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Detroit Red Wings Sign Tyler Motte

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The Detroit Red Wings have signed forward Tyler Motte to a one-year deal worth $800K. The 29-year-old spent last year with the Tampa Bay Lightning, tallying six goals and three assists in 69 regular season games and a single goal in five playoff games.

The journeyman will join his seventh NHL organization and continues to find work in the league despite being a light scorer and undersized. A fourth-round pick in 2013, Motte has just 49 career goals and 41 assists in 400 NHL games.  His best offensive season came in 2022-23 when he split time between the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers, Motte finished the year with eight goals and 11 assists in 62 games.

Signing with Detroit marks a homecoming for Motte as he is from St. Clair, Michigan and he played his college hockey with the University of Michigan. Motte spent three years in the NCAA with Michigan and had an offensive breakthrough during the 2015-16 season, posting 32 goals and 24 assists in 38 NCAA games.

Motte’s one-year deal marks his third straight trip through unrestricted free agency that has resulted in a one-year deal as last summer he signed a matching one-year $800K with Tampa Bay, while in September of 2022, he signed a one-year $1.35MM with the Ottawa Senators. Motte will be a free agent once again next summer.

Minor Free Agent Signings: Atlantic Division

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With over 180 deals signed during the first day of free agency yesterday, some smaller names may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Here’s a list of names that have inked two-way deals with Atlantic Division clubs since the market opened yesterday, per CapFriendly. Some of these may have been included in our main coverage yesterday, while others went under the radar. All contracts carry the league-minimum $775K cap hit unless stated otherwise). Those listed here are likely to begin 2024-25 with each team’s AHL affiliate.

Boston Bruins

F Cole Koepke (one year)
D Jordan Oesterle (two years)
D Billy Sweezey (two years)
F Riley Tufte (one year)
F Jeffrey Viel (one year)

Buffalo Sabres

F Joshua Dunne (two years)
F Mason Jobst (one year)
F Brett Murray (one year)
D Jack Rathbone (one year)
G Felix Sandström (one year)

Detroit Red Wings

F Sheldon Dries (two years)
F Joe Snively (one year)

Florida Panthers

F Rasmus Asplund (one year)

Montreal Canadiens

none

Ottawa Senators

D Jeremy Davies (one year)
F Hayden Hodgson (one year)
F Garrett Pilon (two years)
D Filip Roos (one year)

Tampa Bay Lightning

D Derrick Pouliot (one year)
D Steven Santini (one year)
F Jesse Ylönen (one year)

Toronto Maple Leafs

none

Red Wings Sign Jack Campbell, Re-Sign Fischer

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Jack Campbell didn’t have to wait long for a new home after getting bought out by the Oilers. The netminder has agreed to a one-year deal with the Red Wings worth $775K, per a team announcement. In addition to adding to their goaltending depth, the team has re-signed forward Christian Fischer to a one-year, $1.125MM contract according to a team announcement.

Unless another move is made in the upcoming days, the Red Wings appear to have a bloated goaltending situation. The team was already positioned to start the season with Ville Husso and Alex Lyon as the goaltending combo but brought in two more goaltenders on NHL contracts as the organization’s most significant moves of the afternoon. The moves appear in stark contrast to the words used by General Manager Steve Yzerman only a few days ago when he said, “I don’t see us really doing three goaltenders throughout the course of the season. That wasn’t really the plan last year either, but injury kind of dictated that. Having said that, I don’t anticipate using prime assets to acquire an older goaltender that might not be here two, three, four years from now“.

If Yzerman plans to use that as a framework for his goaltending position at the AHL level; Campbell, Husso, and prospect Sebastian Cossa will likely start the 2024-25 season as the team’s trio of netminders in AHL Grand Rapids. Even on a league minimum salary, Campbell’s .886 SV% and 3.53 GA over his last 40 starts in the regular season have not earned a spot on an NHL roster.

