The Red Wings are focusing on a long-term contract for restricted free agent forward Dylan Larkin, reports Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. She notes that Detroit’s preference is to sign him to a five-year deal but that they could have to go to six to get a deal done. A five-year term would buy out the remainder of Larkin’s RFA-eligible years but only get rid of one UFA-eligible season which isn’t something teams often try to do. On the other hand, doing that would be a way to get some longer-term stability while keeping the salary cap hit slightly lower which could be quite useful for a team that is once again pegged to be right up against the cap in 2018-19.
Elsewhere out East:
- Still with Detroit, they are looking at adding someone from outside the franchise to their front office, notes Gregg Krupa of The Detroit News. The Red Wings have lost several executives in recent years, including Steve Yzerman, Jim Nill, plus scouts Mark Leach and David Kolb which has left them lacking in certain areas. With former players Jiri Fischer, Dan Cleary, Shawn Horcoff, and Tyler Wright now in key positions, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them try to add someone with some experience.
- While the Penguins have added another center to the fold with the signing of Derek Grant earlier today, GM Jim Rutherford told Josh Yohe of The Athletic (Twitter link) that the move isn’t a precursor to a trade. Instead, it gives them more flexibility. It had been suggested last weekend that Pittsburgh could look at trying Derick Brassard on the wing and move him up in the lineup. With Grant giving them an extra center in the fold, that looks like more of a realistic possibility now.