PuckPedia: Red Wings sign center Mason Appleton to 2-year, $2.9 million AAV contract

The Detroit Red Wings have upgraded their bottom-six, signing 29-year-old center Mason Appleton, who stands at 6’2″ and 194 pounds. PuckPedia reports that it’s a 2-year, $2.9 million contract:

5:46 PM: It’s official:

Update: Illegal Curve’s Dave Minuk speaks glowingly of Appleton:

Continue reading PuckPedia: Red Wings sign center Mason Appleton to 2-year, $2.9 million AAV contract

Press release: Red Wings confirm John Leonard signing, 1 year, $775,000

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS SIGN JOHN LEONARD TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACT

  … Forward Scored 36 Goals in 72 Games with AHL’s Charlotte Checkers in 2024-25 …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings have signed forward John Leonard to a one-year contract with an average annual value of $775,000.

Leonard, 26, spent the 2024-25 season with the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers and ranked among the team leaders with 36 goals (1st), 25 assists (3th), 61 points (1st), a plus-21 rating (3rd), 10 power play goals (1st), 24 power play points (2nd), five shorthanded goals (1st), eight game-winning goals (1st), two overtime goals (T1st) and 252 shots (1st) in 72 regular-season games. The 5-foot-11, 196-pound forward represented the Checkers at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic and earned a place on the AHL’s Second All-Star Team. Leonard also recorded 14 points (8-6-14) and 18 penalty minutes in 18 postseason contests, helping the Checkers reach the Calder Cup Finals. Leonard split the 2023-24 campaign between the Arizona Coyotes and AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners, netting one goal in six appearances with the Coyotes. He also tallied 32 points (12-20-32) and 24 penalty minutes in 63 games with the Roadrunners in 2023-24. Originally selected by the San Jose Sharks in the sixth round (182nd overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Leonard has registered 17 points (6-11-17) and four penalty minutes in 70 games with the Sharks, Nashville Predators and Coyotes since 2020-21. Leonard has also compiled 171 points (83-88-171) and 66 penalty minutes in 249 AHL games with the San Jose Barracuda, Milwaukee Admirals, Roadrunners and Checkers. He is the older brother of Ryan Leonard, who was selected by the Washington Capitals in the first round (8th overall) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

A native of Westwood, N.J., Leonard played three seasons at the University of Massachusetts prior to turning professional, recording 105 points (56-49-105), a plus-30 rating and 42 penalty minutes in 106 games from 2017-20. Leonard earned First Team All-American and All-Hockey East First Team honors after leading the NCAA with 27 goals in 33 games as a junior in 2019-20. He was also named to the All-Hockey East Second Team as a sophomore after helping the Minutemen win a Hockey East regular-season championship in 2018-19. Leonard spent two seasons with the Green Bay Gamblers in the United States Hockey League from 2015-17, logging 43 points (24-19-43), a plus-four rating and 30 penalty minutes in 106 games. Additionally, Leonard played three seasons at Springfield (Mass.) Cathedral High from 2012-15, totaling 151 points (91-60-151) in 72 games. On the international stage, Leonard represented Team USA at the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, finishing with two points (1-1-2) in four games. 

Press release: Red Wings sign James van Riemsdyk to 1-year, $1 million contract

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS SIGN JAMES VAN RIEMSDYK TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACT

  … 16-Year NHL Veteran Has Recorded 665 Points in 1,082 Games with Flyers, Maple Leafs, Bruins and Blue Jackets Since 2009-10 …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings have signed forward James van Riemsdyk to a one-year contract with a cap hit of $1 million.

Van Riemsdyk, 36, skated in 71 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2024-25 season and ranked among the team leaders with 16 goals (8th), 20 assists (9th), 36 points (7th), two game-winning goals (T6th) and an 18.8 shooting percentage (2nd). The 6-foot-3, 209-pound forward played in his NHL-record eighth career outdoor game at the 2025 Stadium Series on March 1 at Ohio Stadium. Van Riemsdyk spent the 2023-24 campaign with the Boston Bruins, recording 38 points (11-27-38), a plus-seven rating and 20 penalty minutes in 71 regular-season games, in addition to five points (1-4-5) in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games. Originally selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round (2nd overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, van Riemsdyk has compiled 665 points (327-338-665) and 417 penalty minutes in 1,082 games with the Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Bruins and Blue Jackets since 2009-10. He has also produced 36 points (21-15-36) and 22 penalty minutes in 82 postseason games, helping the Flyers reach the 2010 Stanley Cup Final. Van Riemsdyk made his professional debut with the American Hockey League’s Philadelphia Phantoms in 2008-09, logging two points (1-1-2), a plus-two rating and two penalty minutes in seven regular-season games before skating in four Calder Cup Playoff contests.

