Red Wings Sign Darren Helm to Four-Year Contract

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they have re-signed center Darren Helm to a four-year contract extension worth $8.5 million.  The deal will pay him $2.125 million per season.  He would have been a restricted free agent on July 1.  In 68 games this past season with the Red Wings, he had nine goals and 17 assists for 26 points.  This is a great move for the Red Wings, as Helm has developed into an excellent two-way forward.  He is an excellent skater and one of the fastest players in the league, works very hard on the ice, and is great on the penalty kill.  Look for Helm's two-way game to continue to flourish in Detroit over the next four years.

Sharks Acquire Brad Stuart from Red Wings

The San Jose Sharks have announced that they have acquired defenseman Brad Stuart from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for center Andrew Murray and a conditional seventh round pick in the 2014 Entry Draft.  The Sharks now have exclusive negotiating rights with Stuart until July 1, when he will be eligible for unrestricted free agency.  Detroit will receive San Jose's seventh round pick in 2014 if Stuart signs with the Sharks.  In 81 games last season with the Red Wings, Stuart had six goals and 15 assists for 21 points.  Murray appeared in 39 games with the Sharks, scoring one goal and three assists for four points.  In also played in 10 games with Worcester of the AHL, scoring two goals and one assist for three points.  If the Sharks can get Stuart signed in the off-season, this is a solid move by the club.  There was much speculation that he wanted to play in California next season to be closer to his family, so San Jose may have an excellent shot at re-signing Stuart, who has expressed interest in signing with the club.  He will bring lots of defensive and shutdown skill and veteran depth to the team's blueline if signed.  As for the Red Wings, they weren't going to retain Stuart, so they were wise to add some possible assets instead of losing him for nothing via free agency.  However, the Red Wings are unlikely to sign Murray, who will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and was more than likely was just a "throw-in" player for the deal.  If Detroit were to sign him in the off-season, he would likely spend most of next season in the minors.

Lightning Acquire Mike Commodore from Red Wings

The Tampa Bay Lightning have announced that they have acquired defenseman Mike Commodore from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a conditional seventh round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft. He will be eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer. In 17 games so far this season, he has two assists. For the Red Wings, Commodore wasn't used very much throughout the season and were likely looking to dump a little bit of salary. It's quite possible this move could be the precursor to Detroit making another trade by the 3 PM deadline. As for Tampa Bay, Commodore will fill in a defensive role for the team for the remainder of the season and likely won't figure into their future plans. Bottom line, the Lightning are helping the Red Wings shed some salary.

Red Wings Sign Todd Bertuzzi to Two-Year Extension

The Detroit Red Wings announced on Thursday that they have re-signed right wing Todd Bertuzzi to a two-year contract extension worth $4.15 million. The deal will pay him $1.975 million in 2012-13 and $2.175 million in 2013-14. He would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 54 games so far this season, he has 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points and 54 penalty minutes. Not a bad move for the Red Wings, as Bertuzzi has revitalized his career since signing in Detroit. He still has some offensive ability, plenty of mobility, good size, plays with lots of grit, and is excellent in the shootout. Despite slowing offensively over the past few years, he should still be an excellent fit for Detroit over the next two seasons.

Avalanche Acquire Downie, Red Wings Quincey in Three-Team Trade

The Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Detroit Red Wings participated in a three-team swap on Tuesday, which saw right wing Steve Downie head to the Avalanche and defenseman Kyle Quincey join the Red Wings. The Avalanche acquired Downie from the Lightning in exchange for Quincey and the Lightning then flipped Quincey to the Red Wings for minor league defenseman Sebastien Piche and Detroit's first round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft. All three players will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer. In 56 games so far this season, Downie has 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points and 123 penalty minutes, while Quincey has five goals and 18 assists for 23 points and 60 penalty minutes in 54 games. In 22 games with Grand Rapids of the AHL, Piche has three assists. He has yet to appear in an NHL game. The Avalanche needed a lot more grit up front and Downie will bring that to the team. He also brings some offensive ability to the team and is one of the top agitators in the league, so Western Conference teams will have to deal with his grating style of play for the rest of the season and likely beyond. With the emergence of Tyson Barrie and Stefan Elliott, Quincey became expendable on the blueline. For the Red Wings, they get a player who is familiar with the team's system in Quincey. He will bring some offensive ability and plenty of grit to the blueline as a third pairing defenseman. The Red Wings also look to the future a little bit in this deal, as Quincey could be a potential replacement for Brad Stuart, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Lightning are clearly selling off assets and stockpiling draft picks at this point to retool their team. They get a marginal defensive prospect in Piche, who may or may not figure in to their long term plans. The first round draft pick is the key of this deal for the Lightning, even though it is all but certain to be one of the last ones in that round.

