Expressen’s Gunnar Nordstrom updates the status of Red Wings defenseman and restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson this morning, reporting that Edvinsson’s contract negotiations are in a holding pattern as the team searches for its next hockey executive. What follows is roughly translated from Swedish:
It may be that Simon Edvinsson has to wait for a new contract
Los Angeles. Simon Edvinsson, 23, is awaiting a new contract with the Detroit Red Wings.
But the team is currently missing a general manager since Steve Yzerman left his post earlier this summer.
So the salary negotiations are down.
“We are patiently awaiting for a new general manager,” Edvinsson’s agent, Peter Werner, told Expressen.
Simon Edvinsson played out the final season of his rookie contract with the Detroit Red Wings this past spring.
Negotiations for a new multi-year deal got underway, but no deal was reached when team icon Steve Yzerman announced that he’s leaving the GM position after seven years.
Since then, it’s been silence around all negotiations for new player contracts in Detroit.
Working on finding a replacement for Yzerman is led by the team’s owner, representative and chief executive, Chris Ilitch.
Last week, it was announced that the Red Wings had enlisted the help of a consulting firm to get help to find a new general manager.
It has been announced that everything will be done to be able to keep Simon Edvinsson, who has the status of a “restricted free agent.”
This means that Detroit has the right to match all offers if Edvinsson would choose to sign a so-called “offer sheet,” which was what Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson did earlier this summer.
Simon Edvinsson had a strong season in the NHL last winter, where he formed the team’s first defensive pair alongside Moritz Seider.
The Swede had $894,166 dollars (about 8.6 million Swedish Krona) in annual salary with an additional $425,000 in bonuses.
Edvinsson’s market value is expected to be an annual salary about $7.5-$8.0 million ($71.8-76.6 million SEK).
Moritz Seider earns just over $8.5 million and has five years left on the seven-year contract that he signed with the team in September 2024.
How much Edvinsson demands is unknown.
He’s represented by CAA Sports, and the only comment from Peter Werner, in Stockholm, leaves is this:
“We don’t speculate about anything, we’re patiently waiting for the new general manager,’ Werner wrote in a text message
Nor does the team’s legendary defensive star Nicklas Lidstrom, who belongs to the team leadership in the role of Vice President of Hockey Operations, find himself able to give clear notice of negotiations about Simon Edvinsson’s new contract.
“I want Simon to stay, but it’s a bit quiet right now. As you know, we are looking for a new general manager.”
Lidstrom does not want to explain his own status in the team management now that the hunt for a new GM is underway.
“I can’t say much right now,” he says when Expressen reaches him.
Simon Edvinsson registered 25 points, 9 goals and 16 assists, over the course of 72 games played last season.
He was a +12 in the plus-minus statistic. Only defensive colleague Moritz Seider was better on the team with +15.
