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Red Wings: 3 Bad Contracts That Will Haunt Detroit

By John Manzo |
PLYMOUTH, MI - FEBRUARY 15: Detroit Red Wings, Steve Yzerman, Kris Draper and Dan Cleary watch the game action between Sweden and Finland from a suite during the 2018 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament game at USA Hockey Arena (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
PLYMOUTH, MI - FEBRUARY 15: Detroit Red Wings, Steve Yzerman, Kris Draper and Dan Cleary watch the game action between Sweden and Finland from a suite during the 2018 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament game at USA Hockey Arena (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
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Former general manager Ken Holland isn’t signing players for the Detroit Red Wings, but the team still feels the effects of these three bad contracts.

The Detroit Red Wings “paid the price” and now they’re “paying the price.”

Former general manager Ken Holland is long gone from the city of Detroit. In fact, according to Google Maps, he’s approximately 1,942 miles away in his new home of Edmonton.

But despite being in a different country and two time zones away, Holland’s fingerprints are all over this Red Wings roster, obviously.

As Monday’s trade deadline approaches, let’s take a look at the three worst contracts on the roster (not named Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen) that will be IMPOSSIBLE to move and leave general manager Steve Yzerman wondering, “what was Kenny thinking?”

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Before Dekeyser’s season ended Oct. 22 due to a back injury, he was decently effective. In eight games this season he had four assists and would easily be a top-line defender on this team.

The 2020-2021 season should see Dekeyser back manning the Red Wings blue line, but with that cap hit of $5M, and him being under contract through the 2021-22 season, this isn’t a deal aiding the rebuild.

BUFFALO, NY – FEBRUARY 11: Frans Nielsen #81 of the Detroit Red Wings looks for the puck during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on February 11, 2020 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY – FEBRUARY 11: Frans Nielsen #81 of the Detroit Red Wings looks for the puck during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on February 11, 2020 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) /

Another three-year contract, this one coming in a little higher at a $5.25M cap hit. Frans Nielsen’s atrocious contract comes in at No. 2 largely because the forward is 35 years old (vs. 29 for Dekeyser). Time isn’t on Nielsen’s side and it’s showing.

Since signing with the Red Wings in 2016, Nielsen’s goal totals have dropped from 17 to 16 to 10 to just three this season. Add in the fact that he’s an alternate captain and you have to scratch your head at the length of this one given his age.

Good thing he’s a free agent in, 2022-23, ugh…

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 06: Justin Abdelkader #8 of the Detroit Red Wings takes a second period penalty for roughing Brendan Lemieux #48 of the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on November 06, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 06: Justin Abdelkader #8 of the Detroit Red Wings takes a second period penalty for roughing Brendan Lemieux #48 of the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on November 06, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

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If you couldn’t guess this one, you’re not a Red Wings fan. Justin Abdelkader is making an absurd $4.25M per year for, wait for it, FOUR MORE YEARS.

Currently this season, Detroit is paying Abdelkader $1.46M per point and he’s yet to score a goal despite playing first and second line minutes earlier in the year.

You can’t trade Abdelkader unless you attach a high-end draft pick to a deal – and in a rebuild that’s even worse.

Abdelkader on the roster as the team continues to struggle will be an eye sore and reminder of bad contract after bad contract Holland dished out in the final few years of his Red Wings tenure.

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