Husso is entering his fourth NHL season after posting a 26-22-7 record, .896 SV%, and 3.11 GAA with Detroit in 2022-23 and will be the Red Wings' opening night starter vs. New Jersey. The 28-year-old is entering his second season in Detroit after signing a three-year, $14.5 million deal in the 2021-22 offseason. He draws the tough first task of New Jersey, who finished 2022-23 fifth in both goals for (289) and shots per game (34.4).
Detroit Red Wings News
Watson was brought into Tampa Bay's training camp on a PTO and has successfully been signed to a one-year, $776,667 contract Monday. The 31-year-old veteran is joining his third NHL team (NSH, OTT) for his 10th career season. He had nine goals, two assists, 123 PIMs and 79 SOG in 75 games played with Ottawa in 2022-23.
Edvinsson made his NHL debut last season, tallying two points (2G / 0A) in nine games with the Red Wings but will begin this year's campaign in the AHL. The former sixth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft will likely see some time in the NHL this season but, barring any injuries, is unlikely to be a regular in the lineup.
The 6'6 Swedish power-forward opened last season with the Red Wings, recording eight points (5G / 3A) in 21 games before playing the remainder of his season in the AHL. Soderblom will look to continue his growth and further adapt to the North American game as he begins his season with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
After an impressive first year in North America, scoring 64 points (21G / 43A) in 70 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL, Berggren became a regular in the lineup for the Red Wings last season where he recorded 28 points (15G / 13A) in 67 games. The talented winger will begin his campaign in the AHL but will likely make his way into the Red Wings roster at some point this season.
Simek suffered a lower-body injury during a preseason game in late-September and is questionable to play in the season opener. Simek has yet to resume skating, which makes it seem unlikely that he'll be in the lineup vs. The Golden Knights next Thursday.
Motte had eight goals, 11 assists, 109 SOG, six PIMs, and a +3 plus/minus across 62 games played with Ottawa and the New York Rangers in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year deal worth $800,000. The 28-year-old center is joining his sixth NHL team after Tampa was able to sign him due to Josh Archibald's contract termination.
Veleno had nine goals, 11 assists, 30 PIMs, 85 SOG, and a -12 plus/minus through 81 games with the Red Wings in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $825,000 extension Wednesday. The 23-year-old was Detroit's 2018 first-round pick (30th overall) and has picked up 18 goals, 36 points, and 166 SOG through 152 career NHL games across three seasons.
Petry was traded to the Canadiens as a part of the Erik Karlsson trade a couple of weeks ago, and 25 percent of his salary was retained then. Detroit getting him with an additional 50 percent retained means he'll come in at $2.344M AAV for the next two seasons. The 35-year-old is a Michigan native and is coming off a 31-point (5G / 26A) season, appearing in just 61 games for the Penguins.
Petry surprisingly returns to Montreal after just one season after being included as part of a three-way trade which saw Erik Karlsson head to Pittsburgh and three players and a 1st-round pick head to San Jose. The 35-year-old defensemen left Montreal for Pittsburgh after eight seasons and had five goals, 26 assists, 113 SOG, 24 PIMs and a +2 plus/minus in 61 games in 2022-23.
Tarsenko had 18 goals, 32 assists, 169 SOG, eight PIMs and a -14 plus/minus through 69 games played with both St. Louis and New York in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $5,000,000 contract with Ottawa. The 31-year-old right-winger will join his third team in his 12th NHL season and has 270 goals, 573 points with 2124 SOG through 675 career games played.
Stevens had 15 goals, 18 assists, 17 PIMs and a +9 plus/minus through 48 games with Utica (AHL) in 2022-23 and has been signed a one-year, two-way contract by Detroit. The 26-year-old centre was drafted in the fifth-round of the 2016 NHL Draft (125th overall) and has yet to make his NHL debut after six AHL seasons.
DeBrincat was reportedly seeking a long-term deal, which Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman was not keen on giving out. The term was likely what held up the trade, which had long been rumoured to be happening. DeBrincat is now signed through the 2027 NHL season and is one of four forwards in Detroit with at least four years on their deals, joining Dylan Larkin, Andrew Copp and J.T. Compher.
DeBrincat was an RFA that had made it known that he was not interested in re-signing with the Senators. After one season, where he scored 27 goals with 39 assists (66 points) in 82 games, DeBrincat was traded to his hometown team, where he immediately becomes their best goal-scorer and a crucial part of the Red Wings' rebuild. DeBrincat is a two-time 40-goal scorer and has averaged 38 goals and 38 assists (76 points) per 82-games over the last three seasons.
Lethemon had a 18-1-3 record, 1.99 GAA and .930 SV% with a the Toledo Walleye (ECHL) and has agreed to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750,000 AAV with Detroit. The 26-year-old netminder was originally signed as an undrafted Free Agent in 2020-21 after finishing four years at Michigan State University (NCAA) and has yet to make his NHL debut having jumped back and forth from the AHL and ECHL.
Lagesson had 10 goals, 22 assists, 46 PIMs and a +14 plus/minus through 65 games last season with the Chicago Wolves (AHL) and will join Toronto on a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000. The 27-year-old defenseman failed to see any NHL playing time in 2022-23 but still brings 60 games of experience as well as seven career assists to the Maple Leafs.
Fischer had 13 goals, 14 assists, 122 SOG, 20 PIMs and a -7 plus/minus through 80 games with Arizona in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $1,125,000 contact. The 26-year-old right-winger joins Detroit after seven seasons in Arizona where he had 56 goals, 111 points, 97 PIMs and 608 SOG through 398 career NHL games.
Rafferty had nine goals, 42 assists, 42 PIMs and a +28 plus/minus through 72 games with Coachella Valley (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV with Detroit. The 28-year-old undrafted defensemen has appeared in three career NHL games and has an assist and -2 plus/minus rating.
Oettinger had 13 goals, 22 assists, 26 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus through 52 games with Hartford (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 with Detroit. The 25-year-old left-winger played scarcely across four seasons in New York picking up one assist and 10 SOG through 16 career NHL games played.