DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings’ six pending unrestricted free agents all had an impact on the team to various degrees.
Some won’t return, which is always the case, due to cap space, the need to replace them with younger players or their own desire for a better deal and opportunity elsewhere.
The biggest changes to the roster this offseason will be due to the departures of UFAs.
“I expressed interest in all our (UFAs) that I have interest in bringing you guys back,” general manager Steve Yzerman said. “It’s a bit of a puzzle. We have some (restricted) free agents we have to sign (notably Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond) and some of them are going to have a significant impact on our salary cap regardless of whether we go short or long term.
Here’s a look at the Red Wings’ impending unrestricted free agents and the likelihood of their return:
Christian Fischer: He’s the kind of player teams need in their bottom six – a hard forechecker who plays with energy and grit and kills penalties. The Red Wings would like to reunite the Andrew Copp-Michael Rasmussen-Fischer line next season. Fischer realizes he’s in a good situation. He signed for one year last summer and likely will seek multiple years this time.
Chances of return: Good.
Shayne Gostisbehere: Yzerman last week expressed high interest in bringing him back despite the team’s crowded blue line – eight other defensemen under contract including prospect Albert Johansson, who won’t be waiver-exempt. That’s because Gostisbehere provides much-needed offense from the back end (10 goals, 56 points) and sparked the first power-play unit (team-leading 29 power-play points). That’s why the team can overlook his defensive deficiencies. Whether or not Gostisbehere returns, the Red Wings need to clear one or two spots on the blue line, either through a trade or a buyout.
Chances of return: Fair.
Patrick Kane: The longtime Chicago Blackhawks star had a tremendous impact (20 goals, 47 points in 50 games) and delivered big plays down the stretch to keep the team in the playoff hunt. Sounds like a no-brainer that the Red Wings would want him back, but for how many years and at what cost? After signing in late November for the bargain price of $2.75 million (prorated), Kane will cost a lot more and will be seeking at least two, if not three years. His comments last week seemed to lean toward him not returning.