Outside of the additions in the net, the Red Wings bring back an energizer bunny in Fischer on a modest one-year pact. The former second-round pick suited up in 79 games for Detroit last season while scoring five goals and 19 points. Fischer also led all Red Wings’ forwards in hits with 138 body checks on the year.

Red Wings To Sign Erik Gustafsson, Sheldon Dries

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The Red Wings have inked defenseman Erik Gustafsson to a two-year contract worth $2MM per season, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. They’ve also signed minor league forward Sheldon Dries to a two-year, two-way deal worth $775K NHL/$475K AHL with $525K guaranteed each year, per PuckPedia.

In the organization’s response to losing out on Shayne Gostisbehere, Gustafsson represents a similar style of play. For the first time since the start of the 2020-21 NHL season, Gustafsson will earn more than an $825K AAV. The puck-moving defenseman should find a home on the Red Wings’ powerplay after collecting 60 assists in his last 146 games split between the Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers.

Gustafsson’s role in Detroit should be fairly flexible but he may find a home next to young Red Wings’ defenseman Moritz Seider. Seider has demonstrated a solid ability to shut down the opposing team’s top lines over the last three years and may represent a perfect option next to the offense-first defenseman. Gustafsson should also lift Detroit’s struggling possession numbers from last season as he’s averaged a 55.9% CorsiFor% over eight years in the NHL.

Dries, the Macomb, MI native returns home after spending multiple years in the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks organizations. Playing the entire 2023-24 season for AHL Abbotsford, Dries was one of the best forwards in the AHL as he scored 29 goals and 52 points in 55 games. He should be viewed as a big boost to a Grand Rapids Griffins team that is looking to contend after several years of mediocrity.

Red Wings Sign Cam Talbot, William Lagesson

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Darren Dreger of TSN reports the Detroit Red Wings have signed goaltender Cam Talbot to a two-year, $5MM contract. Additionally, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff the Red Wings have also signed defenseman William Lagesson to a one-year contract paying him the league minimum of $775K.

Throughout the 2023-24 NHL season, the Red Wings used four different goaltenders as the team posted a .897 save percentage and a 3.33 GA/G. Hoping to rectify some of the inconsistency in the net, Detroit landed Talbot on a two-year deal after an impressive season with the Los Angeles Kings.

Playing on another one-year contract, Talbot posted a 27-20-6 record in 52 starts and a solid .913 save percentage behind a solid Kings’ defense. With one of the main criticisms behind the Red Wings’ poor goals-against being their defense, it will be interesting to see how Talbot can perform behind a less capable defensive structure. Additionally, if netminder Ville Husso can remain healthy for the 2024-25 season, head coach Derek Lalonde will get crafty in his decision-making to spread out the available starts.

Lagesson comes to the Motor City after a disappointing season split between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks. Likely destined for AHL Grand Rapids, the former fourth-round pick is coming off a season in which he scored only four assists in 40 games while averaging almost 15 minutes of ice time per game. Lagesson has value as a physical defenseman but shouldn’t factor in too much at the NHL level in a crowded Detroit blue line.

Free Agent Rumors: Stamkos, Bennett, Verhaeghe, Stolarz, Ekman-Larsson, Grzelcyk, Martinez

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The Devils are in the market for a top-six forward today, and they may end up as one of the finalists for Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, per ESPN’s Kevin Weekes.

They’ll be one of many teams making Stamkos’ agent’s phone ring off the hook today. TSN’s Bob McKenzie also expects the Ducks, Hurricanes, Predators and Red Wings to make aggressive pushes for the future Hall-of-Fame forward.

A return to Tampa Bay is extremely unlikely for Stamkos, whose 555 career goals and 1,082 games played have all come in a Lightning uniform. They weren’t close to an extension as of last weekend, and their signing of top UFA left winger Jake Guentzel to a seven-year, $63MM deal this morning has all but completely boxed him out.

