Detroit Red Wings: Ben Chiarot contract might bite back over time

The Detroit Red Wings signed Ben Chiarot before the 2022-23 season. It was part of their efforts to bring in some pieces that would make this team start moving in the right direction. Ultimately, it was a good off-season and worked out well for the Red Wings in the long run, looking at last year’s performance.

But things might get tricky, considering some of the moves made ahead of the 2022-23 season. The Detroit Red Wings signing Chiarot to that 4-year, $19 million contract could carry some real weight down the line.

It’s not as bad as some of the Red Wings contracts that were thrown around from the end of the Ken Holland era, but this one might bite back as the years go by. It’s a contract that the Red Wings might wish they had back.

Maybe it’s not the case, as there is hope for the Red Wings to be a more physical team and play that gritty style of game as needed. Chiarot, for what it is worth, plays with that defensive mindset and can get a little gritty & aggressive as needed.

Detroit Red Wings may get hurt by Ben Chiarot’s contract.

The Red Wings had brought in Chiarot, a left-handed shooting defender, to play alongside Moritz Seider, a right-handed shooting defender. The hope was that the two defensively apt players would mesh well, and Seider could learn a thing or two along the way.

That pairing would not even last the whole year. Seider found his defense partner in Jake Walman, who was promptly given a well-deserved contract extension to keep him around the defense core. But, for Chiarot, he’s left relegated to the second or third pairing to play alongside Olli Määttä or possibly Simon Edvinsson.

There’s even been the talk of moving Chiarot to his off-hand as he can play both sides, though it will be interesting to see what off-season moves are in store that could possibly bring in some more shake-up.

But, for Chiarot, the $4.75 million AAV is not my favorite number in the world for a player who could be relegated to a third-pairing defender role by the end of 2023-24. In his first season in Detroit, Chiarot played in 76 games, scoring five goals and adding 14 assists for 19 total points.

Again, he’s a defensively-minded player, so no one is expecting Adam Fox or Cale Makar-type numbers from him. But the fact that he may be kicked to the third pairing in the long run just worries me.

It’s not the worst contract in the world, and plenty of teams are dealing with worse, but it’s one of those deals that the Red Wings may wish they could have back down the line.