It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. The sports may be talking about the start of football season. However, hockey is always on the brain at Last Word on Sports. We’re nearing the start of training camps and it’s getting to be crunch time for restricted free agents to sign deals. Some RFAs have gotten their deals done. However, a number of contracts are yet to be finished. The Detroit Red Wings have a number of key RFAs to sign. However, we talk what the landscape may look for a key defenceman in this edition of NHL rumours.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Detroit Red Wings Yet to Sign RFA Blueliner
Rumour: The Athletic’s Max Bultman offered an update on what contract talks look like for the Detroit Red Wings and German defender Moritz Seider. This was in his recent mailbag column.
New Red Wings mailbag, starting with whether (and/or when) there's anything to worry about with the long wait for Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider contracts:https://t.co/0z1ack2rFr
— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) September 3, 2024
Analysis: Seider, Lucas Raymond and Jonatan Berggren are remaining RFAs that have yet to sign. All three players will play a hand on if Detroit can get back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, we’ll focus on Seider in this edition of NHL rumours.
Seider is still without a new deal as we get closer to the start of training camp. There’s no doubt that Red Wings General Manager Steve Yzerman wants to sign Seider. However, it’s a matter of finding the right deal.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in a recent edition of 32 Thoughts said that said is set to get a bigger contract than Raymond. However, Yzerman seemingly has a number in mind and it’s hard to move him from that position.
Not Doing Yzerman Any Faber(s)
An x-factor that’s been thrown into the works is Brock Faber‘s deal with the Minnesota Wild. Faber got an eight-year deal worth $68 million and that may complicate matters.
Bultman mentions that the Faber contract could be at the low-end of what Seider wants. The Calder Trophy runner-up will carry an $8.5 million cap hit once his next deal kicks in in 2025-26.
This might not be the number that Yzerman had in mind when it comes to a cap hit for Detroit. It’ll be hard to move him off the number, but the threat of missing regular season games could make Yzerman move off his position.
There is Hope
The news may sound ominous to Red Wings fans, but there is a ray of light. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period said that both sides are working on a long-term contract.
The deal isn’t done, but the two sides are at least talking. That’s a positive development and things should get done before the season.
Bultman adds that deals for both Seider and Raymond should get taken care of before the start of the season. Detroit has over $17.6 million in cap space with Seider and Raymond gobbling up most of that cap hit.
It’s not panic time as of yet in Hockeytown. However, Red Wings fans won’t be secure until both players are in the fold for the start of the next campaign.
Main photo by: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
