The Detroit Red Wings have had a somewhat quiet offseason. Beyond adding a starting goaltender in John Gibson, it’s been all quiet in Detroit.
The Red Wings are looking to compete and need all of the help they can get to return to the playoffs. However, the team still has a clear need for more secondary scoring. So, adding a middle-six forward is a must for Detroit.
However, the free agent market suddenly dried up for the Red Wings. The club hoped to have a shot at Nikolaj Ehlers, but that plan fizzled out pretty quickly. Beyond that, the trade market hasn’t yielded many opportunities for the Red Wings.
So, why not pursue a young, talented forward via an offer sheet? That player could be RFA Connor Zary.
Zary is coming off a solid, injury-filled season in which he scored 13 goals in 54 games for the Calgary Flames. He played very well despite missing considerable time with a lower-body injury.
But one has to think that a full, healthy season from Zary could lead to 20-plus goals and perhaps 50 points. Putting Zary on a line with Marco Kasper, and the Red Wings could have the makings of a highly dynamic duo.
The biggest question would be how much the Red Wings would be willing to offer Connor Zary. As it stands, Detroit has over $12 million in cap space. So, an offer sheet in the $5 to $7 million range could be a ballpark for the Red Wings to explore.
Red Wings Would Have to Be Careful with Compensation for Zary Offer Sheet
The Red Wings’ decision on how much to offer Zary could be linked to the compensation tied to the value of said offer sheet.
According to current offer sheet compensation rules, an offer valued between $4.6 and 7.02 million AAV would cost the Red Wings a first and third-round pick. That’s not a bad price for Connor Zary. The Flames would likely demand more in a trade.
However, that compensation is contingent on the Red Wings agreeing to terms with Zary on a deal under $7 million. If the deal went over $7 million but under $9.63 million, the compensation would be a first, second, and third-round pick.
That might be a steep price, especially since Zary is not worth that much at the moment. Nevertheless, the Red Wings could explore a deal slightly above $7 million AAV just to make things interesting for Zary.
Flames May Be Unwilling to Match Offer Sheet
Another wrinkle in this situation could be the Calgary Flames’ willingness to match the offer sheet. Assuming the offer hovered around $7.5 million AAV, the Flames could match it as the club has over $15 million in cap space.
But would the Flames be willing to commit more than half of their remaining cap space on a single contract?
It’s a situation the Flames may be willing to pursue just to keep their most promising player in the fold. Otherwise, the Flames could just take the compensation and utilize it as part of a larger deal to acquire additional pieces.
Red Wings Could Blow Up Offseason with Proposed Offer Sheet