When there are relatively young offensive players like Evan Rodrigues and Sonny Milano struggling to land contracts in unrestricted free agency, the landscape for some more veteran names may be even worse. Not so for Danny DeKeyser, apparently, whose agent Matt Federico told ESPN that they are confident the defenseman will be signed before training camp.
DeKeyser, 32, may have to take a “lower money deal” but Federico points to the success that Jack Johnson had with the Colorado Avalanche this year as an example of what the long-time Detroit Red Wing could offer.
Over a ten-year career, DeKeyser has 547 games played, all of them with the Red Wings. In the most recent season, he recorded 11 points in 59 appearances, while averaging over 18 minutes a night. Pummeled with defensive-zone starts and penalty-killing duties his overall possession stats don’t look strong, but as a veteran depth option there are certainly worse directions a team could go.
Johnson, for example, signed a one-year, $750K deal with the Avalanche last fall, and logged just under 17 minutes a night for the Stanley Cup champions in the regular season. That performance took him to another one-year deal this year (at $950K this time) giving him the chance to continue his career even at age 35.
Now as the calendar turns to September and teams prepare for training camp, there may be some added pressure on any negotiations that are currently happening.
He’d be a good depth add for a contender if he takes league minimum. Issue with DeKeyser has always been his health. I wouldn’t pencil him in as a regular but he’d be a great 7th D-man on a team looking to make a run this year… Carolina, Colorado, Minnesota etc.
Minnesota just gave away a potential 7th defender for nothing, so I don’t think that is very likely. but I get your point. good depth option for a contender or someone a non-contending team easily could flip at the deadline.
Right idea but the Canes already have a lot of depth at defense and will need to manage the cap carefully for when Patches returns.
I’m just assuming they’re still going to flip Ethan Bear. I know Waddell said they look forward to him still developing in Carolina this coming season but I think that’s just posturing on his part.
Big difference between a 7th D making 2.25 million and 750k
He was a good soldier for the Wings, but he’s pretty banged up and is unlikely to be very close to what he once was.
Danny would be a great 6-7 guy in the line-up if healthy. Holland signed this guy for too long a term, like Abby, Neilsen, Ericsson, and Daley. Danny was playing above his ability in the past 3 seasons and suffered for it. He was never really a 1st pairing guy.
He actually looked much better last year for the Wings and I could have seen Wings signing him for a low cost. I was surprised by Wings signing of Olli Maata. They paid 2.5 million for a 3rd pairing type guy with zero offensive upside. Zero. I would have skipped Maata and brought DDK back at 1.25 million.
Danny has about as much offensive upside as Maata but he’s older and banged up. No use beating that old horse any longer