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Arbitration Breakdown: Jakub Vrana

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While most of the players who had early arbitration dates have settled in recent days, that hasn’t been the case yet for the Red Wings and Jakub Vrana.  They have until the start of the hearing on Wednesday to reach an agreement; once the hearing starts, they will have to go through the process and wait for the award.

Filings

Team: $3.65MM
Player: $5.7MM
Midpoint: $4.675MM

(via Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)

The Numbers

It was a tale of two seasons for Vrana.  He spent the majority of the year with Washington and while his numbers weren’t underwhelming with them, he did take a step back from his career-best 52 points in 2019-20.  But his fortunes changed upon being traded to Detroit.  The 25-year-old took off, notching eight goals and three assists in 11 games and in the process, brought his per-game averages close to what they were the year before.  Overall, the platform year was decent.

Of course, 11 games is a particularly small sample size which adds a wrinkle to these talks.  Vrana logged considerably more minutes with the Red Wings than he ever had a chance to with the Capitals but it’s hard to make any substantive conclusions based on his performance over the span of a few weeks when they were playing out the stretch.

Vrana’s track record isn’t the deepest either as only his last three seasons have yielded above-average production and two of those came in shortened years.  While that shouldn’t hurt him much in a hearing, it’s worth noting that over his five-year career, he has played in fewer than 300 regular season contests which is a bit on the low side for a fifth-year player in the top six.

2020-21 Stats: 50 GP, 19-17-36, +10 rating, 10 PIMS, 100 shots, 15:00 ATOI
Career Stats: 295 GP, 84-84-168, +37 rating, 69 PIMS, 613 shots, 13:49 ATOI

Potential Comparables

Comparable contracts are restricted to those signed within restricted free agency which means UFA deals and entry-level pacts are ineligible to be used.  The contracts below fit within those parameters.  Player salaries (or current-year equivalents) also fall within the parameters of the submitted numbers by both sides.  Career stats listed are as of the time of signing.

Oliver Bjorkstrand (Blue Jackets) – Similar to Vrana, Bjorkstrand signed his contract after three seasons of top-six performance with a limited track record before that.  The situation is a little different in that Bjorkstrand’s platform year was by far his best.  That likely sets this one at the high end of what Vrana could realistically command in a hearing.

Contract (2021): Five years, $5.4MM AAV, 6.63 CH%
Platform Stats: 49 GP, 21-15-36, +8 rating, 12 PIMS, 162 shots, 17:56 ATOI
Career Stats: 246 GP, 65-68-133, +30 rating, 35 PIMS, 566 shots, 14:28 ATOI

Boone Jenner (Blue Jackets) – Now let’s look at the other end of the spectrum.  While Jenner has settled into more of a checking role in recent years, his current four-year deal was signed post-bridge like Vrana is currently in.  In terms of a role, both players were in and out of the middle six at times and the career point totals are similar although Vrana has played fewer games.  This choice was a guess at what comparable Detroit was using for their number.

Contract (2018): Four years, $3.75MM AAV, 4.72 CH%
Platform Stats: 75 GP, 13-19-32, +1 rating, 39 PIMS, 187 shots, 16:28 ATOI
Career Stats: 342 GP, 86-75-161, +1 rating, 225 PIMS, 833 shots, 16:01 ATOI

Conor Garland (Canucks) – Let’s look at a recent deal handed out to a top-six winger post-bridge deal.  Garland doesn’t have close to as long of a track record as Vrana but their production over the past two seasons is fairly close and the fact the platforms are directly comparable certainly helps.  Recent performance counts for a lot in this process so this is one that Vrana’s camp will want to use.

Contract (2021): Five years, $4.95MM AAV, 6.07 CH%
Platform Stats: 49 GP, 12-27-39, -3 rating, 26 PIMS, 135 shots, 17:55 ATOI
Career Stats: 164 GP, 47-49-96, -1 rating, 58 PIMS, 411 shots, 14:53 ATOI

Kevin Labanc (Sharks) – One year after signing a highly team-friendly deal, Labanc inked a four-year deal that raised some eyebrows but there are some comparables here.  The roles were largely the same (mostly top six but dropped down at times), three years of top-six production, and a contract signed post-bridge.

