Red Wings Rumors: 6 Players Detroit Could Still Sign As Free Agents

The Detroit Red Wings are one team that was on the outside looking into the playoffs last season that has to do more this offseason. The team has over $15 million in projected cap space and could get even more if they buy Justin Holl out of the final year of his deal. The team wasn’t good enough to make the postseason in 2024-25 or the eight seasons prior to that. It is past due that the Red Wings are competitive again.

With other teams getting better, it’s tough for Detroit to sit there and do so little. John Gibson was acquired as “an upgrade” to Petr Mrazek, Patrick Kane was re-signed again, and James van Riemsdyk was signed. Even though the free agency class wasn’t great, they can still find more value and definitely should now that prices might be dropping for many of the players.

Tony Wolak revealed the list of players to watch for the Red Wings today and it includes Nikolaj Ehlers, Anthony Beauvillier, Mason Appleton, Jack Roslovic, Gustav Nyquist, and Brent Burns.

Ehlers would be huge for Detroit and actually push the team forward from where they were last season. It would give them a legitimate top-6 player who can score 60+ points to be a part of that core. The rest, just like how free agency was this season, are smaller pieces. But if the Red Wings really want someone, they are in a better place to offer a bigger contract due to the cap space.

Roslovic and Beauvillier could be sneaky additions for the third line on 1-2 year deals. Roslovic had 22 goals and 39 points while Beauvillier put up 15 goals and 25 points. Both their ceilings could extend to the 20-goal, 45-point marks and be a solid depth piece.

Appleton and Nyquist are certainly bottom-6 pieces that maybe Detroit grabs if they miss out on some others. With all of the cap room, it’s not a bad idea to have better options to swap in and out or to have if there are injuries.

Burns is an intriguing one, but not one out of left field at all. I don’t think Axel Sandin Pellikka will start the season with the Red Wings and I expect Holl to be bought out. Burns has played top-4 minutes his entire career and still has game at 40 years old, averaging 21 minutes per night, recording 29 points, and 98 hits. Burns on a one-year deal makes sense since the Red Wings need right-shot d-men.