Detroit Red Wings Wrap Up Busy First Day of Free Agency

“It’s a fresh start. It’s a new chapter and I’m just excited to come in and prove myself,” Gibson said of the move. Seen by some as the top goaltender on the current free agent crop, Gibson had a record of 11-11-2 in 29 games for the Ducks during the 2024-25 season, with a 2.77 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. Cam Talbot, who is about to turn 38 years old, will be the backup goaltender for the Red Wings as of now.

In a press conference after the NHL draft, general manager of the Red Wings Steve Yzerman warned the fanbase that the team would not be very active in the free agency market, instead focusing on the trade market. This is the same tone that Yzerman struck when trading many 2025 draft picks to get extra draft assets for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The pressure is on for Yzerman to get the Red Wings back to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Yzerman continues to search for a true number-one goalie. The team currently has five goalies under contract. All these goalies are working their way through the Red Wings’ system and may or may not pan out. Sebastian Cossa, drafted 15^th overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, is arguably the most highly touted goaltender prospect in the Red Wings’ system and had a record of 21-15-6 in 41 games played for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL during the 2024-25 season.

The Red Wings filled out most of their roster by re-signing free agents on the eve of free agency. Patrick Kane signed a one-year contract with the team. The average annual value of the contract is $3 million. These two sides were always going to end up coming back together despite rumors to the contrary. Beyond that, the Red Wings improved their bottom-six forward group with the signing of veteran left-winger James van Riemsdyk. At 36 years old, van Riemsdyk will be a mentor to the younger players on the Red Wings while also adding sandpaper to the lineup.

Winger Jonatan Berggren signed a one-year deal on the eve of free agency. This is seen as a “prove it” deal for Berggren, who struggled at times during the 2024-25 season. In 75 games played, Berggren scored 12 goals and added 12 assists for the Red Wings.

Just because a team did not sign a player on day one of free agency does not mean that a deal can’t get done in the future. The Red Wings did improve their goaltending corps and the bottom six of their forward group. It remains up to the rest of the team to get the Red Wings franchise back to the Stanley Cup playoffs.