Contract (2020): Four years, $4.725MM AAV, 5.80 CH%
Platform Stats: 70 GP, 14-19-33, -33 rating, 38 PIMS, 176 shots, 16:04 ATOI
Career Stats: 284 GP, 50-99-149, -31 rating, 128 PIMS, 532 shots, 14:33 ATOI

Elias Lindholm (Flames) – While it took Lindholm a bit of time to become a legitimate top-six piece, the Flames signed him after acquiring him from Carolina to this current deal (one that has worked out quite well so far).  Vrana’s best statistical seasons were better than Lindholm’s but the latter had the longer track record.

Contract (2018): Six years, $4.85MM AAV, 6.10 CH%
Platform Stats: 81 GP, 16-28-44, -8 rating, 18 PIMS, 153 shots, 17:54 ATOI
Career Stats: 374 GP, 64-124-188, -70 rating, 76 PIMS, 720 shots, 17:09 ATOI

Projection

Worth noting is that Detroit gets to elect the term of the contract since Vrana was the one to file.  With the winger being two years from UFA eligibility, it stands to reason that the Red Wings will elect the one-year term while Vrana’s camp likely filed a two-year proposal.

The comparable contracts seem to be more in Vrana’s favor with the deals hovering around the $5MM and 6.0 CH% range.  That should be the point where a long-term checks in which would put it a little below the $5.7MM AAV (6.99 CH%) of the player he was traded for in Anthony Mantha.  I’d peg a long-term deal that buys out at least two UFA years a little above Garland’s deal which would put the AAV around $5.05MM (6.2 CH%) and a little above the midpoint of the two filings.  If they wind up settling for a one-year pact that would keep Vrana RFA-eligible next summer, that could move the needle a little below the midpoint in the $4.6MM range.  Either way, he’s looking at a nice raise for next season compared to the $3MM salary he had in 2020-21.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Chase Pearson

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The Detroit Red Wings have signed Chase Pearson to a one-year contract, keeping the young restricted free agent in the organization. Pearson was actually eligible for salary arbitration this summer, but was not among the 17 players who filed a few days ago. The financial details of the contract have not yet been released.

Pearson, 23, was a fifth-round pick of the Red Wings in 2015, and played three seasons at the University of Maine before turning pro. In his two-plus years with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL, Pearson has recorded 46 points in 97 games. That includes a very strong 2020-21 campaign, where Pearson was one of the most reliable players on the squad, scoring 22 points in 28 games.

Without an NHL appearance to his name, Pearson will have to continue to work hard in the minor leagues and wait for his opportunity with the Red Wings. It’s hard to ask for a better situation if you want to prove yourself, as Detroit will likely be testing minor league talent at the NHL level all season long. Given the fact that he’s still waiver-exempt, Pearson could get a chance as an injury replacement this season, bouncing up and down between the two levels without being at risk.

Red Wings Intend To Use Luke Witkowski On Both Defense And The Wing

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  • The Red Wings will use veteran Luke Witkowski on both the wing and on defense with AHL Grand Rapids, GM Steve Yzerman told reporters (video link). The veteran, who primarily plays on the back end, has played both positions over the last few seasons and had a sparing role with AHL Syracuse in 2020-21 but should be called upon to play more regularly next season.

Red Wings Re-Sign Tyler Bertuzzi

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The Red Wings have taken care of one of their top restricted free agents, announcing that they’ve signed winger Tyler Bertuzzi to a two-year contract.  PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that the deal carries a $4.75MM AAV and will pay him $4.25MM next season and $5.25MM in 2022-23.

The 26-year-old was limited to just nine games last season due to a back injury that required surgery at the end of April.  Bertuzzi was still productive in his short stint, however, as he still notched five goals and two assists in those contests.  Prior to 2020-21, he had two straight seasons of 21 goals and had established himself as an important part of their top line.

