At long, long last, we have an update on the Simon Edvinsson front.
J.P. Barry, agent to Detroit Red Wings restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson, shared an update on contract talks with Expressen today.
"We were spoken to today," reads the rough translation. "He [interim GM Shawn Horcoff] now has the authority to negotiate on behalf of the club."
Barry (and Expressen, at large) believe Edvinsson's contract will land somewhere in the $7-9 million per year range.
Edvinsson, who planned on arriving at training camp without a contract, is now set to sign his long-awaited extension with the Red Wings.
"We have two weeks before the preseason starts, so hopefully we can find an agreement before then."
Red Wings need to act quickly on Edvinsson deal
Hearing that talks are underway is a huge sigh of relief for all parties involved. Without a deal in place, Edvinsson would have been ineligible to participate in preseason or regular season games. He's had to wait all offseason to sign his extension and, despite offer sheet rumbles, chose to ride it out with the Red Wings. That alone should speak to Edvinsson's loyalty and focus on winning with the Red Wings as opposed to seeking out a big payday.
“I just want to be ready for the season,” Edvinsson said.
That said, the Red Wings need to act on this as quickly as possible. They've already missed a key deadline with his contract extension, and any further delays could slow his approach to the upcoming season.
When Andreas Athanasiou went through a prolonged contract negotiation way back in the day, his return to the Red Wings was slow and sluggish. In an ideal world, the Red Wings get this business sorted out as quickly as possible in order to prevent slow starts.
Edvinsson's projected numbers are optimistic
Depending on the length and term of the contract, it sounds like Edvinsson could land somewhere in the $7-9M range, according to his agent. This, of course, would be a massive relief for the Red Wings, who have had to watch in horror as players like Zeev Buium sign massive, costly extensions with much less experience than Edvinsson.
But salary isn't the only sign of optimism for the defender. A full year alongside Moritz Seider should further cement the pairing as one of the elite defensive duos in the NHL. Before his injury, Edvinsson looked on the cusp of a breakout campaign. In 72 games with the Red Wings, Edvinsson put up nine goals and 25 points. He finished the season second in team goals among defensemen, just one behind Moritz Seider's 10.
This should be an exciting year for Edvinsson, who has a bright future ahead of him wearing the Winged Wheel.
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