Red Wings open free agency with key signings

DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman has proven he knows how to rebuild an NHL franchise, and Yzerman continued that plan with key signings on the first day of 2021-22 free agency.
The Red Wings signed defenseman and Dearborn Heights, Mich. native Jordan Oesterle, center Pius Suter and re-signed center Sam Gagner on Wednesday, as Yzerman continues bolstering Detroit's lineup with versatile, smart players.
The signing was a homecoming for Oesterle, who grew up less than 20 miles from Joe Louis Arena and had Red Wings season tickets with his family as a child, idolizing players like Yzerman, Nick Lidstrom and Darren McCarty.

"It's a place where I can come back home," Oesterle said after signing a two-year deal with Detroit. "It's obviously something I've dreamed about since I was a little kid, having season tickets to Joe Louis. I have a lot of fond memories going to those games. I can't be more excited and happier to be coming back and playing for this organization."

After playing alongside Danny DeKeyser at Western Michigan University, Oesterle signed with the Edmonton Oilers as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He made his NHL debut with the Oilers on Feb. 21, 2015 and played sporadically for Edmonton throughout three seasons.
Oesterle signed a free-agent deal with the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2017 and played his first full NHL season in 2017-18 before being traded to the Arizona Coyotes to start the 2018-19 campaign.
The defenseman earned a full-time role the last three years in Arizona, compiling 44 points (10-34-44) in 172 games, including 11 points in 43 games last season.
Oesterle knows the kind of defensemen that Yzerman is looking for, and said he thinks he can fit in well in Detroit's system.
"(I'm) just a very well-rounded two-way defenseman," Oesterle said. "I think I've really grown a lot defensively over the three years in Arizona. In the defensive zone and then getting up and being that fourth man up the ice and creating that extra attack."
After bolstering the blue line with Oesterle, the Red Wings agreed to terms with the 25-year-old Suter on a two-year deal.
Before playing in the NHL, Suter spent five seasons in his home country of Switzerland, tallying 173 points (83-90-173) and a plus-69 rating in 216 games with the National League's ZSC Lions from 2015-20. After earning MVP honors in 2020, Suter was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Blackhawks before the 2020-21 campaign.

Suter said he grew immensely during his five years in the Swiss league, gaining experience and honing his craft.
"One thing was to grow as a player and then at some point, get the opportunities," Suter said. "It was more experience, take it in, learn from it and see what I have to do better. And then it was just about getting the opportunity to get a foot in and show yourself."
In his rookie season, Suter definitely showed himself, earning 27 points (14-13-27) in 55 games for the Blackhawks, finishing fourth on the club in goals and points. Despite ranking in the top six for Chicago in goals, assists, points, game-winning goals, shots and blocked shots, the Blackhawks didn't make Suter a qualifying offer, allowing him to become a free agent.
Suter had success against the Red Wings last season, earning a hat trick (his first three NHL goals) against Detroit on Jan. 24, but said the Wings were not an easy team to play against.
"For me, it worked out well to play against them. Sorry about that," Suter said with a smile. "(But) it was a good team. They have a lot of quick guys. As the season went on, they won more and more and proved they had some really good players."
Before playing in the Swiss National League, Suter spent two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League's Guelph Storm, playing alongside Tyler Bertuzzi and Robby Fabbri from 2013-15.

Suter earned 96 points (52-44-96) and a plus-41 rating in 127 games for the Storm and helped the club win an OHL championship in 2014.
Suter said he's happy to have some familiarity in the dressing room as he joins his new club this season.
"It's surely exciting. It's always nice to know people," he said about reuniting with Bertuzzi and Fabbri. "(We) played against each other last year. It's for sure nice, and this brings back some good memories from junior."
The center said he's happy to join the Red Wings, but as a young NHL player, he knows he still has a lot to prove to Detroit's coaching staff and the rest of the league as he continues developing.
"I have to prove myself. So it's definitely a goal in mind," Suter said about attempting to become a second-line center in Detroit. "I try to score and grow as the team grows, grow as a player, too. So we can win more games and it's kind of a mutual benefit."

Signing Sam

Before free agency officially began Wednesday, the Red Wings re-signed Gagner, who was set to become an unrestricted free agent.
The 31-year-old center was traded to Detroit in February 2020 and earned 15 points (7-8-15) in 42 games for the Wings last season.
Gagner said he loves Detroit's team chemistry and he's ecstatic to be back with the organization.
"From the end of the season until now, it was my thought process to hopefully be back with the Wings, and (I'm) really excited to get it done," Gagner said after re-signing on Wednesday morning. "I think we have a really close group. Guys got along really well and it was something I wanted to be a part of. I'm really looking forward to getting next season started already."

The 14-year NHL veteran said he liked what Detroit accomplished last season and he looks forward to his role as an experienced veteran as the club looks to get back into playoff contention in 2021-22.
"When you're going through something like that as an organization, you need veteran players that can help lead the way," he said. "I know I still have a lot of game left. I kind of found myself in a new role last year that I really enjoyed. I'm just looking forward to getting back there and helping the team grow in any way I can."