Red Wings Agree to Two-Year Deal with Smith

The Detroit Red Wings re-signed defenseman Brendan Smith to a two-year deal on Monday. The signing allows the Red Wings and Smith to avoid a potentially disruptive arbitration hearing.

Smith, 24, was Detroit’s first-round draft pick in 2007. A two-year pro, he spent the first half of the 2012-13 season with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins during the NHL lockout but was called up when the lockout ended and spent the remainder of the year with the Red Wings. In 34 games he notched eight assists playing mostly on the second defensive pair with Kyle Quincey.

As per club policy, financial terms of the deal were not announced. Elliotte Friedman of CBC reports that the contract is worth a total of $2.525 million, giving it an annual salary cap hit of $1.265 million.