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Detroit Red Wings Sign Filip Zadina

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The Red Wings have taken care of their last remaining restricted free agent, signing winger Filip Zadina to a three-year contract. Per the team announcement, the contract carries a $1.825MM cap hit. Zadina will be a restricted free agent once again when the deal expires.

The narrative around Zadina’s career thus far has largely been centered around how he’s failed to live up to the lofty expectations that were placed on him as a prospect. Drafted sixth overall at the 2018 draft, many outlets had Zadina ranked even higher, with quite a few considering him the best prospect outside of the clearly-defined top two players, Rasmus Dahlin and Andrei Svechnikov.

Zadina was coming off of a monster draft year in the QMJHL, a season where he torched junior defenses to the tune of 44 goals and 82 points in 57 games. After he was drafted, the Red Wings made the somewhat unconventional choice to send him to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids rather than send him for another year of junior hockey. At the AHL level, Zadina impressed, scoring 16 goals and 35 points in 59 games.

Zadina scored well at the AHL level the next season, with 16 points in 21 games, but at the NHL level offensive success has eluded him. The talent is there with Zadina, he has a good shot, and he can generate some scoring chances from the wing. But the consistency NHL coaches expect on a night-to-night basis has been missing. While Zadina’s defensive issues would not be cause for issue at lower levels, at the NHL level his inability to round out his two-way game has cost him opportunities to play higher in the lineup and with more talented linemates.

If Zadina can learn to rely less on a perimeter-style offensive game and improve his two-way hockey, he can quickly make this three-year contract extension look very wise on the part of Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman. But the quality of play he’s put forth so far in the NHL has been so underwhelming that there’s a legitimate chance that he does not finish this contract in Detroit.

The Red Wings have made significant additions this offseason with the idea of moving back into the hunt for a playoff spot. With Jakub Vrana finally healthy, David Perron and Dominik Kubalik now in the fold, and a new coach to prove himself to, it’s possible that Zadina will need to play better than he ever has before in order to get prime offensive opportunities in this new-look Red Wings squad. If nothing else, his leash will likely be shorter than it has ever been before in his NHL career.

This contract gives Zadina some runway to determine who he wants to be in the NHL. Does he want to take full advantage of his tools and become an impact scorer, or does he want to remain mired in the issues that have plagued him so far as an NHLer? That’s a question only Zadina can decide, and with this contract, he’ll now have the opportunity to answer it.

Picture courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Simon Edvinsson To Play In WJC Quarterfinal

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  • After missing Monday’s preliminary round game at the World Juniors, Sweden head coach Tomas Monten told NHL.com’s Mike Morreale (Twitter link) that blueliner Simon Edvinsson is expected to play in Wednesday’s quarterfinal matchup against Latvia. The Red Wings prospect didn’t suit up last game due to an illness.  Edvinsson has a goal and an assist in three games so far while averaging a team-high 22:13 per contest.

Simon Edvinsson Focused On WJC, Ready For Red Wings Training Camp

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With this year’s unusual August World Juniors, it’s not a surprise to see some of the biggest prospects skip the tournament in order to prepare for upcoming NHL training camps, and potentially NHL seasons. Still, not all have done that and a few players who are likely to play in the league next year, have opted to represent their country in the tournament. Among them are Mason McTavish, Kent Johnson, and Simon Edvinsson. The sixth-overall selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft to the Detroit Red Wings, Edvinsson has hopes, and a real chance, to make Detroit’s opening night roster after signing his entry-level contract back in April.

Considering the likelihood that Edvinsson will not only be at Red Wings training camp in a few short weeks but also be expected to play a full season, his first, in Hockey Town, it’s interesting to see him join Sweden at the tournament. However, as Edvinsson told Steven Ellis of The Hockey News, “I talked to Detroit about it, we had a conversation, and everything went good. I’m focused on this tournament now and after that, I’ll go back to Detroit…I’m hungry for (training camp), but right now we need to win this.” It’s not surprising to learn Edvinsson consulted the Red Wings about his decision to play, but the defenseman’s winning attitude, sacrificing himself and elongating a very important season for the sake of winning is surely encouraging to Detroit, who are hoping to develop a top pairing defenseman in Edvinsson alongside Calder Trophy winner Moritz Seider.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Jake Walman

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Aug 11: The Red Wings have officially announced the contract, confirming the term and salary.

