In October, the Red Wings purchased Abdelkader's contract. He was in the fifth year of a seven-year deal with the Red Wings that he signed in 2015. According to CapFriendly, Abdelkader would cost $4.25 million against the cap for the balance of his almost $30 million contract. The Red Wings had more than $5 million in space under the cap last season so this wasn't a case of them having to cut someone to make room for Abdelkader.
Abdelkader played all but two games over the past two seasons after joining the team as a free agent in 2015. In 217 career games with the Red Wings, he scored 36 goals and added 42 assists for 78 points.
The 27-year-old Abdelkader was drafted by the Red Wings in the second round (44th overall) in 2009. He spent three years in Detroit before signing with the Florida Panthers as a free agent on July 1, 2012. After one season with the Panthers, Abdelkader returned to the Red Wings as a free agent on July 1, 2013. He won a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 before going to Florida the next season.
Abdelkader has one goal and four points in nine playoff games over two seasons with the Red Wings. He was traded to the New York Rangers in June 2016 in exchange for Derick Brassard and a third-round pick in 2017.
Jimmy Howard agreed to terms with the Detroit Red Wings on a one-year, $5,100,000 deal, with $5,100,000 guaranteed and an annual average salary of $5,100,000. Sign up now to see the remainder of Jimmy Howard's contract breakdowns and have access to all of Spotrac's premium features.
Howard played in his 500th NHL game on February 14, 2019, becoming the third Red Wings goalkeeper to do so, behind Terry Sawchuk and Chris Osgood. He also became the 71st goaltender in NHL history, as well as the eighth American-born goalie to do so. Howard signed a one-year contract extension with the Red Wings on March 20.
Bertuzzi signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Red Wings on October 28, 2020. Bertuzzi featured in just nine regular season games, scoring seven points, during the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season before being declared out for the rest of the season due to a back ailment. The Red Wings failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
Bertuzzi first came into the world spotlight when he was selected third overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He spent eight seasons with the Canuck organization, scoring 102 goals and adding 145 assists for 247 points in 394 games played. In 2002, Bertuzzi joined the Florida Panthers as an unrestricted free agent, spending two seasons with the team before moving to the Red Wings as part of the Mike Modano deal on February 23, 2004. With Detroit, Bertuzzi won the Stanley Cup in 2008 after putting up 16 points in 24 games during the postseason.
After eight seasons with the Red Wings, Bertuzzi opted to continue his career elsewhere after failing to reach agreement on a new contract. On July 1, 2012, he signed a one-year, $500,000 contract with the Calgary Flames. However, after appearing in only six games with no points, Bertuzzi retired from professional hockey.
Now you know everything there is to know about Paul Bertuzzi.
The deal ultimately expires after the 2019-20 season, taking Franzen off the Red Wings' books and freeing up almost $4 million. Henrik Zetterberg, his former Red Wings captain, will have his injury assistance package expire. However, he's expected to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Franzen had one year remaining on a contract signed in 2012. The Red Wings paid him $5 million this past season and have retained the right of first refusal for another year. If Franzen returns, the Red Wings would pay him the same amount.
He has two years left on his original six-year, $47.5 million contract and one year remaining on a seven-year, $56.4 million extension signed in 2009.
Franzen has three goals and eight points in 21 games this season. He's missed 28 games over the last two seasons due to injuries. When he's been able to play, Franzen has averaged nearly 20 minutes per game.
The Red Wings are hoping their decision not to re-sign Franzen this summer will help them move on from one of the most popular players in franchise history.
"It's hard to say what will happen now," general manager Ken Holland said at the time. "We've got some decisions to make.
The Detroit Red Wings selected Abdelkader 42nd overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Abdelkader signed a one-game amateur tryout contract with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League on April 3, 2008, and was scheduled to play that night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, due to an injury to Pavel Datsyuk, Abdelkader instead served as Datsyuk's replacement during the team's playoff game loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Abdelkader played four seasons for the University of Michigan before turning pro. In his final season with the Wolverines, he led all NCAA freshmen in scoring with 76 points (25G, 51A). The Red Wings were impressed enough by his performance that they chose to select him with their first pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He is the third former U-M player to be chosen with the first pick by the Red Wings, following Steve Yzerman in 1989 and Brett Hull in 1996.
Justin Abdelkader was born on January 4th, 1987 in Northville, MI. He grew up in Bloomfield Hills, MI and attended Cranbrook School where he played varsity hockey. As a youth athlete, he played in the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships with the USA national ice hockey team. Abdelkader graduated from Cranbrook School in 2005.
He was ranked second among draft-eligible players by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.
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