Detroit Red Wings: 5 Free Agents They Should Go After

Mar 21, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Vancouver Canucks center Shawn Matthias (27) rounds the goal in front of Los Angeles Kings center Brayden McNabb (back) and Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) during the first period at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Shawn Matthias
Age: 27
Position: LW
Previous team: Vancouver Canucks

Shawn Matthias is a player that I would hope the Red Wings look into that actually isn’t as physical as the others on this list. While yes I said finding a player who can hit others into the ground was a need, sometimes you have to settle for the next best and that is what Matthias is. He is a great two-way player that can also be a fantastic penalty killer. He has spent the last two years playing for the Vancouver Canucks and before that was a Florida Panther.

The interesting thing about Matthias is he at one time was a Red Wings prospect. The Red Wings were the team that draft him in the 2006 NHL entry draft in the 2nd round. At one time this team thought he was worth a shot. Now that he is a free agent, maybe they need to take another shot at him now that he has spent some time in the NHL. He collected 27 points last season with 18 goals and 9 assists and was a minus 3 player, yet that was on a less than stellar Canucks team, it would be interesting to see what he could do on an actually good team.

The only down side with him is that he isn’t physical in his play, but maybe that can be taught? It is only a thought. He just seems like he is too good of a player to just skip over for missing one thing.

Next: Carl Soderberg