Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen offers a particularly optimistic look toward the 2024 offseason as it relates to the Red Wings’ projected salary cap space, extensions for Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond excluded:
The Red Wings, according to CapFriendly’s latest estimate, project to have about $33 million in cap space to spend for the 2024-25 season with about 12 players to sign. The restricted free agents who need to be signed include Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, Michael Rasmussen and Jonatan Berggren. Those players could eat up two-thirds of that $33 million depending upon the length of Seider’s deal.
It’s challenging to project what they will get before we see how they produce this season. But if the Red Wings want to sign Seider long-term, it will likely cost them $9 million plus per season.
The majority of possible free agents will re-sign with their teams, but here are some players who would be of interest to most teams, including the Red Wings, next summer if they are unsigned:
Center Auston Matthews: The expectation is he will re-sign with Toronto. He is on record as saying he wants to stay in Toronto. But for a couple of years, there has been speculation that Detroit is one of the places he would like to play if he ever leaves Toronto. He did play in Michigan when he was with the U.S. National Team Development Program.
Left Wing Tom Wilson: The Capitals don’t want to trade Wilson. They want to re-sign him. It’s that simple. You would guess the Capitals will get it done, but there are no guarantees.
Wilson is exactly the kind of player the Red Wings would like to get — a top six forward with a beastly playing style. He offers the possibility of goals and prickliness.
Allen continues, listing Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, Brandon Montour, Jake DeBrusk and even Steven Stamkos as targets. I’m here to tell you that, should those players reach the unrestricted free agent marketplace, the Wings will have at least 30 competitors for those teams, if not 31, their present rights-holders included.
