The Detroit Red Wings have infused their blueline with a measure of old-school grit.
On Friday, the club announced the signing of veteran defenseman Travis Hamonic to a one-year, $1 million contract.
Hamonic’s name may not ignite excitement across the broader hockey landscape, yet his résumé speaks to durability and experience. Approaching his 35th birthday, he has logged 15 NHL seasons, spending the last three-plus campaigns with the Ottawa Senators.
In 2024–25, he appeared in 59 games, contributing seven points while excelling in a less glamorous but essential capacity—killing penalties. While Hamonic is no Cale Makar, his skill set addresses an area in which Detroit struggled mightily last season, and his addition represents a practical, targeted upgrade.
Originally selected in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders, Hamonic has also spent time with the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks. In Detroit, he is expected to contend for ice time on the third pairing, with the team likely to carry eight defensemen.
His arrival, however, all but precludes the possibility of Axel Sandin-Pellikka breaking camp with the NHL roster. While the Red Wings’ 2023 first-round selection is widely regarded as a supremely gifted puck-mover, organizational consensus holds that he is not yet prepared for the physical demands of the league.
Standing at 5-foot-11 and weighing 176 pounds, Sandin-Pellikka remains undersized for the role, requiring additional physical development and refinement before making the transition to the sport’s highest level.
A Good Leader
In an era where physicality has receded from the NHL’s mainstream, few defensemen embody the old-school ethos quite like Hamonic. Long respected across the league and in his own dressing rooms,
Hamonic has built a reputation for stepping in—gloves off—when the moment demands it, often in defense of teammates. While the risks of fighting are well-documented, his willingness to engage in the sport’s grittier traditions resonates with younger players and earns the confidence of his coaches.
For Todd McLellan, a bench boss steeped in hockey’s more traditional values, Hamonic offers both a protective presence and a standard-bearer for a largely youthful core. For Detroit, the signing is quietly shrewd—one that should play well with a fan base that still prizes toughness as much as talent.
Hamonic’s arrival further deepens Detroit’s right-shot defensive corps, joining Moritz Seider, Justin Holl, and Jacob Bernard-Docker, while the left flank—anchored by Ben Chiarot, Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson, and Erik Gustafsson—offers flexibility in Johansson and Holl’s ability to shift sides, a versatility underscored by Johansson’s effective pairing with Edvinsson last season.
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