Red Wings Sign Fabian Brunnstrom to One-Year Contract

The Detroit Red Wings announced today that they have signed right wing Fabian Brunnstrom to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay him $600,000 at the NHL level and $105,000 at the AHL level. He had been attending the team's training camp on a tryout basis. In 72 games last season with Texas and Toronto of the AHL, he had 15 goals and 20 assists for 35 points. He last played in the NHL with the Dallas Stars during the 2009-10 season. This isn't a bad depth signing for the Red Wings, as Brunnstrom still has the potential to become a scoring forward in the NHL despite being very inconsistent and having trouble adapting to the North American brand of hockey. For the past several seasons, the Red Wings have been able to help struggling players improve their game, so the team might be able to help Brunnstrom turn his career around. This will likely be his last chance to prove himself at the NHL level, and if he can't find any consistency to his game, Brunnstrom will likely be headed back to Europe next summer.

Red Wings Sign Chris Conner to One-Year Contract

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they have signed right wing Chris Conner to a one-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. In 60 games last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he had seven goals and nine assists for 16 points. He also appeared in 11 games with Wilkes/Barre-Scranton of the AHL, scoring three goals and six assists for nine points. Given the depth already on Detroit's forward lines, Conner will spend the majority of next season in the minors. If he sees any time with the Red Wings, it will likely be as an injury replacement.

Red Wings Sign Garnet Exelby to One-Year Deal

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they have signed defenseman Garnet Exelby to a one-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. In 77 games last season with Rockford of the AHL, he had three goals and 10 assists for 13 points and 128 penalty minutes. In 408 career NHL games with the Atlanta Thrashers and Toronto Maple Leafs, he has seven goals and 43 assists for 50 points and 584 penalty minutes. This is really just a depth signing for the Red Wings, as Exelby will likely spend the majority of next season in the minors, providing lots of grit and toughness to the team's AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. If he sees any NHL action next season, it will likely be in the event of an injury on the Detroit blueline.

Red Wings Sign Ian White to Two-Year Contract

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they have signed defenseman Ian White to a two-year contract worth $5.75 million. The deal will pay him $2.875 million per season. In 78 games last season with the Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, and San Jose Sharks, he had four goals and 22 assists for 26 points. Not a bad signing for the Red Wings, as White will add some offensive skill and puck-moving ability to the blueline, as well as some mobility. He does suffer from inconsistency from time to time, and being bounced between three different teams last season didn't help out his offensive game any. Playing in Detroit will likely help White improve his overall offensive game and consistency.

Red Wings Sign Logan Pyett to One-Year Deal

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they have re-signed defenseman Logan Pyett to a one-year contract. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. In 74 games last season with Grand Rapids of the AHL, he had nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points. He has yet to appear in an NHL game. This is really just a depth signing for the Red Wings, as Pyett will likely spend all of next season in the minors, providing plenty of offensive and puckmoving skill to the blueline in Grand Rapids.

Red Wings Sign Mike Commodore to One-Year Contract

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they have signed defenseman Mike Commodore to a one-year contract worth $1 million. He became an unrestricted free agent on July 1 after the Columbus Blue Jackets bought out the final two years of his contract. In 20 games last season with the Blue Jackets, he had two goals and four assists for six points. He also appeared in 11 games with Springfield of the AHL, scoring two assists. Not a bad depth signing for the Red Wings, as Commodore will add plenty of veteran depth to the blueline. He has good size, plays with lots of grit, and has a little offensive ability. He should be good as a top-four defenseman in Detroit next season.

Red Wings Re-Sign Patrick Eaves and Drew Miller

The Detroit Red Wings retained some offensive depth on the first day of free agency by re-signing right wing Patrick Eaves to a three-year contract worth $3.6 million and left wing Drew Miller to a two-year contract worth $1.65 million. Eaves' contract will average out to $1.2 million per season, while Miller's deal will pay him $825,000 per season. In 63 games last season, Eaves had 13 goals and seven assists for 20 points. He missed three games with an upper-body injury and 10 games with a groin injury. Miller appeared in 67 games last season, scoring 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points. These are decent depth signings for the Red Wings, as both players are very hard-working forwards for the team. Eaves is a good skater, brings plenty of offensive skill to the forward lines, and is versatile enough to play on both wings. Miller brings plenty of defensive skill to the forward lines, as well as a strong work ethic and some skill to the penalty kill. Both players should continue to be good fits in Detroit for the duration of their contracts. Plus, their inexpensive contracts make them very affordable for the Red Wings and are good bargains at their skill levels.

