3 pending UFA forwards the Detroit Red Wings need to re-sign
The Detroit Red Wings have four pending UFA free-agent forwards, three of whom should be re-signed this offseason.
There are a bunch of storylines to hit on with the Detroit Red Wings right in the mix of the postseason race, but looking ahead to the summer is also entertaining. Now, this topic does take into account where the Red Wings currently sit in the standings. Detroit currently controls the second Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference with a 29-20-6 record (64 points). With Detroit firmly in the playoff picture, they'd need a significant collapse over the next couple of weeks for general manager Steve Yzerman to suddenly become a seller ahead of the March 8th trade deadline.
That being said, I wouldn't expect Yzerman to become a large buyer at the deadline, either. The Red Wings have one of the strongest farm systems in the league, so if Yzerman felt comfortable moving a mid-round draft pick over the next couple of seasons to add a player who could help right now, I could see that occurring before he elected to move a prospect who he feels will make an impact in Detroit over the next year or two. The Red Wings could use a defensive defenseman ahead of the deadline if they remain in the hunt. A player like Chris Tanev in Calgary fits the mold.
The Flames are holding out hope for a first-round selection. That's far too steep for the Red Wings, but if they can secure his services for a second-round pick in hopes of extending him, he'd be a nice upgrade to pending free agent Shayne Gostisbhere. With goaltender Ville Husso on the shelf, the Red Wings might find themselves in the market for a goaltender to pair with Alex Lyon down the stretch. This, although a need, seems unrealistic with how many playoff teams are looking for goaltending help; it will only drive the asking price up, which will price the Detroit Red Wings out of things.
All of this deadline talk sort of goes hand in hand with why the Detroit Red Wings need to re-sign a few of their pending unrestricted free agents this summer. The Red Wings are progressing in the right direction, and admittedly so; it's taken Steve Yzerman quite some time to get this team to this point; the needle is clearly pointing upward. It's time the Red Wings look to bring back a select few pending UFAs with hopes of making another playoff run next season.
The Detroit Red Wings need to re-sign Daniel Sprong.
Talk about making the most of your opportunities. Daniel Sprong has totaled 15 goals this season for the Detroit Red Wings, averaging less than 13 minutes of ice time per night. Sprong is a very unique player. He's provided the Red Wings with a rare fourth-line scoring punch off the wing, and he's been interchangeable working on the power play this season. Only three of his goals have come with the man advantage, so he's been widely productive during even strength situations.
Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde recently described Sprong as a unicorn. Lalonde said he hasn't exactly seen a player with this much skill and can cash in his limited opportunities at the rate Sprong has over the past couple of seasons. Lalonde was quick to mention that Sprong will never be up for the Selke, which is awarded to the league's top defensive forward, but his overall offensive skill masks his defensive deficiencies.
Sprong joined the Red Wings this past summer on a one-year deal worth $2 million. Yzerman saw Sprong's productivity last season with the Seattle Kraken, where he notched 21 goals and 46 points over 66 games while averaging just over 11 minutes a night. Sprong has continued that same scoring pace this season and should be someone Yzerman looks to extend following the season.
Earlier this season, I wondered what Sprong's offensive ceiling would/could be if he played top-six minutes. Still, I have realized that his lack of defensive awareness will keep him from playing 17-18 minutes per night, which should keep him fairly affordable. Sprong, 26, has already played with five NHL teams. If Yzerman can bring Sprong back on a two or three-year deal that carries an annual value in the $3 million neighborhood, it seems like a no-brainer.
The Detroit Red Wings need to re-sign Christian Fischer.
I'll be honest; I've wavered back and forth on this one. The wavering has nothing to do with Christian Fischer as a player but more with who he'd be 'blocking' if general manager Steve Yzerman elects to bring the veteran winger back.
Fischer, 26, similar to Sprong, has really found a niche with the Detroit Red Wings this season. Although the former Windsor Spitfire hasn't scored at the rate Yzerman would have hoped he would upon signing him to a one-year deal this past summer, he's helped Detroit in other ways. Fischer earns $1.125 million this season and is coming off a solid 13-goal, 27-point season with Arizona a year ago. Fischer has totaled just two goals and 12 points over 51 games this season. Fischer averaged just under 15 minutes per game last season but is just a touch over 11 minutes this season, primarily skating on Detroit's fourth line.