Despite the limited action, Bertuzzi still landed a nice raise on the $3.5MM salary he made last season.  Part of the reason for that is that the contract buys out his first year of UFA eligibility while also covering his final year of arbitration eligibility.  It’s a deal that doesn’t carry much risk for either side as it’s a short-term commitment for Detroit while allowing Bertuzzi a couple of seasons to show he can stay healthy and that the back injury is behind him before entering the UFA market at the age of 28.

GM Steve Yzerman still has plenty of work to do with his restricted free agents as defenseman Filip Hronek plus wingers Adam Erne and Jakub Vrana are still in need of new contracts.  Hronek isn’t arbitration-eligible but has been a consistent point producer over his three NHL seasons, Erne is coming off a career-high in goals with 11, and Vrana made an immediate impact after being acquired at the trade deadline and will be eligible for arbitration for the first time after scoring 68 goals over the past three seasons.

Detroit Red Wings Acquire Mitchell Stephens

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have traded away one of their young depth players, sending Mitchell Stephens to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2022 sixth-round pick.

With the signing of Alex Barre-Boulet, the Lightning were inching closer to the 50-contract limit with a few more restricted free agents left to deal with. Given that Stephens wasn’t likely to get much playing time now that Barre-Boulet and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare are under contract, a trade to his old manager in Detroit makes sense. It was Yzerman controlling the Lightning when Stephens was selected 33rd overall in 2015.

Now 24, Stephens was a semi-regular presence in the Lightning lineup in 2019-20, playing 38 games during the regular season. He also suited up for seven postseason games, coming in and out of the lineup whenever necessary. He even played 24 minutes in the epic five-overtime game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, a career-high that will likely go unbroken for a while.

The benefit here for Stephens is obvious. He goes from an organization that is loaded with players like him, fighting for ice time, to one that needs all the NHL talent it can get. The young forward will have a chance to really establish himself in Detroit as they slowly rebuild through the draft. A player like Stephens is worth that sixth-round pick for Yzerman, even if all he gets is a couple of seasons while the rebuild continues. The Red Wings have plenty of picks to spare, and Stephens already has several years of minor league development invested in him.

Detroit Red Wings Bring Back Dan Renouf

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The Detroit Red Wings have brought a former prospect back into the organization. They announced the signing of defenseman Dan Renouf today to a one-year contract. PuckPedia reports it’s a two-way deal, carrying an $850,000 cap hit with a $325,000 salary at the minor level and $375,000 guaranteed.

Renouf re-joins his first NHL organization, having signed with the Red Wings as an undrafted free agent in 2015-16 after ending his college career at the University of Maine. Renouf’s since spent time with both the Carolina and Colorado organizations, including a career-high 18-game stint last season with the Avs.

With only 19 games of NHL experience in total, Renouf brings limited NHL upside. However, he adds depth to Detroit’s minor-league defense corps in Grand Rapids and proved this season with Colorado that he can be trusted as an injury replacement. It’s fair value for Renouf, who will probably see NHL action at some point this season.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Pius Suter

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After the surprise of not being extended a qualifying offer from the Chicago Blackhawks, Pius Suter has found a home with their historical arch-rivals. The Detroit Red Wings have announced a two-year contract for Suter, who recorded 27 points in 55 games as a rookie this season. Suter will earn $6.5MM total over the two years, his agent reveals on Twitter.

Suter, 25, made quite the impact as a rookie in Chicago, scoring 14 goals and 27 points in 55 games. He received a huge opportunity when Jonathan Toews missed the season due to illness and Kirby Dach was out with a broken wrist, playing way more than anyone ever expected. Those 14 points earned him some Calder Trophy votes and could have landed Suiter a substantial contract through arbitration. Instead, he’ll get a hefty deal from Detroit, where he could reunite with a couple of old junior teammates.

