Detroit Red Wings: Three of the worst signings still affecting the team today

The Detroit Red Wings have made some excellent signings over the years, but what about the bad signings? Take a look at the worst signings still affecting the team today.

The Detroit Red Wings brought in new General Manager (GM) Steve Yzerman around this time last Spring, but the remnants of former GM Ken Holland remain. This April Fools Day, take a look at some contracts that were signed that fooled the Red Wings, and because of that, the team is still being affected.

These contracts were all signed, pre-Yzerplan, and are the doing of Ken Holland. However, there are plenty of deals that could be included in this grouping of terrible contracts, The three settled on, exemplify the worst that are still affecting the organization today.

The season is on pause and most likely over for the Red Wings even if hockey is picked back up eventually. Now is the perfect time to take a look at the remnants of Holland’s time here in Hockeytown.

Some of the players on the roster that are still under contract are the doing of Holland like Trevor Daley or Frans Nielsen. The Red Wings have plenty of cap room and cap space for the next couple of seasons (as of now), but some of the contracts left over are going to eat cap room with horrible players.

The issue with these contracts with players who are costing way too much is that they eat up spots for the young players in the minor leagues. For example, dead spots in the lineup like Justin Abdelkader, Darren Helm, and Nielsen, are taking away places from youngsters like Michael Rasmussen and Joe Veleno.

If the Red Wings former GM did a better job dishing out some of the money, the Red Wings would not have this issue. Instead, the team gets to watch players like Abdelkader and Nielsen for at least a couple more seasons.

The way things stand, the aftermath of Holland’s worst deals will still be on the payroll for the next three seasons at the minimum. That being said, take a look at three of the worst signings that are still playing a part in the t Red Wings payroll.

Two of the three players are current and long time Detroit Red Wings who have overstayed their welcome; one is a former Detroit Red Wings forward who ended up having his career shortened due to injuries.