loss due to a difficulty in replacing his ability. Green is the lone high-end offensive defenseman on the free agent market and Detroit is far from the only team in the running. Custance reports that they are willing to match salary, but won’t seem to budge on a maximum two-year term. If the Red Wings were to lose Green to free agency, they would surely have a hard time making up his 30+ points and more than 22 minutes of ice time per game over the past two seasons.
The Red Wings have not been a strong team for the past few years, but there have been some facets of their game play that have worked out well. Detroit is hoping to continue, replace, or revive those successful pieces in hopes of finally returning to a complete, competitive team. Are Lehner, Filppula, Vanek, and Green the right moves? Or should the Red Wings forget about past successes and move on to a new, younger strategy?
List Of Potential Destinations For Carter Hutton Cut To Six
Among this year’s free agent goaltending crop, Carter Hutton stands out as a name that could potentially take over a starting role. The 32-year old is coming off an incredible season with the St. Louis Blues, and had been reportedly in talks with as many as eight teams on the first day of the free agent negotiating period. Now, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that group is down to just six teams.
LeBrun adds that even those six are broken into two tiers, depending on whether or not they’ll give Hutton a chance to fight for the starting role. The teams he’s sure of are the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders. All four are unsurprising contenders, as they all are dealing with uncertain goaltending situations as they head into next season. Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) also links the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings to Hutton, and adds that the Blues expressed interest in retaining him at the end of the year.
Hutton registered a .931 save percentage this season in 32 appearances, and continued to show why he’s considered one of the best backups in the league. His career save percentage is now up to .915, and he carries a 63-39-17 record. It’s hard to imagine a team giving him a big money, long-term contract, but it’s clear that he deserves more than the $1.125MM he’s averaged over the last two seasons.
In Buffalo, Carolina and New York he’d likely be given a chance to be a starting goaltender, as Linus Ullmark, Scott Darling and Thomas Greiss haven’t yet proven they can handle the full load. In Chicago, where Corey Crawford’s health is still up in the air, they need to find an option they can rely on. Any interest from Boston and Detroit would likely be as a backup for Tuukka Rask or Jimmy Howard, though each have shown some inconsistency in the past. Howard is also on the final year of his current contract, meaning Detroit will need someone to step in should he head to another team next summer.
Detroit Red Wings Sign Tyler Bertuzzi, Martin Frk
The Detroit Red Wings weren’t going to give Martin Frk a qualifying offer, but it won’t matter now. The team announced they have agreed on new contracts for both Frk and Tyler Bertuzzi, inking the former to a one-year deal worth $1.05MM and the latter to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.4MM. Detroit was trying to avoid going to arbitration with Frk, at which point he could have ended up with a larger cap hit than they were willing to pay.
Bertuzzi especially is expected to be a part of the Red Wings future, after registering 24 points in 48 games this season. The 23-year old forward will be a useful player for the team as they try to turn things around, and now will receive a contract that indicates his full-time role with the club. A second-round pick in 2013, he’s developed into a bang-and-crash winger that can contribute offensively while providing a physical presence in the corners. Whether the remains on the first powerplay unit now that the team is bringing in more talent like Filip Zadina and Michael Rasmussen is yet to be decided.
Speaking of the powerplay, that appears to be Frk’s best role for the club though it’s not clear how he fits. The 24-year old had 25 points this season, including nine on the powerplay where his hard one-timer is a lethal weapon. That weapon sometimes is uncontrollable, but still could develop into a reliable option for the Red Wings to use. With a left-handed shot like Zadina coming in, the Red Wings will be able to create plenty of danger with the man advantage.
The Red Wings still have some big names like Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou left to deal with among their restricted free agents, but have nearly $23MM in cap room heading into next season. That’s something they haven’t had for some time, and makes them a dangerous option in the market this summer. Though the team has struggled since some of their legendary players left the team, it might not be such a long wait to see the Red Wings back in a playoff hunt. They had an excellent draft this weekend and have 11 picks next year.
Arizona Coyotes Acquire Robbie Russo
Late last night, after all the commotion died down around Washington re-signing star defenseman John Carlson to an eight-year, $64MM contract, the Detroit Red Wings quietly made a trade. The Red Wings sent minor league defenseman Robbie Russo to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2019. Russo, along with Xavier Ouellet who is expected to be bought out, ran out of time to impress the Detroit staff and was taking up a valuable roster spot.
Russo, 25, played well in the minor leagues once again for the Grand Rapids Griffins, but wasn’t given a chance at the NHL level. The smooth skating defenseman has never been very well regarded in the defensive zone, but has produced so well at the other end of the rink it’s not surprising a team like Arizona would give him a shot. He’s currently on the last season of a two-year two-way contract, and at the very least he’ll add another weapon to the Tucson Roadrunners.
It doesn’t seem likely that the Coyotes will have much of a need for Russo in the NHL, and if he doesn’t play in another 61 games this season he’ll be eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency next summer. That seems like the most likely scenario, which may be what the conditions on the draft pick are tied to.
Xavier Ouellet Expected To Be Bought Out
Earlier this month we heard that the Detroit Red Wings were actively shopping defenseman Xavier Ouellet, but now as we close in on free agency it seems they’ve come to a different decision. Darren Dreger of TSN reports that the Red Wings will place Ouellet on waivers for the purpose of a buyout. Ouellet has one year remaining on his contract and carries a $1.25MM cap hit. Since he’s still just 24 though, a buyout would only pay him 1/3rd of his remaining salary, meaning the Red Wings would incur the following cap charges:
- 2018-19: $166,667
- 2019-29: $216,667
They would also save over $860K in real salary, while burying Ouellet in the minor leagues would leave them with a $225K cap charge this season and force them to pay all $1.3MM in salary. Though it was clear that the Red Wings didn’t see a future for Ouellet in Detroit, buyouts for players this young are fairly rare. The 2011 second-round pick hasn’t found a full-time role with the team and with several even younger prospects ready to push for jobs this season there is no longer any room.
The Red Wings had an outstanding weekend, snatching up Filip Zadina after he fell a few spots and collecting Joe Veleno at the end of the first round. Those two were paired with a few other excellent prospects at the start of the second, making quite an impressive haul for the team in this year’s draft. Detroit is in the middle of a rebuild as they try to get out from under some of the bad contracts given out during their playoff run, and are building quite the prospect pipeline in a short amount of time. Defensemen like Dennis Cholowski and Filip Hronek will be competing for roles in the NHL before long, while Zadina could jump into the league right away.
For Ouellet, it’s unclear where his market will land after this buyout. Not many 24-year old defensemen get an opportunity at free agency, but there obviously wasn’t a huge trade market or the Red Wings would have used that instead of resorting to a buyout. He may have to accept a two-way contract and prove himself in training camp, or else try to fight back up from the minor leagues at some point. Regardless, this is hardly the end of his professional career.