More from around the Eastern Conference amid an already busy morning:

  • The Panthers are working hard on extensions for forwards Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe as they become eligible to sign at 11 a.m. CT today, sources tell David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. They’ve already gotten one big piece of business done today by keeping Sam Reinhart away from the open market on an eight-year, $69MM deal, but Bennett and Verhaeghe are two crucial pieces of their top-six forward group that remain unsigned past next season. It’s unclear what these deals may look like, but Reinhart taking a considerable discount on market value to remain in South Florida is surely a good indicator that Panthers GM Bill Zito can get them locked into deals that won’t break the bank.
  • TSN’s Darren Dreger adds the Panthers are also trying to re-sign UFA netminder Anthony Stolarz, but they have some competition. The Blackhawks and Maple Leafs are also in the mix for the veteran’s services. While a career backup, he’s one of the best options on the market in a UFA class devoid of starters. He was electric when used in Florida last year, posting a .925 SV% and 2.03 GAA in 27 appearances.
  • After making Chris Tanev’s six-year deal official, expect the Leafs to add another veteran blue liner in Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Dreger says. OEL is coming off a Stanley Cup win in Florida after putting up 32 points in 80 regular-season games, averaging 18:24 per night. He’d likely anchor a third pairing in Toronto on the left side behind Morgan Rielly and Jake McCabe.
  • The Penguins are among the teams linked to defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, The Athletic’s Josh Yohe reports. Grzelcyk is likely on his way out of Boston after spending the entirety of his eight-year, 445-game career there. He had 11 points and a +13 rating in 63 games last season while logging 17:36 per night.
  • Alec Martinez could continue his NHL career with the Blackhawks on a one-year deal, per TSN’s Bob McKenzie. The three-time Cup winner fell down the Golden Knights’ depth chart last year, limited to 55 games due to injuries and healthy scratches. He still managed 17 points, though, his most offense in three years, but had a -2 rating while averaging 19:03 per game.

Red Wings Re-Sign Patrick Kane

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The Detroit Red Wings are keeping their key midseason acquisition in the fold.  The team announced that they’ve re-signed veteran forward Patrick Kane to a one-year contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed by the team but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the deal carries a base salary of $4MM and could cost as much as $6.5MM if his bonuses are all met.  The structure of the deal is as follows:

$4MM base salary
$1.5MM at 10 games played
$250K at 60 games played
$500K if his team makes the playoffs
$250K if he records 60 points and his team makes the playoffs

Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that the deal also contains a full no-trade clause.

Earlier today, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reported increasing potential for a Kane extension in Detroit while noting that the Montreal Canadiens were prepared to take a run at him if he eventually made it to the open market. Instead, Based on the report from Friedman, Kane will extend his time in Motown for the time being.

After making a return from offseason hip resurfacing surgery, Kane had plenty of suitors as he made his way through the courting process. The veteran talent ultimately landed with the Red Wings on a one-year, $2.75MM contract while reuniting with his former teammate, Alex DeBrincat. Not only did Kane prove he could still be serviceable to any team around the league, but he showed that he could still be a legitimate top-six talent.

In 50 games for Detroit after signing the one-year agreement, Kane would score 20 goals and 47 points while aiding the Red Wings on one of their first playoff hunts in the last several years. Unfortunately, Kane and the team would fall short after losing the tiebreaker in the Eastern Conference wild-card race to the Washington Capitals in the final game of the regular season. With the Red Wings squarely aiming for a playoff berth during the 2024-25 NHL season — Kane appears ready to help with that pursuit.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman first reported that a deal was expected to get done.  Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic first reported the one-year agreement.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Marty Pavelich Passes Away At Age 96

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Former Detroit Red Wings winger Marty Pavelich has passed away at the age of 96. Pavelich was the oldest living player to play 100 career games or more in the NHL.

