Three Players the Detroit Red Wings could add in Free Agency
By Bob Heyrman
The Detroit Red Wings opened free agency with three quiet, low key signings. Steve Yzerman is filling roster spots with players who can play, yet won’t be around once the organization turns the corner. First, a look at what the team has accomplished thus far, then a look at three more players they could target.
First, the Detroit Red Wings brought in goaltender Calvin Pickard who they say will challenge Jonathan Bernier for Jimmy Howard‘s primary back-up role. The truth is Pickard is anything but proven at the NHL level; he will undoubtedly find himself in Grand Rapids playing alongside the franchises’ top goaltending prospect Filip Larsson.
Larsson at the moment is expected to be the goaltender of the future for the Detroit Red Wings; he’s the highest touted netminder the organization has seen since Petr Mrazek. Yes, Petr Mrazek was expected to take the reins from Jimmy Howard by now, but things didn’t work out for him in Detroit. He needed a change of scenery; it did him a world of good last year playing with the energetic Carolina Hurricanes.
The Detroit Red Wings decided to add an old friend. Forward Valtteri Filppula signed a two-year deal that pays him an average annual salary of $3-million per season. Filppula is a reliable, veteran center that can play special teams along with providing stability down the middle on the second or third line depending on where they decide to play Frans Nielsen. The signing will also allow Andreas Athanasiou to move back to the wing. He seemed to play a bit more comfortable on the wing, and it masks his defensive woes.
The third signing Steve Yzerman made was defenseman Patrik Nemeth; a tough third pairing defender that spend time with the Dallas Stars early on during his career. He played his last two seasons as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. Nemeth is nothing more than a depth defenseman who is a viable penalty killer. Although he won’t turn any heads, he’s still much more reliable than Jonathan Ericsson.
Recently, Yzerman mentioned he has a couple of open roster spots remaining. He mentioned he’d be open to adding another defenseman, but he could simply be waiting to hear if Niklas Kronwall decides to play one more season or retire before adding another.
He also mentioned he’d like to add another winger to compete for a roster spot with the current players available. The free agent winger would likely be competing with Evgeny Svechnikov, Filip Zadina and Michael Rasmussen (who is Grand Rapids eligible now).
Note: The Wings won’t add all three but they should entertain adding one of the following;