Red Wings Free Agency Guide: Top Targets & Projected Contracts

Regardless of how the Dylan Larkin trade request saga sorts out, the Detroit Red Wings have two main objectives this offseason: to score more at five on five and become harder to play against. And while it’s a bit watered down compared to prior years, free agency nonetheless serves as an opportunity to accomplish these goals. 

Before going further, it’s worth pointing out that while the eventual Larkin trade will sting, it won’t prompt the Red Wings to commence on another rebuild. The mandate is year-over-year improvement, and that’s not going to change. The Red Wings want to push for a playoff spot in 2026-27. 

With that being said, here are a handful of free agents the Red Wings should target to accomplish their offseason objectives, plus each player’s projected contract.

Red Wings Free Agent Targets: Five-on-Five Scoring

Again, this is not a stellar free agent class – no superstars are testing the market this year. There are a few options, but none that will drastically move the needle.

1. LW Patrick Kane – One year, $4 million + performance bonuses
2. LW Viktor Arvidsson – Two years, $5.5 million AAV
3. LW Mason Marchment – Four years, $6 million AAV
4. LW Anthony Mantha – Three years, $6.5 million AAV
5. RW Oliver Bjorkstrand – One year, $4 million
6. LW/C Jack Roslovic – Two years, $4 million AAV
7. C Claude Giroux – One year, $5 million

I wasn’t kidding – this year’s free agent market is pretty sparse. That said, I would put Viktor Arvidsson at the top of Detroit’s list this offseason after re-signing Patrick Kane.

The 33-year-old thrived under Todd McLellan in Los Angeles and plays a tenacious game that the Red Wings could benefit from. Ideally, he’s best-suited further down in the lineup, but I can see a world where Arvidsson, Lucas Raymond, and a TBD top-six center combine for a well-balanced attack.

Beyond Arvidsson, Mason Marchment and Anthony Mantha add size to what is an undersized lineup. Marchment plays a more physical game than Mantha, but Mantha has the stronger offensive skill set. Both are complementary pieces, though. They are best-suited as quality third-line forwards that can produce offensively.

Oliver Bjorkstrand is a potential value signing. The highly skilled winger has burned the Red Wings in the past and is coming off of a down year in Tampa Bay, where he was mostly relegated to bottom-six duties. Now 31, Bjorkstand could be amenable to a one-year deal with a team full of opportunity that he could parlay into a larger contract next summer.

Jack Roslovic and Claude Giroux are other options for offensive support. Note that Giroux is ranked last solely based on the likelihood of him re-signing in Ottawa. If he hits the market, then he and Arvidsson would be 1A and 1B options for Detroit (apart from Kane).

Red Wings Free Agent Targets: Difficult to Play Against Forwards

The 2025-26 bottom six wasn’t particularly effective. They didn’t contribute enough offensively, and they did not have a defensive, hard-to-play-against mentality. These targets can help with both aspects.

1. C Scott Laughton – Three years, $5.5 million AAV
2. LW Jaden Schwartz – Two years, $5.5 million AAV
3. LW Michael Bunting – Three years, $6 million AAV
4. RW Kasperi Kapanen – Four years, $4 million AAV
5. LW Michael Eyssimont – Two years, $2.75 million AAV
6. C/LW Kevin Stenlund – Three years, $3 million AAV
7. LW Ilya Mikheyev – Three years, $4 million AAV

Not only do Scott Laughton and Jaden Schwartz possess the skill sets necessary to thrive in bottom-six roles, they also carry strong reputations as leaders. While some may question whether “locker room guys” and their less tangible qualities truly provide value, I’m firmly on the other side of that debate. Detroit lacked effective leadership last season, and it was obvious, especially down the stretch.

Beyond their leadership qualities, Laughton and Schwartz represent clear upgrades in the bottom six. They provide more overall value than departing veterans David Perron and James van Riemsdyk, while also offering more than current roster options such as Michael Rasmussen, J.T. Compher, and Mason Appleton.

Michael Bunting also brings an element Detroit’s lineup is missing. His versatility allows him to move throughout the lineup as needed, while his abrasive, aggravating style makes him difficult for opponents to play against. He consistently finds ways to draw penalties, and creating additional power play opportunities is never a bad thing for the Red Wings.

Lastly, Kasperi Kapanen, Michael Eyssimont, Kevin Stenlund, and Ilya Mikheyev all provide strong defensive value as reliable penalty killers and can make life difficult for opponents at five-on-five. Eyssimont, in particular, posted strong underlying numbers last season and could emerge as an especially intriguing value addition for Detroit.

Backup Goalie

After trading Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth, the Red Wings will need to bring in a backup for John Gibson.

1. Cam Talbot – One year, $2 million
2. Frederik Andersen – One year, $3.5 million
3. Connor Ingram – Two years, $3 million AAV
4. Stuart Skinner – Two years, $4.5 million AAV
5. Daniil Tarasov – One year, $1 million

The easiest thing to do would be to run it back with Cam Talbot given his familiarity with the organization. There are more talented options, though.

Reuniting Frederik Andersen with his former goaltending partner in Anaheim would be the best-case scenario for the Red Wings. Andersen can serve as the 1B to Gibson’s 1A, and the two could split time in order to minimize wear and tear.

Connor Ingram, Stuart Skinner, and Daniil Tarasov could get the job done. Tarasov would be the most cost-effective option if the Red Wings want to spend more elsewhere.

Other Free Agent Targets

There are a few other free agents who would help the Red Wings in one way or another:

1. LW Anders Lee – Two years, $6.5 million AAV
2. C/LW Boone Jenner – Three years, $6 million AAV
3. RW Pavol Regenda – One year, $2 million
4. LW Eeli Tolvanen – Three years, $3.5 million AAV
5. RW Andrei Kuzmenko – One year, $5 million
6. LW Patrik Laine – One year, $2 million

Andres Lee and Boone Jenner check nearly every box Detroit should value. Both bring excellent leadership traits to the table, plus versatility and the ability to help establish an identity in the middle six. Lee could also boost Detroit’s power play, while Jenner can offer physicality, faceoff prowess, and two-way reliability.

In addition, Eeli Tolvanen could be an intriguing fit from a value perspective. Detroit needs more shooting talent, and Tolvanen possesses a dangerous release that could immediately help a team that too often struggled to finish scoring chances. At the right price, he could provide meaningful offensive upside.

Likewise, Pavol Regenda, Andrei Kuzmeko, and/or Patrik Laine could produce positive returns on a short-term, value deal for the Red Wings. 

Final Word

Last season exposed several flaws that can no longer be ignored: a lack of five-on-five scoring depth, an inability to establish a difficult-to-play-against identity, and leadership shortcomings when adversity hit. Free agency alone will not solve every issue, but it provides Detroit with an opportunity to address key weaknesses. If the Red Wings want 2026-27 to end differently, they need more than better players – they need a better overall team.