Tweet of note: As of 4:13 PM…

Per WXYZ’s Brad Galli…

The Red Wings made free agent signings on Saturday:

– Kraken F Daniel Sprong: one year, $2M (21 goals, 25 assists in 2022-23)
– Sharks G James Reimer: one-year, $1.5M (35 years old)
– Maple Leafs D Justin Holl: three years, $3.4M AAV (6’3″, 31 years old)
– Panthers G Alex Lyon pic.twitter.com/nVNmH5VlB6— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) July 1, 2023

Good luck in Pittsburgh, Alex Nedeljkovic

Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman:

I think PIT is also signing Alex Nedeljkovic— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2023

Nedeljkovic in Pittsburgh is 1x$1.5M— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2023

Pittsburgh signs goalie Alex Nedeljkovic— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 1, 2023

PuckPedia: Red Wings sign depth defenseman Brogan Rafferty to a 2-year, 2-way contract

Per PuckPedia:

Confirmed:

UPDATE: The #RedWings today signed defenseman Brogan Rafferty to a two-year, two-way contract. pic.twitter.com/b5Fvwc1ttd— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 1, 2023

AHL RHD, coming off a 50-point season for Calder Cup runners up https://t.co/PFTEtXkVNT— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) July 1, 2023

Here’s the Wings’ press release:

Continue reading PuckPedia: Red Wings sign depth defenseman Brogan Rafferty to a 2-year, 2-way contract

Bultman, PuckPedia: Red Wings sign AHL’er Tim Gettinger

Per PuckPedia and The Athletic’s Max Bultman:

The #LGRW signed 25 y/o Group 6 UFA F Tim Gettinger to 1 year deal

775K Salary
250K Minors

13G 35 in 52 AHL GP

Rep’d by @RyanBarnes52 @QuartexxHockey https://t.co/NntUC8W25w— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) July 1, 2023

Update: Confirmed:

UPDATE: The #RedWings today signed forward Tim Gettinger to a one-year, two-way contract. pic.twitter.com/NERK69cd77— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 1, 2023

Update #2: Here’s the Wings’ press release:

Continue reading Bultman, PuckPedia: Red Wings sign AHL’er Tim Gettinger

Justin Holl, reclamation project

The Red Wings signed defenseman Justin Holl to a 3-year contract at $3.4 million per season, and Detroit Hockey Now’s Nate Brown voices concerns with the deal:

The former University of Minnesota standout was never a  unanimous Toronto fan favorite defenseman. They thought he had too many turnovers.

But some fans believed Holl was the scapegoat when the real defensive problem was the forward group not backchecking.

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

But Holl is not the first Toronto defenseman that came to Detroit with a low approval rating in Toronto. One of the legendary tales in Red Wings’ lore is how defenseman Larry Murphy was booed heavily when he played for Maple Leafs and then was traded to Detroit and played in a significant role in helping the Red Wings win back-to-back Stanley Cups. Murphy is now in the Hall of Fame.

No one is suggesting Holl can be a Hall of Famer, but it is possible he could be a steady performer for the the Red Wings. He posted 139 blocked shots and 151 hits last season for the Maple Leafs. Holl’s career Corsi rating is above 50%.

Continued

Marek: Red Wings sign Daniel Sprong to 1-year, $2 million contract

Per Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek:

Daniel Sprong to Detroit 1 year $2m— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) July 1, 2023

Per @jeffmarek, Daniel Sprong to Detroit 1x$2M— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2023

I like the Daniel Spring move for Detroit. 1 year, $2 million. Again, I can’t retweet the people who reported it— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) July 1, 2023

Daniel Sprong was incredibly effective and efficient in very low minutes. Really nice bet by Detroit at a very low cost. The guy can score. pic.twitter.com/jrzMJdwLvI— dom 📈 (@domluszczyszyn) July 1, 2023

There’s some scoring — Sprong had 21 goals last season for Seattle in 66 games. 26 year old, right hand shot has only hit the 20 mark once, but has scored at a 20-goal rate (extrapolated to 82 games) for his career. https://t.co/HfXjshHyCF— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) July 1, 2023

#RedWings get Daniel Sprong 1/$2 million according to reports; 21-goal scorer in Seattle last season— Ted Kulfan (@tkulfan) July 1, 2023

Daniel Sprong has signed a one-year deal worth $2M with the Detroit Red Wings, per @JeffMarek. ✍️ pic.twitter.com/jvaJObd6iR— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 1, 2023

