Via Abel to Yzerman comes this list of “Winners and Losers” of the free agency period, per the Hockey News’s Adam Proteau:
The Wings also added talent on the weekend, signing four forwards, two defensemen, and two goaltenders to one-way contracts. But something felt off about many of the deals, mostly because they seemed to be given to players who must play better to justify their new contracts.
At center, J.T. Compher is now earning $5.1 million through 2027-28, and he’s being paid like a second-liner when in equal likelihood, he’s a third-liner. Winger Christian Fischer got a $1.25-million contract for one year on Sunday, but he needs to rediscover his 33-point rookie season to prove he deserves a longer term and bigger salary next year.
On defense, Justin Holl somehow got $3.4 million for the next three seasons, and anyone who watched Leafs hockey regularly this past season understands why eyebrows raised when Yzerman gave him that deal. In goal, Ville Husso’s new understudy is 35-year-old journeyman James Reimer, and they brought in Alex Lyon on a two-year, one-way deal as well.
In a season where five teams from the highly competitive Metropolitan may limit the Atlantic Division to just three playoff sports, the Wings’ moves on the weekend didn’t feel like the final pieces of the championship puzzle. Not even close. Detroit will need all the stars to line up just right to secure a post-season berth, and you know how that usually ends. Not well.