The Swiss forward went undrafted and spent five years in the NLA, but before that he played two seasons in the OHL with the Guelph Storm. The top line on that 2014 Storm team that won the OHL championship? Suter between Robby Fabbri and Tyler Bertuzzi, who both happen to be in the Red Wings organization and could even potentially be a line this season. Bertuzzi of course is a restricted free agent and has been involved in trade rumors over the summer, but GM Steve Yzerman did say recently that they hope to keep him if possible.

Suter will be an unrestricted free agent again when this contract expires, and there’s certainly plenty of minutes up for grabs in Detroit. He’ll have a chance to really establish himself as a premiere UFA option if he can improve on that rookie season and post three straight quality campaigns.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Jordan Oesterle

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The Detroit Red Wings have agreed to terms with veteran defenseman Jordan Oesterle on a two-year contract. The deal carries an average annual value of $1.35MM according to Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider.

Someone has to play defense for the Red Wings this season, so why shouldn’t it be the 29-year-old Oesterle. An undrafted college signing out of Western Michigan University in 2014, the left-shot defenseman has carved out quite a nice NHL career for himself. Starting with the Edmonton Oilers with stops in Chicago and Arizona, Oesterle has suited up for more than 250 games at the highest level.

He’s not a difference-maker, and has just 65 points in his career, but can at the very least handle bottom-pairing minutes on a team that is just trying to install some structure as it builds up from the bottom. On a two-year deal, his role is likely safe even next season when Nick Leddy, Danny DeKeyser, Mar Staal and Troy Stecher will all be scheduled for unrestricted free agency. The fact that Oesterle can play both sides will come in handy as players move in and out of the rebuilding roster.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Ryan Murphy To One-Year Deal

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The Detroit Red Wings announced today that they’ve signed defender Ryan Murphy to a one-year contract. The financial details have yet to be released.

Murphy, 28, is an interesting story. The 12th overall pick in 2011, he never reached the expectations many had for him a decade ago, but he also didn’t ever flame out of professional hockey. Instead, he has just continually signed NHL contracts, bouncing up and down between the minor leagues and filling in whenever needed. The majority of his games played game early in his career, but he was still playing in the NHL as recently as 2018-19.

Then, in 2019, he decided to head to the KHL, where he scored 23 points in 56 games. That seemed to get his offensive game right back on track, as he returned this year and led all AHL defensemen in scoring with 27 points in 37 games for the Henderson Silver Knights. That earned him the Eddie Shore Award as the best defenseman in the AHL and a place on the Pacific Division All-Star team.

With 175 NHL games over his career, he’ll join the Red Wings depth chart and could add to that total. He’s still just 28 and could get another opportunity to show what he can do, especially if the team moves some of their veteran options at the trade deadline. Even if he doesn’t, he’ll likely give the Grand Rapids Griffins an All-Star performance, helping develop some of the organization’s young prospects.

Red Wings Re-Sign Sam Gagner And Calvin Pickard

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The Red Wings are bringing back a pair of veterans, announcing (Twitter links) that they’ve re-signed Sam Gagner and Calvin Pickard to one-year contracts.  PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that Gagner’s deal is for $850K.

The 31-year-old Gagner was acquired by Detroit back at the 2019 trade deadline for salary matching purposes in the trade that brought Andreas Athanasiou to Edmonton.  He did well enough in his brief stint with the Red Wings to earn a one-year deal last summer, albeit at a significant pay cut as he went from a $3.15MM AAV to just $850K in the process.  He played in 42 games with Detroit last season, notching seven goals and eight assists and should once again fill a depth role.

As for Pickard, he spent most of the year on Detroit’s taxi squad as their third-string option.  He wound up getting in just six games with the Red Wings, posting a 3.16 GAA with a .874 SV% while suiting up only three times with AHL Grand Rapids.  He’ll be expected to play much more with the Griffins next season with Alex Nedeljkovic and Thomas Greiss comprising Detroit’s goaltending tandem with the 29-year-old Pickard serving as veteran depth once again.

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