Daniel Sprong a nice middle-six/depth-scoring addition. 21 goals / 46 points over 66 last year in Seattle. 26 y/o and much needed right-handed winger.— Octopus Thrower (@OctopusThrower_) July 1, 2023

The @DetroitRedWings have reportedly signed Daniel Sprong! #LGRW pic.twitter.com/E7j8A1u27V— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) July 1, 2023

The Detroit Red Wings have signed forward Daniel Sprong to a one-year, $2 million contract. pic.twitter.com/Te8w9U9IOm— Complete Hockey News (@CompleteHkyNews) July 1, 2023

Daniel Sprong, coming off a career high 21 goals, to the Red Wings on a 1-year, $2 million deal. As reported by @JeffMarek.— Mike Benton (@Benton_Mike) July 1, 2023

UPDATE: The #RedWings today signed forward Daniel Sprong to a one-year contract with an AAV of $2,000,000. pic.twitter.com/toVdzYgwjE— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 1, 2023

Here’s the Free Press’s Helene St. James on Sprong…

Continue reading Marek: Red Wings sign Daniel Sprong to 1-year, $2 million contract

Bultman on the Red Wings’ three-headed goalie monster

As part of The Athletic’s Free Agent Frenzy blog, Max Bultman posted an entry discussing why the Red Wings signed both James Reimer and Alex Lyon:

So, what gives? Well, Detroit certainly wasn’t messing around at this position, after overworking Ville Husso last season. When Husso was fresh, he was a very good starter for them, as seen by his play early in the season and after the All-Star Break. But when the starts piled up, it showed, and he finished with an .896 save percentage as a result.

Reimer is a veteran with a track record of legit NHL backup workloads and had performed pretty well in that capacity before a drop-off last season in San Jose, when he had an .890 save percentage in 43 games. In 2021-22, though, he posted an impressive .911 in 48 games, and is a career .911 goalie. Last year was his first career season below .900, so a bounceback is not out of the question.

He’s 35, though, so it’s entirely possible he’s fading and that trend won’t reverse. That’s why the one-year term is key — and also why it makes sense to also add Lyon, who actually started Games 1 through 4 of the playoffs for the Panthers. That speaks to a solid season for him between the NHL and AHL, posting a save percentage at or above .910 in both leagues.

While Detroit did carry three netminders at times last season, that’s a tough situation to maintain, especially early in a season, so you would expect one of the two to be waived and, ideally, play in Grand Rapids — where the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate Griffins desperately need to improve in net. Pairing an NHL veteran with top goalie prospect Sebastian Cossa seems like a natural fit in the youngsters’ progression, and it would insulate Detroit’s NHL situation more as well.

Red Wings sign D Justin Holl to 3-year contract @ $3.4 million per season

Per the Red Wings:

UPDATE: The #RedWings today signed defenseman Justin Holl to a three-year contract with an AAV of $3,400,000. pic.twitter.com/2ECVEfT2LY— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 1, 2023

Justin Holl has signed a 3-year, $3.4m AAV contract with the Detroit Red Wings pic.twitter.com/JmEXcIuSaI— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) July 1, 2023

Red Wings sign defenseman Justin Holl to $10.2M, 3-year deal with $3.4M cap hit.— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) July 1, 2023

Justin Holl is heading to the #redwings on a three-year contract carrying a $3.4M AAV.@NorthStarBet @TSN_Sports— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 1, 2023

Justin Holl (3×3.4m, DET) can kill penalties a little. pic.twitter.com/2CGrs7o5M3— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) July 1, 2023

The right shooting D they were seeking. https://t.co/VBL7cyfwgW— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) July 1, 2023

Red Wings sign Holl to 3-year, $10.2M contract https://t.co/nCnjEoYPWE pic.twitter.com/B7FErZTmlk— theScore NHL (@theScoreNHL) July 1, 2023

Justin Holl has signed a three-year, $10.2M deal with the Red Wings. ✍️ pic.twitter.com/Ye02YGSXSe— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 1, 2023

Justin Holl secures the bag in Detroit💰He signs a three year deal worth $3.4 million AAV. pic.twitter.com/dyVgNk9cFV— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 1, 2023

Here’s NHL.com on Holl:

Continue reading Red Wings sign D Justin Holl to 3-year contract @ $3.4 million per season

PuckPedia: Red Wings sign G Alex Lyon to 2-year deal at $900K per season

Per PuckPedia:

