Month: July 2018

Strickland: Wings will sign goaltender Harri Sateri

Via CBS Sports, Fox Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland reports that the Red Wings will sign Florida Panthers standout Harri Sateri:

Quoting CBS Sports:

Originally selected by the Sharks with a fourth-round (106th overall) draft pick in 2018, the Finn finally made his NHL debut in 2017-18, recording a 4-4-0 record, 2.92 GAA and .911 save percentage over nine games. Known for his cool-as-a-cucumber demeanor, Sateri should start next season with AHL Grand Rapids, but he’ll presumably be the first netminder called up in an emergency situation.

Khan, St. James’ morning free agency updates: Bernier, Vanek and…Derek Ryan?

MLive’s Ansar Khan and the Free Press’s Helene St. James provide morning free agency updates.

Khan reports that the Wings are going to sign Jonathan Bernier soon, and the Wings may sign Derek Ryan as well…

The club on Saturday agreed to terms with defenseman Mike Green on a two-year deal with a average salary of $5.375 million.

The Red Wings are expected to sign goaltender Jonathan Bernier to a three-year contract in the range of $3 million per season.

Detroit also is trying to sign former Red Wings forward Thomas Vanek to a one-year contract and has shown interest in center Derek Ryan. The right-shooting Ryan, 31, had 15 goals and 23 assists in 80 games for Carolina last season, when he earned $1.425 million.

The Red Wings want aren’t sure if Henrik Zetterberg will play next season. He has a history of back issues but has appeared in all 82 games in each of the past three seasons. They would like some insurance at center. They were interested in signing Valtteri Filppula to a two-year deal, but the former Red Wing appears to be leaning toward signing with another team.

And St. James confirms the signing of Thomas Vanek:

Vanek, 34, had 23 goals and 32 assists for 56 points in 80 games with Vancouver and Columbus (the Canucks traded him at the deadline). He made a positive impression when the Wings signed him two summers ago, producing 15 goals and 23 assists for 38 points in 48 games before a trade-deadline trade to Florida. Vanek, who shoots right, was part of the Wings’ hottest line out of training camp, with Gustav Nyquist and Darren Helm. When Vanek suffered a hip injury seven games into the season, Nyquist and Helm grew quiet offensively. Later in the season Vanek showed great chemistry with Frans Nielsen and Athanasiou.

Bernier, 29, will share the net with Jimmy Howard. Bernier, a former starter in Toronto, spent 2017-18 with Colorado, where he went 21-7-4 with a 2.85 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in 37 appearances.

The addition of Vanek puts the Wings at nine forwards, and the three RFAs make it 12. That still leaves room for top prospects Filip Zadina and Michael Rasmussen to challenge for jobs.

Update:

 

Red Wings officially re-sign Mike Green to 2-year, $10.75 million deal

From the Red Wings:

Red Wings extend Green for two years

2018 NHL All-Star re-signs with Detroit; led team defensemen in points since 2015-16

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings signed defenseman Mike Green to a two-year contract extension.

Green, 32, has led Red Wings defensemen in points in each of his three seasons with the team, registering 33 points (8-25-33) in 66 games during a 2017-18 season that was cut short due to injury. The 13-year NHL veteran represented the Red Wings at his second career NHL All-Star Game in 2018 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. He ranked among Red Wings leaders this season with 25 assists (3rd), 33 points (T6th), 13 power-play points (3rd), 132 shots (9th) and 22:04 average time on ice (1st). Green also opened the season with a four-assist game on Oct. 5 vs. Minnesota in the first game at the state-of-the-art Little Caesars Arena, becoming the first Red Wings defenseman to do so since Niklas Kronwall during the 2007-08 campaign. In 212 games with the team since 2015-16, Green has picked up 104 points (29-74-104) and 116 penalty minutes, while totaling 464 points (142-322-464), a plus-18 rating and 532 penalty minutes in 787 NHL games since 2005-06.

Originally drafted by the Washington Capitals in the first round (29th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Green made the NHL’s First All-Star Team in back-to-back seasons (2008-09 and 2009-10) after leading the league’s defensemen in points in each season (73 and 76, respectively). He also led NHL blueliners in goals in each season (31 and 19), as well as the shortened 2012-13 campaign (12 in 35 games). Prior to his NHL career, Green was an American Hockey League Calder Cup champion with the Hershey Bears in 2005-06 and was a member of the AHL All-Rookie Team. The Calgary, Alberta, native also posted 172 points (37-135-172) in 267 Western Hockey League games with the Saskatoon Blades from 2000-05.