Red Wings Sign Jonathan Ericsson to Three-Year Extension

The Detroit Red Wings announced Thursday evening that they have signed defenseman Jonathan Ericsson to a three-year contract extension worth $9.75 million. The deal will pay him $3.25 million per season. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In 74 games last season, he had three goals and 12 assists for 15 points and 87 penalty minutes. Not a bad depth signing for the Red Wings, as Ericsson brings lots of size and grit to the blueline. He also brings plenty of mobility and some defensive upside to the team. However, the Red Wings definitely overpaid to retain his services, as he still has yet to prove that he is worth this kind of money. With a very limited pool of free agent defensemen to choose from on July 1 and a need for defensive depth with the retirement of Brian Rafalski, it would seem Red Wings' GM Ken Holland offered Ericsson such a hefty contract to keep him from leaving the team via free agency and creating another hole in the team's defense. Ericsson will have to greatly improve his game over the next three years to show that he is worth the $3.25 million per season.

Red Wings Sign Nicklas Lidstrom to One-Year Contract

Nicklas Lidstrom will be returning to the NHL for a 20th season. The Detroit Red Wings announced today that they have signed the 41-year-old star defenseman to a one-year contract worth $6.2 million, the same salary he made last year. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and had been considering retirement. In all 82 games last season, he had 16 goals and 46 assists for 62 points. In 11 playoff games, he added four goals and four assists for eight points. In 1494 career NHL games, all with Detroit, he has 253 goals and 855 assists for 1108 points. Lidstrom has won four Stanley Cups with Detroit (1997, 1998, 2002, 2008), the Norris Trophy six times as the league's top defenseman (2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008), the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP (2002), and an Olympic Gold Medal (2006). He is a finalist for the Norris Trophy, Lady Byng Trophy, and Mark Messier Leadership Award for the 2010-11 season. This is an excellent signing for the Red Wings, as Lidstrom is easily the best defenseman in the league today and one of the greatest defensemen of all time. He is a very intelligent offensive defenseman with an accurate shot who excels in the defensive zone and is excellent on the power play. Lidstrom's return will be welcome news to Red Wings fans who were stunned nearly one month ago when defenseman Brian Rafalski unexpectedly announced his retirement. Now with Lidstrom back in the fold for one more year, expect Detroit to be aggressive in the coming weeks to acquire a standout replacement for Rafalski.

Red Wings Defenseman Brian Rafalski to Retire

According to tsn.ca, sources confirm that 37-year-old Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski is retiring from the NHL with one more year left on his current contract at $6 million. He officially announced his retirement on May 25, 2011. Since Rafalski was not yet 35 when he signed a five-year contract with the Red Wings in 2007, his salary for next season will not count against the team's salary cap. The news comes weeks after 41-year-old Nicklas Lidstrom announced that he will make his decision on retirement by July 1. In 63 games this past season with the Red Wings, Rafalski had four goals and 44 assists for 48 points. In 833 career NHL games with the New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings, he has 79 goals and 436 assists for 515 points. He won the Stanley Cup in 2000 and 2003 as a member of the Devils and in 2008 with the Red Wings. He also won Olympic Silver Medals in 2002 and 2010. This is a huge loss for the Red Wings on the blueline, as Rafalski has lots of offensive skill and has been an excellent power play quarterback for the team. Also, with the possibility of Nicklas Lidstrom retiring this off-season, the Red Wings could have two large holes to fill on defense prior to the start of the 2011-12 season. With the loss of Rafalski, the Red Wings will likely be aggressive in the off-season to acquire a top-pairing defenseman who has some skill on the power play. Also with Rafalski's retirement, I think there is a strong likelihood that Lidstrom will postpone retirement for one more year to help the Red Wings remain competitive on the blueline.

