Red Wings Sign Cam Talbot, William Lagesson
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
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
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
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
- 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
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.
Red Wings Still In Talks With Shayne Gostisbehere
- The Red Wings are still trying to retain defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere before he becomes a UFA on Monday, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported yesterday. Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman was aggressive in clearing cap space yesterday, acquiring a second-round pick as part of a prospect swap with the Predators that he immediately flipped to the Sharks along with defenseman Jake Walman, who was signed to a rather fair $3.4MM cap hit for the next two seasons. Gostisbehere was their top puck-moving and power-play option last year as Moritz Seider was given increased defensive responsibilities, recording 10 goals and 56 points in 81 games.
Red Wings Among Teams Expected To Show Interest In Jake Guentzel
Winger Jake Guentzel is set to be one of the top players in this year’s UFA class. The Hurricanes haven’t given up on trying to re-sign the veteran, per The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta (Twitter link) who adds that the Kings and Red Wings are among the teams that are expected to show interest should the 29-year-old make it to the open market. Guentzel split the season between Pittsburgh and Carolina, who made him their big addition at the trade deadline. He’s coming off his third-straight 30-goal campaign and has averaged over a point per game in four of the last five years. Guentzel also had a good playoff showing, notching nine points in 11 contests, and is just below a point per game for his postseason career. That certainly has him well-positioned to earn a significant raise on the $6MM he has been making since 2019-20.
Sharks Acquire Jake Walman
The Sharks have acquired defenseman Jake Walman from the Red Wings and the Lightning’s second-round pick in this week’s draft (53rd overall). Detroit will receive nothing in return aside from future considerations, signaling this as a cap dump for a bigger move from general manager Steve Yzerman.
The Red Wings acquired the second-round pick they’re sending to San Jose in a trade with the Predators earlier today, in which they swapped defense prospect Andrew Gibson for the signing rights to winger Jesse Kiiskinen.
Unlike most deals involving future considerations, this swap doesn’t involve a decidedly overpriced contract. Walman, who’s broken out as a serviceable top-four defender since arriving in Detroit in 2022, costs $3.4MM against the cap through 2025-26. That’s about what his market value would be if he were to reach free agency this summer, if not under it.
That makes this arguably the best trade in general manager Mike Grier‘s tenure at the helm of the Sharks, purely from a value standpoint. Walman will immediately challenge Mario Ferraro for top-pairing minutes in the Bay Area, although he hasn’t been much of a special teams option in Detroit. He averaged just under 20 minutes per game the past two seasons despite spending most of his time on their first pairing alongside Moritz Seider.
Injuries limited Walman to 63 games this season, but they didn’t stop him from recording a career-high 12 goals and 21 points. He and Seider had some of the most difficult minutes in the league, though, which correspondingly tanked his possession numbers. After controlling 50.1% of shot attempts and 54.8% of expected goals when on the ice at even strength in 2022-23, Walman controlled only 45.3% of shot attempts and 41% of expected goals this year, per Hockey Reference.
The 28-year-old Walman adds some much-needed depth to a paper-thin San Jose blue line that got even thinner yesterday with the news that they won’t be qualifying power-play specialist Calen Addison. He’s the sixth Sharks defenseman signed to a one-way deal next season, joining Ferraro, Kyle Burroughs, Nikolai Knyzhov, Jan Rutta and Marc-Édouard Vlasic. Ty Emberson and Henry Thrun are pending RFAs but are expected back in the picture next season.
The Wings do increase their projected cap space next season to $32.77MM with the move, but they lose a quality minute-munching piece of their roster in the process. After remaining in the playoff race until the final days of the regular season, it’s clear Yzerman is moving money around to add impact pieces this summer to push them over the hump. He’s also gearing up to offer rich extensions to Seider and Lucas Raymond, both of whom are slated to become RFAs next week.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Red Wings Trade Andrew Gibson To Predators
The Red Wings have sent defense prospect Andrew Gibson to the Predators in exchange for the signing rights to right winger Jesse Kiiskinen and a second-round pick (53rd overall) in this week’s draft, according to a team announcement. Both players were selected by their respective clubs less than one year ago in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Gibson, 19, spent this season on loan to his junior team, the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. There, he scored 12 goals and 32 assists for 44 points in 68 games with a +36 rating, all of which were significant steps forward from last season.
It’s rare to see teams move on from prospects this early in their development, especially after going so far as to sign them to an entry-level contract. Detroit inked the Ontario native to his ELC less than two months ago. But the 6’3″ right-shot defender risked being lost in the shuffle behind a deep group of up-and-coming defensemen in Hockeytown that includes 2021 sixth-overall pick Simon Edvinsson, Swedish compatriots Albert Johansson and William Wallinder, as well as 2023 first-rounder Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Despite being an early second-round choice last year at 42nd overall, he was already becoming expendable in Detroit’s prospect pool.
He’ll be a good fit in a Preds system that lacks any real impact prospects on the back end. In fact, Gibson immediately becomes the second-highest-drafted defender in Nashville’s pool, trailing 2023 first-round choice Tanner Molendyk.
In return, Detroit picks up Kiiskinen, who helps add depth to a thinning pool of wing prospects. Selected 26 picks after Gibson last year, the skilled Finn spent most of last season in the top-level Liiga with Pelicans, where he had four goals and six assists for 10 points in 38 games. When he wasn’t logging minutes in the pros, he was beyond electric when on assignment to their U-20 club, where he had 14 goals and 21 points in only eight games.
He has not yet signed his entry-level deal, which the Wings must do before June 1, 2027, to avoid losing his signing rights. Kiiskinen will turn 19 in August and is expected to remain in Finland next season, albeit with a new team. He transferred to HPK last month, signing a two-year deal.
With Kiiskinen being the slightly lower-valued prospect, Detroit recoups a second-round pick that nearly splits the difference between the two players’ draft spots. As it stands, it’s their second pick of the second round – they still have their own pick – and brings their total number of selections later this week to nine.