Red Wings sign Trevor Daley at start of free agency

Photo by Andie Wojciak/MiHockey

 

By @MichaelCaples –

The Red Wings weren’t expected to make a splash in free agency, but they are adding depth to their blue line at the start of free agency.

Detroit has landed defenseman Trevor Daley.

“We had good talks with them going in – I’ve always been a fan of what they’re doing there,” Daley said on NHL Network. “They’re an amazing hockey team that has been good for so long. They had a little bit of a setback last year; I know they’re willing and ready to go to get back to where they should be.”

The deal is for three years at just over a $3 million cap hit per season.

Daley, a 33-year-old native of Toronto, played a substantial role in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ back-to-back Stanley Cup championships after being acquired in a trade halfway through the 2015-16 season from Chicago.

He has played in 894 career games over the course of 13 seasons, and he has recorded a total of 278 points.

Originally a Dallas second-round pick in 2002, Daley spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Stars franchise.

The Hockey News’ scouting report on Daley:

Owns outstanding mobility and durability. Has tremendous athleticism and solid all-around ability. Is a dedicated worker and solid team player. Can log huge minutes.

The flaw, according to the same site:

Since he’s a little undersized, he can struggle when up against big forwards in front of the net. Can at times make bad decisions with the puck in the defensive zone.

Daley is listed at 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, so yes, he won’t be a big, bruising defenseman on the Wings’ blue line. However, any kind of puck-moving defenseman can help Detroit at this point, as they wait for skilled youngsters like Vili Saarijarvi and Filip Hronek to progress through the system.