Detroit has added some defensive depth on day one of free agency. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports (Twitter link) that the Red Wings will sign defenseman Patrik Nemeth to a two-year contract. The deal will carry a $3MM average annual value, giving Nemeth a nice little raise on the $2.5MM he earned in 2018-19.
Nemeth is coming off of a bit of a down season with Colorado. After being a top-four defender in 2017-18, he saw his average ice time drop by more than three minutes a game to 16:29 per night as he was more of a fixture on their third pairing.
The 27-year-old won’t provide Detroit with a lot of offense – he has just four goals in 250 career games – but he’ll give them some help in the shot-blocking department. Over his two years with the Avalanche, Nemeth averaged more than two shot blocks per game and added some physicality last season, averaging 1.85 hits per contest. With Niklas Kronwall’s future with the Red Wings being uncertain, Nemeth will serve as an insurance policy heading into next season.
will be an awkward 1st day considering he concussed larkin and mantha missed a month fighting him over it.