One free agent every NHL team should sign this offseason

Detroit Red Wings: John Moore, Defenseman

The Detroit Red Wings might be worse off than any other team as far as the salary cap. When not counting Johan Franzen, who’s on long-term injured reserved, the Red Wings still only have about $23 million to work with. Of course, that sounds like a pretty good figure. But factor in that Detroit has five restricted free agents who could be in line for total compensation of $14 million to $15 million, and it doesn’t look so hot.

That includes Center Dylan Larkin who scored 63 points, Andreas Athanasiou who had 16 goals, and Anthony Mantha who had 48 points and 24 goals. That leaves around $8 million to sign a backup goaltender for Jimmy Howard and to resign defenseman Mike Green if they choose. The latter counted $6 million against the cap, and though his spinal surgery might lower that some in free agency, $4 million isn’t out of the question for an All-Star player this past year.

And this is with the idea that the cap even reaches $80 million. Detroit has also missed the postseason the last two years and it hasn’t advanced beyond Round 1 since 2013. So unless the Red Wings make some trades or start cutting bait, it’s going to be difficult for them to sign anyone of significant value.

That said, they do pick sixth overall in the draft. They also have a couple of talented first rounders still waiting in forward Michael Rasmussen and defenseman Dennis Cholowski. The biggest problem is that Detroit handed out so many long-term contracts to players who are now middle to late thirties. Henrik Zetterberg and Frans Nielsen will make a combined $11.5 million through at least 2021. Those two are 37 and 34 respectively. Niklas Kronwall is still making $4.75 million through 2020, and he’s 37. Jonathan Ericsson and Trevor Daley are 34 and have a combined salary of $7.4 million all the way to 2021. It’s also pretty bad in all areas.

John Moore won’t win Detroit a Stanley Cup. Heck, he’s not going to be the reason they get to the playoffs either. But he’s still a young and solid d-man at 27 who can give a decent goal-scoring boost from the blue line (seven goals this season and 12 the year before) while serving 20 or so minutes a game. He’s a former first round pick of the Blue Jackets who’s bounced around the NHL, and his $1.7 million contract isn’t likely to move too far north. The Red Wings should look at going younger on defense the way they’re trying to at forward, as their d-pairs are just about all in their thirties at this point.