'We targeted specific needs': Yzerman on Red Wings' free-agency strategy

DETROIT -- After reflecting on the Detroit Red Wings' 2023 NHL free-agency acquisitions, Executive Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman is pleased at how the club's roster is shaping up for the 2023-24 season.

"Overall, we targeted specific needs and were able to address those," Yzerman said Monday at Little Caesars Arena. "On each player, very comfortable with the term of all the contracts that we did."

Before free agency began Saturday afternoon, the Red Wings signed center Klim Kostin and re-inked defenseman Gustav Lindstrom and right wing Matt Luff. Since free agency opened, Detroit has signed 10 new players: centers J.T. Compher and Nolan Stevens, left wing Tim Gettinger, right wings Daniel Sprong and Christian Fischer, defensemen Justin Holl, Brogan Rafferty and Shayne Gostisbehere and goalies Alex Lyon and James Reimer.

"Good teams have depth," Yzerman said. "I think we have some depth. We would all love a couple of big-time scorers. Hopefully we'll get that. Again, we'll continue to work to get that."

The NHL's flat salary cap in 2023-24 influenced this year's signing period, as most clubs opted to offer many short-term deals to free agents.

"Not every team, but a lot of teams, are squeezed," Yzerman said. "So trying to get guys on shorter-term deals. For a lot of the players, they're looking at this, potentially, what happens to the cap a year from now? If they couldn't get a deal that they like - one with term that was a good fit - 'Hey, I'll do a shorter-term deal, the cap is gonna go up and I'm gonna go back at it.'"

The longest contract the Red Wings gave out this past weekend was a five-year deal to Compher. According to Yzerman, he felt comfortable agreeing to terms of that length with the 28-year-old forward.

"He's been in the league a long time," Yzerman said. "After five or six years in the league, no one is perfectly healthy. That's the reality. You get bumps and bruises along the way, but at a five-year term, I'm comfortable with that. One, he's a good skater. He has remained relatively healthy. We try to do as much background work as we can on players."

Yzerman also specifically described Sprong's one-year contract with Detroit as "a good-value signing."

"We think he can contribute goal scoring," Yzerman said. "And potentially at a good age that he can continue to grow. I like his scoring ability, size and offensive ability. He fits a real need for us."

And by signing Fischer and Kostin, Yzerman believes the Red Wings will be tougher to play against next season.

"One, they make us a bigger team," Yzerman said. "Klim adds a little bit of a dimension of not only shooting the puck in the net, but hardness. Christian is a real good checker, straight up and down right winger. He'll kill penalties and can check."

While Monday marked just the third day of free agency, Yzerman acknowledged that trade opportunities could still arise this summer, so he will keep an open mind regarding how to further improve Detroit's roster.

"Generally after July 1 and 2, things start to settle down and teams reevaluate where they are and what they need to do," Yzerman said. "For various reasons, [teams] might have to make a move. We've all kind of settled in after July 1 and 2, kind of knowing now where we go from here. We'll explore some other opportunities potentially."

In addition to the Red Wings' free-agent signings, Yzerman announced Monday that Filip Zadina was placed on waivers.

"I'm trying to give him an opportunity to go to an organization if he wants to play more," Yzerman said. "We'll see if that happens."

Zadina, who was Detroit's sixth overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, missed significant time last season due to a lower-body injury and finished with seven points in 30 games. The 23-year-old forward signed a three-year contract with the Red Wings last August.

"I personally like Filip," Yzerman said. "I think there's something there as a hockey player. So if he clears, he's gonna come to Training Camp and he's gotta earn a spot on the team. There's not much more I can do at this stage to help him. He's gotta go out and earn it."