from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

Yzerman is trying to balance stoking the rebuild with improving the current team, and Leddy checks that latter box because of his experience and his offensive instincts. He's in the last year of a contract with a $5.5 million salary cap hit, and with 121 playoff games to his credit, he's likely to attract offers at next season’s trade deadline — so he could also ultimately benefit the future.

As it stands now, the Wings’ top-four defense corp next season shapes up to be Seider, Leddy, Filip Hronek and Danny DeKeyser. The Wings made DeKeyser available in the expansion draft, but the Seattle Kraken will be eyeing either Troy Stecher, a 27-year-old right-shot with a $1.7 million salary cap hit, or Dennis Cholowski, a 23-year-old former first-round pick whose development has disappointed.

In addition to the phone call from Yzerman — “it was all positive things,” Leddy said —Wings captain Dylan Larkin texted to welcome Leddy, as did Frans Nielsen and Thomas Greiss, his former teammates with the Islanders. The messages were similar: “Nothing but great things about the organization,” Leddy said.

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