It’s nearly August, and the Detroit Red Wings still haven’t signed three restricted free agents: defenseman Moritz Seider or forwards Lucas Raymond and Jonatan Berggren.
Don’t panic. There’s plenty of time left this offseason to iron out contracts. At the same time, be wary. As these players continue to sit without new contracts, their bargaining power increases as the season nears. Detroit is only going to have to pay them more as the season nears, and this could cause problems for a Red Wings team that’s prepared to be pressed against the salary cap.
So when can fans expect Detroit to sign their three restricted free agents? Here’s a breakdown of the important dates and milestones.
Mid-September: Training Camp
In all likelihood, the Red Wings and their RFAs want to get negotiations done before training camp. This ensures a seamless transition into next season alongside new teammates, whereas a holdout can force a player to jump onto a moving train, so to speak.
Held in Traverse City, Detroit Red Wings training camp traditionally starts the Thursday after the conclusion of the annual NHL Prospects Tournament. As first reported by Sean Shapiro of Elite Prospects, that event is scheduled for Sept. 14 and 15. So, that would mean that training camp should start Sept. 19. That date hasn’t been officially announced, and it could be different this season given that this year’s prospects tournament only features the Dallas Stars and Detroit Red Wings, but the date will probably be around Sept. 19.
The Stars-Red Wings Traverse City prospect games will be Sept 14-15
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) July 23, 2024
As of publication, a Sept. 19 start date leaves 54 days for the Red Wings to sign their restricted free agents. Again, that’s a whole lot of time left to get a deal done, and general manager Steve Yzerman will probably use a lot of it given he isn’t someone who negotiates with unnecessary urgency.
Training camp isn’t a hard deadline for the RFAs to sign. If there are any players who can join the team late and still be effective, its No. 1 defenseman Seider and last season’s leading scorer Raymond are probably among them. But in all likelihood, Detroit and the RFAs don’t want to tempt fate and see what that could look like.
December 1: RFA Signing Deadline
If the Red Wings can’t sign their RFAs before 5 p.m. on Dec. 1, then the unsigned players cannot play in the 2024-25 season. This is the absolute deadline for signing a free agent, and a lack…