The 27-year-old defenseman had eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 66 regular-season games for the Los Angeles Kings last season and did not have a point in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the No. 22 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, Maatta has 136 points (30 goals, 106 assists) in 534 regular-season games for the Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks and Kings, and 27 points (five goals, 22 assists) in 85 playoff games.
"I think it's an exciting time, especially when you look at their team," Maatta said. "They're young, but I think when you see the players they already had before free agency started, now adding a bunch of big pieces, I think that's a great place and it's an exciting time. Everybody knows; you can definitely see it. They're up and coming and they want to be contenders. I think it's a big step there and I want to be a part of it."
RELATED: [2022 NHL Free Agent Tracker]
The Red Wings also signed defenseman
Mark Pysyk
to a one-year, $850,000 contract.
The 30-year-old had 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 68 games with the Buffalo Sabres last season.
Selected by Buffalo with the No. 23 pick of the 2010 NHL Draft, Pysyk has 104 points (28 goals, 76 assists) in 521 games with the Sabres, Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers.
The Red Wings were one of the busier teams in the NHL on Wednesday, the first day of free agency, signing forward David Perron to a
two-year, $9.5 million contract
($4.75 million average annual value); forward Andrew Copp to a
five-year, $28.125 million contract
($5.625 million AAV), defenseman Ben Chiarot to a
four-year, $19 million contract
($4.75 million AAV); and forward Dominik Kubalik to a two-year, $5 million contract ($2.5 million AAV).
NHL.com staff writer Tracey Myers contributed to this report.
