The Detroit Red Wings have continued their gradual push of free agency. The team has already signed a few deals, including bringing in Bobby Ryan. Now, Jon Merrill joins the frame as well. The Red Wings have signed the defenceman to a one-year deal with a cap-hit of $925,000.
D Jon Merrill is going to #RedWings, 1 year x $925,000
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 9, 2020
Jon Merrill Joins Detroit Red Wings
Merrill was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 Expansion Draft, pulling him away from the New Jersey Devils. This came after Merrill had appeared in four seasons with New Jersey, totaling 36 points in 216 games. But, like so many players, Merrill found his groove with Vegas. While he continued his trend as a modest scorer — with 25 points in 140 games as a Golden Knight — Merrill did earn a reputation for being a reliable, bottom-pairing option.
He now moves to a Red Wings defence that needed additions. Detroit fell short of six NHL defencemen, following the departures of a few different players. To adjust for this, they acquired Marc Staal in mid-September. Bringing in Merrill now fulfills the six-defenceman limit.
Merrill will likely serve in a bit of a platooned role for Detroit. This is especially if rookie Mortiz Seider gets a shot on the big stage. Seider is currently on loan to the SHL, allowing him to get some ice time under his belt while the NHL hammers out plans for the 2020-21 season. But when the campaign does get under way, many expect Seider to rival an NHL role. He played in 49 AHL games last season, recording an admirable 22 points. The now 19-year-old defenceman was drafted sixth overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, a pick that surprised many.
With the signing of Merrill, the Red Wings are brought down to roughly $25 million in cap space. It’s clear that general manager Steve Yzerman is playing things aggressively as free agency opens. With so much money to play with, the opportunities are endless for Detroit.
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