Red Wings Sign Jimmy Howard to Two-Year Contract

The Detroit Red Wings announced today that they have signed goaltender Jimmy Howard to a two-year contract extension worth $4.5 million. The deal averages out to $2.25 million per season. He would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 47 games this season with Detroit, he has a 30-12-3 record, two shutouts, a 2.79 GAA, and a .908 save percentage. This is a good move for the Red Wings, as Howard has become a reliable goaltender for the team over the past two seasons. He brings solid depth in goal and is quick to make saves. However, he does have consistency issues and can let in bad goals from time to time, but is still a very solid goaltender. Plus, his $2.25 million per season is very affordable for his caliber and a very salary cap friendly contract for Detroit.

Red Wings Sign Jan Mursak to Two-Year Deal

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they have signed right wing Jan Mursak to a two-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been eligible for restricted free agency this summer. In 17 games this season with the Red Wings, he has one goal. He has also appeared in 39 games with Grand Rapids of the AHL, scoring 11 goals and 17 assists for 28 points. Not a bad depth signing for Detroit, as Mursak has some offensive potential. He also has some speed and hockey sense, so he will likely land a roster spot with the team over the next two years.

NY Islanders Claim Evgeni Nabokov Off Waivers from Red Wings

The New York Islanders announced today that they have claimed goaltender Evgeni Nabokov off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings. However, according to tsn.ca, Nabokov has decided he will not report to the Islanders, meaning the team will probably suspend him for not reporting and could put him back on waivers. The contract Nabokov signed with the Red Wings includes a no-movement clause and he cannot be put back on waivers without his permission. He became a free agent this past December after being released by SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL. In 22 games with the Russian club, he posted an 8-8-5 record, with a 3.02 GAA and a .888 save percentage. In 71 games last season with the San Jose Sharks, he posted a 44-16-10 record, three shutouts, a 2.43 GAA, and a .922 save percentage. This move comes as no surprise, as it was unlikely Nabokov would clear waivers given his skill level and very affordable salary. He's a good pick-up for the Islanders assuming he will play for the team. If he does, he will provide a lot of stability in net for the Islanders after trading Dwayne Roloson to the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier this month and losing Rick Dipietro to a groin injury. Dipietro, however, is day-to-day and isn't expected to miss a lot of time. If Nabokov hits the waiver wire again, he will likely be claimed. As for Detroit, they will likely continue to rotate Joey MacDonald, Thomas McCollum, or Jordan Pearce as the backup goaltender while Chris Osgood continues to recover from sports hernia surgery. However, with Jimmy Howard's struggles in net over the past two months, I wouldn't rule out the Red Wings possibly making a trade for a backup goaltender between now and the February 28 trade deadline.

Red Wings Sign Evgeni Nabokov to One-Year Contract

The Detroit Red Wings announced today that they have signed goaltender Evgeni Nabokov to a one-year contract worth $570,000. He will have to pass through waivers first before he can join the team. The contract includes a no-movement clause and he cannot be put back on waivers after Friday without his permission. Nabokov was released from SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL last December after signing a four-year contract with the team this past summer. He will be ineligible to play in the AHL this season because of a rule regarding free agents coming from Europe after December 15. In 71 games last season with the San Jose Sharks, he posted a 44-16-10 record, three shutouts, a 2.43 GAA, and a .922 save percentage. In 593 career NHL games, all with the Sharks, he has a 293-178-37 record, 50 shutouts, a 2.39 GAA, and a .912 save percentage. This is a good signing for the Red Wings, as Nabokov will add lots of veteran depth and stability in goal for the team. With Chris Osgood currently sidelined with a hernia and Jimmy Howard struggling a bit in net, Nabokov will be a welcome addition for Detroit. However, in my opinion, it is very unlikely that he will clear waivers by noon tomorrow. There are plenty of playoff-bound teams, such as Washington, Atlanta, Minnesota, Nashville, Colorado, Anaheim, and even San Jose, who could use some help in goal. Also, his contract is very affordable and nearly every team in the NHL would be able to fit it under the salary cap. Plus, teams who don't really need goaltending help could still claim Nabokov off waivers to keep the Red Wings from officially landing him. Sorry Red Wings fans, I don't think you will be seeing Nabokov in Detroit this season.

Lightning Claim Mattias Ritola Off Waivers from Red Wings

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced today that they have claimed left wing Mattias Ritola off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings. In five games last season with the Red Wings, he had no points. He also appeared in 73 games with Grand Rapids of the AHL, scoring 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points. Not a bad pickup for the Lightning, as Ritola has some scoring upside, good playmaking skills, and can play on either wing. It's an unfortunate loss for Detroit, as they didn't have the salary cap space to keep him on the team, and in order to assign him to the minors, he had to pass through waivers, which many did not expect to happen.