Zadina signs 1-year, $1.1 million contract with Sharks

Filip Zadina signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the San Jose Sharks on Monday.

The 23-year-old had seven points (three goals, four assists) in 30 games for the Detroit Red Wings last season, and one goal in two games with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League.

Zadina had been placed on waivers by the Red Wings on July 3 and subsequently had the final two seasons of his three-year, $5.475 million contract ($1.825 million average annual value) terminated.

"I'd been talking about that decision with my agents for quite a bit of time because I just wanted to have a fresh start," Zadina said Tuesday. "The last couple of seasons in Detroit, I was hurt all the time and I wasn't really playing because I was trying to get back on track with my conditioning, my strength and everything when I was out and I wasn't playing. And it kept happening again and again, and it was tough mentally. It was tough for me to start from the bottom almost every season, so I would rather go somewhere else to get the opportunity and prove to myself that I'm still as good of a player as I used to be."

A phone conversation with Sharks coach David Quinn convinced Zadina he would get that chance in San Jose.

"We talked about what kind of opportunities I would get after I earn it and if I earn it, and I believe I'm ready to earn that opportunity that he's providing me," Zadina said.

General manager Steve Yzerman said he had attempted to trade Zadina, and after he went unclaimed on waivers, the contract termination was chosen as the best option by Zadina and the Red Wings.

"He wanted a fresh start," Yzerman said Monday. "I tried to trade, we put him on waivers, couldn't move him. This was the only way to get him a fresh start. So I really respect him for making this decision. He's not a dumb person, he knows what he's giving up. But his career is more important than the dollars. I wish him well, I really do."

Zadina was selected by the Red Wings in the first round (No. 6) of the 2018 NHL Draft. He had 68 points (28 goals, 40 assists) in 190 games.

Yzerman said the space under the salary cap saved from terminating Zadina's contract in part enabled them to sign forward Alex DeBrincat to a

after acquiring him in a trade with the Ottawa Senators earlier Monday.

"That's a positive," Yzerman said. "Going back to it, when we signed Filip a year ago, the feeling was he's going to get better and continue to play a bigger role. Mostly through injury this year that didn't happen. I'd rather have [$1.8 million] in cap space then potentially a player playing in the American Hockey League. Filip wanted a fresh start, he's able to do that, good for him, and we were able to put not only the cap space but the actual dollars into other things."

NHL.com columnist Nick Cotsonika and independent correspondents Chelena Goldman and Dave Hogg contributed to this report