The #LGRW signed 30 y/o UFA G Alex Lyon to 2 year $900K Cap Hit Deal

914 SV% in 15 GP

Rep’d by Pete Rutili @wassermanhockey https://t.co/iFVOB8LTW9— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) July 1, 2023

UPDATE: The #RedWings today signed goaltender Alex Lyon to a two-year contract with an AAV of $900,000. pic.twitter.com/h3ww7eOoLF— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 1, 2023

Here’s CBS Sports…

Lyon signed a two-year, $1.8 million contract with the Red Wings on Saturday, per PuckPedia

Lyon posted a 9-4-2 record with a 2.89 GAA and a .912 save percentage in 15 appearances with Florida last season. Detroit also signed netminder James Reimer on Saturday, so Lyon will have some competition for the backup role behind Ville Husso going into the 2023-24 campaign.

The Free Press’s Helene St. James…

The Detroit Red Wings added to their goaltending depth in the first hours of free agency, signing Alex Lyon shortly after coming to terms with James Reimer.

Lyon, 30, was inked to a two-year deal with a $900,000 annual average value. He projects to be the third-string goalie for the Wings, and someone who will push 2021 first-round pick Sebastian Cossa for starts with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Both Lyon and Reimer (who also was signed for one year) shore up the goaltending which suffered last year because of the struggles of Alex Nedeljkovic and Magnus Hellberg.

Lyon (6 foot 1, 201 pounds) started the first three games of the Florida Panthers’ first-round series against the Boston Bruins.

Lyon, who spent most of his career in the minor leagues, got the nod on the strength of going 6-1-1 with a 1.87 goals-against average and .943 save percentage down the stretch run of the regular season. Lyon posted a 3.26 GAA and .902 save percentage in his first three playoff games, but the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Bruins make it hard on goaltenders in general. (Sergei Bobrovsky replaced Lyon in Game 3 and started the next three games, and has a 4.40 GAA with a .883 save percentage.)

And here’s MLive’s Ansar Khan:

The Red Wings were in the market for a backup goalie and a No. 3 goalie after opting not to re-sign Alex Nedeljkovic and Magnus Hellberg.

Lyon, 30, went 9-4-2 with a 2.82 GAA and .914 save percentage as the No. 3 goalie with Florida during the regular season. He started the first three games of the playoffs against Boston before being replaced by Sergei Bobrovsky.

Update: Here’s the Red Wings’ press release:

RED WINGS SIGN GOALTENDER ALEX LYON TO TWO-YEAR CONTRACT

  … Netminder Helped Florida Reach 2023 Stanley Cup Final …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today signed goaltender Alex Lyon to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $900,000.

Lyon, 30, spent part of the 2022-23 season with the Florida Panthers, holding a 9-4-2 record with a 2.89 goals-against average, a 0.912 save percentage and one shutout in 15 regular-season games. The 6-foot-1, 201-pound netminder also posted a 1-2 record with a 3.63 goals-against average and a 0.888 save percentage in four postseason appearances as the Panthers reached the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. Additionally, Lyon compiled a 13-9-1 record with a 2.43 goals-against average, a 0.910 save percentage and one shutout in 23 games with the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers in 2022-23. Originally signed by the Philadelphia Flyers as an undrafted free agent on April 6, 2016, Lyon has notched a 16-11-5 record with a 3.05 goals-against average, a 0.903 save percentage and one shutout in 39 appearances over parts of six NHL seasons with the Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes and Panthers. He has also compiled a 106-70-19 record with a 2.62 goals-against average, a 0.912 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 202 AHL games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Chicago Wolves and Checkers. During the 2021-22 AHL season, Lyon was named the recipient of the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award, presented to the goaltender(s) on the team which allows the fewest goals per game in the regular season, before helping the Wolves win a Calder Cup championship.

Prior to turning professional, Lyon spent three seasons at Yale University from 2013-16, setting program records in wins (50), goals-against average (1.88), save percentage (.931) and shutouts (15) in 93 appearances. He was named a First-Team All-American and earned the Ken Dryden Award as the ECAC Goaltender of the Year following his sophomore and junior seasons. Lyon also competed with the Omaha Lancers in the United States Hockey League from 2011-13, tallying a 52-36-4 record with a 2.71 goals-against average, a 0.913 save percentage and five shutouts in 98 games. A native of Baudette, Minn., Lyon was a member of Team USA’s bronze-medal entry at the 2015 IIHF World Championship but did not see game action.