Prior to turning professional, van Riemsdyk played two seasons at the University of New Hampshire from 2007-09, racking up 74 points (28-46-74), a plus-28 rating and 89 penalty minutes in 67 games. Van Riemsdyk earned a place on the All-Hockey East Second Team as a sophomore after tallying 40 points (17-23-40), a plus-15 rating and 47 penalty minutes in 36 games during the 2008-09 season. He was also selected to the Pro Ambitions All-Rookie Team after helping the Wildcats win a Hockey East regular-season championship in 2007-08. The Middletown, N.J., native skated with the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2005-07. On the international stage, van Riemsdyk has played with Team USA at two IIHF World Championships (2011, 2019), combining for six points (3-3-6) in 10 games. He also represented his country at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, picking up one assist in three appearances. Van Riemsdyk competed with Team USA at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, where he recorded seven points (1-6-7), a plus-seven rating and two penalty minutes in six games. He skated with Team USA at three-consecutive IIHF World Junior Championships from 2007-09, winning a bronze medal at the 2007 tournament. Additionally, van Riemsdyk played in back-to-back IIHF World Under-18 Championships from 2006-07, capturing a gold medal in 2006 along with a silver medal and Most Valuable Player honors in 2007.

Press release: Red Wings re-sign Elmer Soderblom to 2-year, $1.125 million AAV contract

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS RE-SIGN ELMER SÖDERBLOM TO TWO-YEAR CONTRACT

  … 6-Foot-8 Forward Has Recorded 19 Points in 47 Games with Detroit Since 2022-23 …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today re-signed forward Elmer Söderblom to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.125 million.

Söderblom, 23, played in 26 games with the Red Wings during the 2024-25 season, recording 11 points (4-7-11), a plus-two rating, six penalty minutes, 38 shots and 43 hits in 13:22 average time on ice. The 6-foot-8, 246-pound forward also logged 17 points (5-12-17), a plus-four rating and 29 penalty minutes in 38 regular-season games with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins in 2024-25. Söderblom spent the entire 2023-24 campaign with the Griffins, setting career highs in games played (61), goals (13), assists (16), points (29), power play goals (3), game-winning goals (3) and shots (114). He also registered two points (1-1-2) in seven Calder Cup Playoff games, helping the Griffins reach the Central Division Finals. Selected by the Red Wings in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Söderblom has tallied 19 points (9-10-19), a plus-two rating and 14 penalty minutes in 47 NHL games since 2022-23. Söderblom has also compiled 54 points (23-31-54), a plus-two rating and 47 penalty minutes in 119 AHL games with the Griffins.

Prior to arriving in North America, Söderblom played in parts of three seasons in the Swedish Hockey League with Frölunda HC, based out of his hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden. Söderblom totaled 38 points (24-14-38) and 14 penalty minutes in 90 games in Sweden’s top professional league from 2019-22. He helped Frölunda HC win a Champions Hockey League title in 2020. Söderblom also recorded 76 points (40-36-76) and 22 penalty minutes in 87 games with Frölunda HC’s under-20 squad, in addition to 53 points (26-27-53) and 14 penalty minutes in 60 games with the under-18 team and 93 points (62-31-93) and 49 penalty minutes in 78 games at the under-16 level. On the international stage, Söderblom represented Sweden at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship along with Red Wings teammates Lucas Raymond and Albert Johansson, collecting three points (2-1-3) in five games. Söderblom won a gold medal with Sweden at the 2019 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, netting one goal in seven appearances. He also captured a silver medal at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, finishing with three points (1-2-3) in five contests.

Tweet of note: Windsor Spitfires select Michal Svrcek in CHL Import Draft

Per the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires:

Svrcek will probably play for Brynas IF of the SHL this upcoming season, but one never knows for sure.

A bit more from John Gibson regarding his time in Ann Arbor, familiarity with coach McLellan

MLive’s Ansar Khan offers the following from new Red Wings goaltender John Gibson, who is somewhat familiar with Metro Detroit from his time with the U.S. National Team Development Program, and Gibson also knows Wings coach Todd McLellan:

“I got a little taste of cheering for the Red Wings when I lived in Ann Arbor for two years playing at the NTDP (2009-11),” he said. “You see how close they’ve been the last few years. That’s where I want to be. I want to be fighting for the playoffs, getting in the playoffs. I truly feel that all you have to do is make it in the playoffs. And once you do that it’s a whole new season, whether you’re the Presidents’ Trophy winner or the eight seed.”

Gibson knows Todd McLellan, who coached him with Team Canada in the World Cup of Hockey, and assistant Trent Yawney, his former AHL head coach and an assistant with the Ducks.

“Anytime that we were going against one of (McLellan’s) teams, you know they’re well-coached, well-structured, disciplined,” Gibson said. “He kind of holds his standard and his principles and you just kind of piggyback off that. I had a lot of experience with Trent Yawney as well. I kind of grew up with him. So just kind of having some familiar faces there helps the transition.”

Continued

Tweet of note: Regina Pats select Red Wings prospect Michal Pradel in import draft

It appears that Red Wings prospect and Slovakian goaltender Michal Pradel will play for the WHL’s Regina Pats this upcoming season–if he doesn’t remain with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm: