Steve Yzerman’s offseason checklist should be done now.
The Red Wings announced Friday afternoon that Filip Zadina has signed a three-year contract extension with an AAV of $1.825 million:
The 22-year-old winger posted 24 points (10-14—24) in 74 games last season. His production has been somewhat of a tumultuous topic for Red Wings fans — some have been unhappy with the former first-rounder’s scoring, while others have pointed to his on-ice deployment during the Jeff Blashill era.
Zadina’s new contract ends one year shy of him being UFA, and at a cap-hit south of $2 million per season, it’s a bridge deal that’s easily digestible for both sides.
Here is the contract breakdown, via CapFriendly:
Filip Zadina – #DET
$1.825M x 3Contract Breakdown:
Yr 1: $915k
Yr 2: $1.83M
Yr 3: $2.73MHe will be an arb-eligible RFA when the contract expires with a qualifying offer of $2.19Mhttps://t.co/T9QavLmeWT
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) August 26, 2022
The Spin
He’s 22 years old, not even near his prime yet. I know many have written him off, but regardless of what you think of him as a player, he still has a high ceiling and plenty of growth opportunity. The team has a new coaching regime, so perhaps a new system will help expedite his development at the pro level.
With better linemates and some more time on special teams, I truly think that Zadina can flourish as a scorer and playmaker. It’s not entirely clear what Derek Lalonde will do with his lineup, but this could be much-needed fresh start.