Aug 10: The arbitration period is over for the 2022 offseason. Jake Walman, who was the final hearing scheduled, has settled his case with the Detroit Red Wings after exchanging figures yesterday. The two sides have agreed to a one-year, one-way, $1.05MM contract according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Walman had filed for $1.75MM, while the Red Wings had filed for a two-way, $775K contract.

It’s now prove-it time for Walman, who was part of the return for Nick Leddy at the trade deadline and has just 76 games under his belt at the NHL level. The 26-year-old suited up 19 times for the Red Wings down the stretch and recorded four points, seeing more ice time than he had ever received in St. Louis.

Whether that opportunity continues remains to be seen, after the Red Wings added several defensemen this offseason, including Ben Chiarot, Olli Maatta, Mark Pysyk, and Steven Kampfer. That’s not even mentioning the young prospects who will soon be pushing for playing time, meaning Walman will have to deliver if he wants to stay in the lineup.

A third-round pick of the Blues in 2014, he notably received time on both the powerplay and penalty kill after arriving in Detroit. As that kind of do-it-all depth option, he could find a nice home on the Red Wings moving forward. This deal will take him right to unrestricted free agency next summer though, meaning he’s playing for his future from the moment training camp starts.

After resolving their arbitration case, the Red Wings will receive a short buyout window later this week.

Zibanejad And Kuznetsov Possible Comparables For Larkin's Next Deal

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After changing agents earlier this offseason, it felt like Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings would be able to work out a long-term contract extension to keep the captain with his hometown team.  However, it has yet to happen so far.  In his latest mailbag for The Athletic (subscription link), Max Bultman tried to peg where a new deal should fall for the 26-year-old, suggesting Mika Zibanejad and Evgeny Kuznetsov as viable comparables.  Those players took up a little more than 10% at the time their deals would sign which would peg Larkin’s price tag around the $8.6MM range.  That would certainly represent a sizable increase on his current $6.1MM AAV and it doesn’t hurt that Larkin is coming off a 69-point season, the second-most of his career.  There’s still plenty of time to get a deal done but it’s a bit surprising that an agreement isn’t yet in place.

Free Agent Profile: Sam Gagner

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The 2007 NHL Draft ended up bringing many superstars into the league, most namely Patrick Kane, Max Pacioretty, P.K. Subban, Ryan McDonagh, and others, but one forgotten name from that class is Sam Gagner. After a 15-year NHL career that’s included 967 games and 505 points, the journeyman forward finds himself without a team for the 2022-23 NHL season.

Gagner never quite reached his sixth-overall billing, hitting the 50-point mark only once, but he’s been nothing if not serviceable depth for a long time in this league. With a bit of a reduced role in Detroit last season, he actually produced his best offensive numbers since the mid-2010s. In a fourth-line role on a rebuilding team, Gagner still managed solid possession results all things considered, and there are certainly worse options to have in the faceoff circle in a pinch. It’s probably not a great bet to expect anything more than 10 goals and 25 points out of him, but on the league-minimum salary that he’ll undoubtedly cost, again, there are worse options.

33 years old now, Gagner presents a case for one of the more dependable, versatile options on the open market for low-risk veteran forwards. Whether anyone actually takes a swing on the former top-ten pick remains to be seen.

