Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen offers a day-before-the-start-of-free-agency glance at the Red Wings’ salary cap situation, including an estimate as to how much money it might take to re-sign Tyler Bertuzzi, Filip Hronek, Jakub Vrana, Adam Erne and Givani Smith:
Detroit Hockey Now’s Estimate salary cost for RFAs: $15.9 presuming that none of the players get a long-term deal. If the Red Wings tied up Vrana long-term it might increase the salary cap hit by up to $2 million.After RFAs are signed, the Red Wings will be $21.7 million under the cap with 19 players signed.
Other additions: The above estimates include Moritz Seider because it is highly likely he will play in Detroit this season. It doesn’t include Joe Veleno. DHN projects he will be on the roster. His salary is $894,000. That would put the Red Wings with $20.8 million in salary cap space left with 20 players signed.
Projected cost of four free agent veterans: Unless Yzerman decides to make a trade for a higher salaried player, the best guess is that Yzerman will sign four $1 million players. That’s essentially what he did last season. That would give him a 24-person roster with $16.8 million in salary cap space remaining.