Pavelich was built through the Red Wings system. He began his career with Detroit’s juniors team, the Galt Red Wings, in 1946, where he played alongside future Hall-of-Fame goalie Terry Sawchuk. Pavelich’s strong juniors season earned him a call-up to Detroit’s minor-league affiliate, the Indianapolis Capitals, in the following season – a move he quickly vindicated by earning a full-time NHL role. Pavelich posted four goals and 12 points in 41 games as a rookie but quickly followed it with 26 points in 60 games as a sophomore. More importantly, Pavelich showed signs of strong grit. It was enough to inspire then-head coach Tommy Ivan to build a checking line around the forward that supported Detroit’s stars, serving as a big factor in the team’s run to the Stanley Cup in 1950.

That was the first of four Stanley Cups that Pavelich won with the Red Wings – having also joined the team for their wins in 1952, 1954, and 1955. Detroit boasted a fantastic lineup through it all, spearheaded by Sawchuk, Ted Lindsay, Dutch Reibel, and Gordie Howe. Pavelich certainly wasn’t on the height of his Hall of Fame teammates, but he knew the work he had to put in to make up for it. Even at the age of 96, he told the Detroit Free Press, “I may not have been the most talented member of those teams, but you were never going to outwork me.”

Patrick Kane Prefers To Stay In Eastern Conference

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  • If Patrick Kane moves on from the Red Wings next week, don’t expect him to travel very far. LeBrun reports the future Hall-of-Famer’s preference is to stick in the Eastern Conference as he signs what could be the final contract of his career.

Red Wings Have Reportedly Discussed John Gibson With Ducks

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Former Jennings Trophy winner John Gibson has been in trade talks on an annual basis for the past few summers, but the years-long saga may finally reach its conclusion in the coming days. The Ducks are ramping up their efforts to move the 30-year-old and have engaged in talks with the Red Wings and another unnamed team, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports. Detroit is the first team to be firmly connected to Gibson this summer after Anaheim general manager Pat Verbeek acknowledged he was still drawing interest.

Gibson’s 2023-24 season was the worst of his career, continuing a long run of below-average play behind the rest of the Ducks’ rebuilding roster. He made 44 starts and two relief appearances without being significantly hampered by injuries, posting a .888 SV% and allowing 21.2 goals above average, per Hockey Reference.

He’s still carried the reputation of being one of the best up-and-coming netminders in the league in the mid-2010s, and there are many out there who believe he can get back to that level of play. Playing behind one of the most porous defenses in the league over the past five years certainly hasn’t helped his numbers. Even when accounting for the level of quality chances he’s faced, though, the stats aren’t promising. He hasn’t saved more goals than expected since the 2018-19 campaign, according to data from MoneyPuck.

For Anaheim, he’s been made expendable by the emergence of 24-year-old Lukáš Dostál. The 2018 third-round pick outplayed Gibson by every metric this season, posting a .902 SV% and 3.33 GAA with one shutout while making 38 starts and six relief appearances. He allowed 5.3 goals above expected compared to Gibson’s 9.6 over similar workloads, per MoneyPuck.

It’s not like Gibson would be arriving to a team known for its defensive responsibility in Detroit, either. While they had a competitive roster, losing out on their first playoff appearance since 2016 thanks to a regulation win tiebreaker with the Capitals, they were one of the worst teams in the league at controlling play at 5-on-5. They controlled only 46.5% of shot attempts, 45.2% of scoring chances and 43.0% of high-danger chances, according to Hockey Reference.

Goaltending is an area of need for the Wings, though. While Trey Augustine and Sebastian Cossa are both promising prospects long-term, they lack stability at the position entering next season. Gibson would give them a more established name to compete for starts with Ville Husso and Alex Lyon, who are both entering the final season of their contracts. But based on this year’s results, he wouldn’t be a significant upgrade. Lyon was quite serviceable, especially for his $900K cap hit, giving Detroit a solid .904 SV% through 44 appearances.

Any team acquiring Gibson is banking on a return to his 2015-2019 form, but he’ll likely need a strong defensive environment in front of him to make that a reality. If Detroit is intent on making a change to their crease next season, one of the less-established but lower-risk netminders available in free agency is a better bet. For a team on the cusp of playoff contention, adding three years of an uncertain Gibson at a $6.4MM cap hit is questionable.

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