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

Before the 2014-15 season, the Detroit Red Wings signed defenseman Jonathan Ericsson to a six-year, $25.5 million contract.

One of the defensemen who has overstayed his welcome and should head back home to Sweden is Jonathan Ericsson. Former GM Holland signed the (then) thirty-year-old defenseman to a six-year deal that had him earning $4.25 million on a yearly basis.

Now thirty-six years old, Ericsson is almost invisible on the scoresheet and even saw a demotion to the American Hockey League (AHL) Grand Rapids Griffins. The $25.5 million contract was quite the stretch for a defenseman who rarely finds the scoresheet and is bottom pairing, physical defender.

Ericsson would only play in eighteen total National Hockey League (NHL) games, not registering a single point on the season, posting a minus-twelve rating. Thankfully for the Red Wings, Ericsson’s contract will expire this summer, and he will be free to go, but he is an example of how Holland’s contracts contributed to the payroll during the 2019-20 season.

Ericsson spent thirteen years in the NHL, playing all thirteen with the Red Wings, but he has since proven that his time is about done. The Red Wings new regime needs to recognize this and steer clear from Ericsson or signing players like him to extensions that are going to leave the team shelling out way too much money in the end.

An example of this would be signing defenseman Patrik Nemeth to a long term extension and paying him anything more than the $3 million he is making right now. Hopefully, Yzerman sees the situation the team was in this season and will learn from the mistakes of Holland.