from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News,
Defensemen Alex Pietrangelo (St. Louis), Livonia’s Torey Krug (Michigan State/Boston) and Tyson Barrie (Toronto), forwards Taylor Hall (Arizona) and Mike Hoffman (Florida), and goalies Robin Lehner (Vegas) and Braden Holtby (Washington) are among the big names available.
Some of those players will likely find a way to stay with their present teams. But some will hit the market. And the Wings could be one of the teams that benefits.
Few teams will be in better shape than the Wings to take advantage of the constrained market. Long having been riddled with expensive, long-term contracts, those are expiring, giving general manager Steve Yzerman much more financial leeway.
The Wings only have 11 players signed for next season for a cap hit of $46.2 million.
Now, restricted free-agent forwards Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi and Robby Fabbri, among 12 restricted free agents total, will take a bite of the available cap space. But it’s not going to be nearly so severe that the Wings wouldn’t be able to roam the UFA market.
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