3 depth forwards the Detroit Red Wings need to target in free agency

The Detroit Red Wings are expected to have a busy off-season, and here are three under-the-radar forwards general manager Steve Yzerman should consider signing.

After watching the first round of the NHL playoffs, it has become quite apparent that the Detroit Red Wings may need to add a few players who play a more physical brand of hockey. This would increase their chances of qualifying for the postseason next year and also give them a better chance of making an impact in the playoffs.

At this time of year, the physical play intensifies and the officials become more lenient when, calling penalties. The checking is more aggressive, and players take fewer risks. Take the Boston/Toronto series, for example: Great hockey, but not much space even for the ultra-gifted players such as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and David Pastrňák. A lot more was involved. Toronto is essentially the Dallas Cowboys of the NHL, becoming postseason choke artists year after year, but again, the space and scoring opportunities decrease greatly in May and June.

The Detroit Red Wings often hang their hat on depth-scoring, yet again failed to have a 40-goal scorer, and only produced two 30-goal contributors last season but remained in the playoff hunt until the final day of the regular season. Depth scoring is fine, but players like Joe Veleno, Andrew Copp, Robby Fabbri, Christian Fischer, Austin Czarnik, and Michael Rasmussen suffered through long pointless stretches at times last season and, aside from Fischer and Rasmussen, played quite ‘light’ for the most part. The Detroit Red Wings need to consider swapping out a few of their bottom-six forwards for players who are willing to play a bit heavier brand of hockey.

The Detroit Red Wings should consider signing Cal Clutterbuck in free agency.

Most will be quick to gloss over Cal Clutterbuck this summer because of his age, lack of offensive upside, and the wear and tear he’s sustained over the years, but I feel the Detroit Red Wings should look to add to their fourth line this summer.

Clutterbuck, 36, doesn’t exactly fit the Yzerman rebuild long-term, but if the long-time New York Islander isn’t retained, he’d be just the player Detroit could utilize on their fourth line for a year. Clutterbuck, usually near the top in forward-delivered hits each season, still plays a checking-first brand of hockey. He’s also often utilized in a penalty-killing role, so he’d also bring some special teams ability to the lineup. Clutterbuck notched 273 hits last season, which would have led the Red Wings by a long shot, and he also had a career-high 55 blocked shots, which would have placed him third on the Red Wings among forwards behind Rasmussen (76) and J.T. Compher (59).

Last season, the fourth-line winger posted seven goals and 19 points over 82 games while maintaining a plus-4 rating and playing just under 12 minutes per night. Clutterbuck is finishing a two-year deal that averaged $1.75 million per season. Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello recently acknowledged that some changes were “inevitable” and that as much as he values loyalty, “there’s nothing sacred.”

If the Red Wings have the opportunity to skate Clutterbuck opposite Christian Fischer on the fourth line next year with someone like Andrew Copp (if he’s not traded or bought out), Rasmussen, or even Marco Kasper (although I believe he will be a top-nine forward from day one) would make for a reliable energy-creating unit. I’d be willing to replace someone like Veleno, who is a pending restricted free agent with Clutterbuck. I know Veleno is just 24 years old, but he can’t seem to get over the hump and found himself in the dog house late in the year. Whether it was an effort or production issue remains to be seen, but a change of scenery may do Veleno some good.

The Detroit Red Wings should consider adding Chandler Stephenson in free agency this summer.

With the Vegas Golden Knights going to be up against the salary cap this summer, more than a few of their players are expected to find themselves on the open market. One of those players I expect to become available is forward Chandler Stephenson.

Stephenson, 30, has played a lot of second-line minutes over the past four years for the Golden Knights. Before landing in Vegas, he seemed more like a third-line forward with upside, but like many other castaways, such as William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault, he found a way to flourish in Sin City.

The Washington Capitals drafted Stephenson with the 77th pick in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Level Draft. The two-time Stanley Cup winner is just the type of player Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman seems to be drawn to. Stephenson is an outstanding two-way, 200-foot player with offensive upside but is rarely out of position defensively. Also, Stephenson is an excellent skater and, over the past four years, in particular, has rounded into an exceptional playmaker. This past season, he amassed 16 goals and 51 points while playing well over 18 minutes per night.

The 6-foot Saskatoon native also recorded two short-handed goals and added a short-handed assist; he also notched four power-play goals and 13 total power-play points. He’s utilized in all situations, which is something the Red Wings cherish. Also, the veteran center produced a faceoff percentage of 52.6 this past season and a win rate of 58.1 in the dot the year prior.

Over the past three years, Stephenson has totaled 53 goals and 180 points over 235 games while maintaining a plus-8 rating. Over that span, he’s only totaled 77 penalty minutes and a 15.5% shooting percentage. Stephenson doesn’t exactly play ‘heavy,’ but he can provide more overall offense than, say, Robby Fabbri and also be utilized in all of Detroit’s special teams opportunities. If Yzerman decides to try and move Fabbri’s $4 million salary via trade this summer, Stephenson would be the perfect roster replacement.

Stephenson is coming off a four-year deal that carried a $2.75 million average annual value.

The Detroit Red Wings should look to sign Matt Martin in free agency.

Signing Matt Martin wouldn’t be a move that would move the needle among Detroit Red Wings fans, but he’s the perfect role player the organization is currently without.

Martin, 35, is a Windsor native, and joining the Red Wings would be a homecoming for the fourth-line tough guy. Martin doesn’t bring much offensive ability to the table. Still, he brings a much-needed physical presence to a Red Wings lineup that many teams tried to push around, particularly the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators throughout the year.

“The retirement narrative wasn’t one I started,” Martin said Friday morning at Islanders breakup day. “I certainly plan on playing hockey. My focus is to get healthy and start building myself back up and get ready for next season.”

The long-time New York Islanders forward is a pending unrestricted free agent, and it’s unlikely general manager Lou Lamoriello, who claims changes are inevitable, will bring back both Martin and Clutterbuck this summer.

Martin is usually good for a handful of goals and somewhere between 15-20 points any given season, but he’s also recorded over 250 hits in a season eight times over his lengthy career. The veteran winger is a bit of an anomaly in today’s game, known for his willingness to play a physical brand of hockey, and his heavy fists have carved out a lengthy career despite the game changing to a more speed and skill first look. Martin has spent 13 of his 15-year career in New York with the Islanders, the two-year absence being with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

This past season, Martin scored four goals and eight points and was a plus-7 in 54 contests with the Islanders. He also played under ten minutes per night while recording 151 hits and 29 blocks. Martin is nothing more than a fourth-line bodyguard but has proved he won’t be a defensive liability during his nine or ten minutes of ice per night in the limited role. It’s a role I feel Steve Yzerman tried to fill with Klim Kostin this past season. Kostin was looking for more opportunities and wasn’t exactly going to strike much fear into any of Detroit’s opponents with his fists and physical play. I commend Kostin’s willingness to fight when Detroit needed a response, but he’s not in the same weight class as Martin. Let’s put it this way: I’d be shocked to see Radko Gudas standing over Matt Martin, taunting him after laying him out.

Don’t overreact. I don’t think Martin can ‘save’ the Red Wings, but he’s a player they could use, even if it’s in a rotational role as a 13th forward. Martin can be inserted in games against Florida, Nashville, Ottawa, and whoever else Derek Lalonde feels will play a more physical brand of hockey, and his services will come cheap at this point in his career.