Stats

2021-22: 81 GP, 13 G, 18 A, 31 PTS, -4 rating, 32 PIMs, 132 shots, 13:37 ATOI
Career: 967 GP, 184 G, 321 A, 505 PTS, -133 rating, 427 PIMs, 1982 shots, 15:57 ATOI

Potential Suitors

The Winnipeg Jets jump out as a team with playoff aspirations that not only have ample cap space, but a clear roster need for depth forwards as well. While money won’t be a concern with accommodating Gagner, Winnipeg lacks forward depth with NHL experience at the bottom of the lineup. While Gagner may not be able to repeat last year’s production, he’s probably a safer bet to be an everyday NHL player than a player like Kristian Reichel or Morgan Barron.

Another Canadian team in a similar position, although maybe not with as much need, is the Ottawa Senators. Gagner could provide some competition at the bottom of the lineup for players like Parker Kelly, and he’d certainly provide more offensive upside than other veterans in the organization like Scott Sabourin and Jayce Hawryluk.

If Gagner does sign with a new team this offseason, it’ll be his seventh since entering the league.

Contract Projection

A player in Gagner’s position likely wouldn’t earn more than the $750K league minimum on a one-year deal. It’s also entirely possible that Gagner, similarly to players in years past like James Neal, has to settle for a professional tryout contract (PTO) to keep his NHL career (and dream of hitting 1,000 NHL games) alive.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Detroit Red Wings, Jake Walman File Arbitration Figures

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With their hearing set for Thursday, the Detroit Red Wings and Jake Walman have filed arbitration figures. The team is looking for a two-way deal that would pay Walman $775K in the NHL and $225K in the AHL, while Walman has filed for $1.7MM, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Remember, there is almost always a significant gap between the two asks. Unlike some other sports, the neutral arbitrator does not need to pick one side or the other in the hearing, and can instead award a salary somewhere between the two. So far, only Yakov Trenin has seen his arbitration process reach a hearing. The Predators forward received a deal worth $1.7MM, between the team filing of $1.35MM and his own of $2.4.

Unlike in Trenin’s case, when the Predators chose a two-year award, the Red Wings only have the option for a one-year contract with Walman, as he is now 26 and just a year away from unrestricted free agency. He also doesn’t have much of an arbitration case, having played just 76 games in the NHL.

Still, if it gets to a hearing, the two sides will have to stop negotiating. A change in the CBA from 2020 made it so that once a hearing begins, the player is no longer able to agree to another deal. The clock is ticking for Walman and the Red Wings if they want to get a multi-year deal done.

This is the final arbitration case to be heard this summer.

Extra Defensive Depth Could Put Oesterle's Roster Spot In Question

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  • With Detroit adding Ben Chiarot, Olli Maatta, Robert Hagg, and the injured Mark Pysyk this offseason, Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News pegs blueliner Jordan Oesterle as someone whose roster spot for next season could be in question. The 30-year-old played a limited role last season as he had eight points in 45 games while averaging a little over 18 minutes a night.  With a $1.35MM AAV, that’s on the more expensive end for depth defenders although if the Red Wings were to waive him and send him down if he cleared, they’d be able to clear all but $225K off their cap for next season.

Yzerman's Unwillingness To Trade Hronek In Poor Trade Market Kept Them Away From Klingberg

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  • While the Red Wings had the cap space to get involved in the chase for John Klingberg, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press outlines why they didn’t. Such a move would have forced them to trade Filip Hronek and with the trade market being as weak as it is right now, GM Steve Yzerman would have been hard-pressed to get full value in return, even with Hronek being on a team-friendly deal for two more years.  They have over $10MM in cap space, per CapFriendly, and while that amount will go down once Filip Zadina and Jake Walman re-sign, they’re well-positioned financially to try to add someone as the offseason progresses.

Olli Maatta Hoping To Stay With Detroit Beyond His One-Year Deal

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  • Although Olli Maatta signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings, he told reporters including Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press that his intention is to be with Detroit for the long haul. The 27-year-old has seen his value dip in recent years compared to his early seasons with Pittsburgh although he was still able to get $2.25MM from Detroit and a chance at a spot in their top four.  Top prospect Simon Edvinsson might be up with the Red Wings at some point next season so Maatta will have a limited window to show that he’s worthy of that role and a longer-term agreement with Detroit.

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