Fischer has proven to be an effective penalty killer; he's maintained a plus-nine rating this season and is often used as an energy-like player for head coach Derek Lalonde. The 26-year-old forward does bring some bottom-six versatility to Detroit's lineup with his ability to play down the middle as a center or on the wing. Fischer isn't exactly a 'tough' guy, but he isn't afraid to throw his body around. He's an effective forechecker, a nice dump-and-chase player who works the boards well. He's a reliable checking fourth-liner who can chip in with some timely depth scoring, although we haven't seen a ton of that this season.
Lalonde likes Fischer's game and recently mentioned that he's the type of depth player playoff teams need to get over the hump. "He plays an honest game," Lalonde said. "It’s a predictable, north game, simple, and that line is playing off each other well, working off a forecheck, and he’s doing it. He’s been really good. Good on him. "We never won until we had the Gourde, Coleman, Woodrow line," Lalonde said. "That’s just hard to find in today’s NHL. There is some thought of that when we put (Copp's) line together. You want them to check, but you want them to drive a little bit, too."
That line of Copp, Rasmussen, and Fischer has since been dismantled after Detroit's back-to-back losses to Edmonton and Vancouver, but I'd be willing to bet it's not the last we see of that combination.
The Red Wings should consider bringing Fischer back next season if they can secure his services for a similar price. A $1 million fourth-line grinder (with offensive potential) won't break the bank. As I mentioned earlier, the only reason I'd be a bit reluctant is if Fischer was 'blocking' an NHL-ready prospect, whether that is Marco Kasper or Carter Mazur. In my eyes, Mazur seems like the perfect replacement for what the Red Wings will require on the fourth line, and he will have room to develop and grow. Mazur's ceiling is undoubtedly higher than a fourth-line winger, but this would allow the Detroit Red Wings to bring him along slowly.
The Detroit Red Wings need to make re-signing Patrick Kane a priority.
Many questions needed to be answered after the Detroit Red Wings signed future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane. He's answered them all. The main concern about the one-year prorated deal worth $2 million in real money this season would be how Kane's resurfaced hip would respond over the course of the season. Well, the hips have been fine. Kane did miss a couple of weeks due to a lower-body injury just before the All-Star break, but that injury, thankfully, had nothing to do with the hip.
Kane looks like his old self with the Red Wings. He's displayed elite vision and playmaking ability, plus he's always a threat to score while he's on the ice. Kane is a threat at even strength, but he's worth his weight in gold while working on the power play. Kane is one of the main reasons the Detroit Red Wings maintain the 11th-best power play (23.3%) in the league.
Kane's 3.2 points per 60 minutes is his best since 2020-21. His Relative Corsi For sits at 2.5 during even strength play, considerably better than his career average of 1.7. Kane averages nearly 18 minutes per night, usually playing on Detroit's top line. Kane has recorded nine goals and 23 points over 24 games this season. The players admire him, a three-time Stanley Cup winner who brings a winning pedigree to this young Red Wing team. I struggle knowing how much Yzerman could potentially receive in return for Kane ahead of the trade deadline. Still, I feel as though if he's willing to remain in Detroit for the next couple of seasons, his on and off-the-ice impact may actually benefit the organization as much or more than what they'd get in return for his services. Also, it goes without saying that Kane chose to join the Red Wings when he could have signed with just about any Stanley Cup contender. If he's enjoying his time in Detroit and the organization's overall direction, I could certainly see a reunion this summer.
The Red Wings have a robust prospect pool, and at some point, you need to surround those young players with proven leaders who have been through those seven-game playoff series. You can't go into the playoffs with a bunch of inexperienced 'kids' and hope to win a Stanley Cup. The right chemistry needs to be in place, and a player like Kane, someone Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat, and Moritz Seider can lean on when the going gets tough, is also essential. It's similar to why Yzerman initially brought in David Perron and, more recently, J.T. Compher.
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