In the hours leading up to NHL free agency, the Detroit Red Wings continued taking care of business with their own pending free agents, signing defenseman Gustav Lindstrom to a one-year, $950,000 contract.
UPDATE: The #RedWings today re-signed defenseman Gustav Lindstrom to a one-year contract with an AAV of $950,000. pic.twitter.com/JavSwJXV3A
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 1, 2023
The deal comes a day after Lindstrom was not given a qualifying offer. As such, he would have become an unrestricted free agent at noon today.
Lindstrom had reportedly been looking for a deal in Europe after playing only 36 games over the 2022-23 campaign with Detroit. After the Red Wings chose not to qualify him to retain his RFA rights, it seemed like he might be heading out of the organization. However, by not qualifying Lindstrom, the Red Wings were able to sign him for $47,500 less than they would have been required to offer him.
It’s a perfectly fine deal, as I see it. Lindstrom is a depth guy making depth guy money. This isn’t the kind of deal that’s going to wreck the Wings’ roster or cap situation.