Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen discusses the Red Wings’ salary cap situation heading into the 2026-2027 season, as well as the team’s cap outlook for the 2027 free agent period:
Even if they have to pay restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson an average annual salary of more than $9 million, the Red Wings could carry cap space of more than $10 million into the season. That figure could be as high as $18.7 million, depending on what they take back in salary in a Dylan Larkin trade.
This could help set up the team’s new director of hockey operations to have a bundle of cap space next summer.
As it stands now, the 2027 unrestricted free agent class could include Cale Makar, Nikita Kucherov and Quinn Hughes, plus Mark Stone, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson, Drake Batherson and Vince Dunn.
Obviously, Hughes could re-sign with Minnesota this week, and no one expects Cale Makar or Crosby to leave their current teams. Others will re-sign as well. But Detroit’s new management will be in a position to compete for whoever is left.
The Red Wings also have Alex DeBrincat ($7.75 million), Justin Faulk ($6.5 million), John Gibson ($6.4 million) Andrew Copp ($5.625 million), Mason Appleton ($2.9 million), Daniil Tarasov ($2 million) and Jacob Bryson ($850,000) coming off the books next summer. DeBrincat will be a highly sought after UFA if he doesn’t re-sign
That’s an additional $34 million Steve Yzerman’s replacement can use to shake up the roster.
Continued; this complements SI’s Laura Lambert’s discussion of the 9 restricted and unrestricted free agents on the Wings going into next summer, with Lambert weighing in on the RFAs:
Kasper and Johansson won’t be walking away next summer. They are scheduled to become restricted free agents, which means Detroit will have more control over their futures.
One thing remains true, though: their performances will determine what their next contracts look like. It might also determine whether the Red Wings find a future spot for them.
Kasper dealt with a knee issue last year that could have explained the drop in his production from 2024-25 to last season. He went from 37 points to 19. Everyone will be watching how he performs this year.
Appleton, Bryson, and Tarasov finish out the list of Detroit’s NHL players who are entering the final year of their contracts. Looking over the list, the Red Wings have decisions to be made all throughout the roster.
Puckpedia is showing only 13 players who will be under contract for 2027-28. It also projects $63 million in cap space. Of course, as players are signed, those numbers will change, but it clearly shows how unsettled this team is and how much things can change in the coming season.
