The Detroit Red Wings opened up unrestricted free agency by bringing back on of their own. Days after not tendering a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Carter Mazur, Detroit inked the 24-year-old winger to a two-year contract that carries a cap hit of $875,000 per year.
Mazur logged eight of his nine career NHL games for the Red Wings last season. Though he has yet to record a point in the NHL, he has been quite productive when he has been on the ice in Grand Rapids. In 102 career AHL games, the physical forward recorded 74 points on 39 goals and 35 assists.
A third-round pick (70th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft, injuries have hindered Mazur’s progress throughout his professional development. After skating in 60 games for the Griffins (with 17 goals, 20 assists and 37 points) during his first professional season in 2023-24, Mazur played just 36 AHL games over the past two seasons. That said, he has posted 31 points in those outings. He made his NHL debut on March 6, 2025, but suffered a season-ending elbow injury on his second shift of the game.
Mazur brings an element of physicality to the lineup and is projected to compete for a regular lineup spot in Detroit’s bottom six. Prior to joining the Griffins, Mazur enjoyed two stellar collegiate seasons at the University of Denver, putting up 36 goals and 75 points in 81 games and winning a national championship in 2022.
Despite enduring yet another injury riddled season in 2025-26, Mazur scored 11 goals and 16 points in 16 games for the Griffins and netted five more goals in eight playoff games.
With Mazur’s signing, the Red Wings have 13 forwards under contract and a shade over $28 million in cap space. Detroit has been busy since around the draft, mostly making moves with prospects hitting restricted free agency as the team traded former draft pick Amadeus Lombardi to the New Jersey Devils the day before the draft and then dealt former first-round goaltender Sebastian Cossa to Utah for a first-round pick the team used to take JP Hurlbert 23rd overall.
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