Yzerman Does’t Foresee Offer Sheets In Red Wings Future

The Detroit Red Wings are again watching other teams perform in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

For instance, the St. Louis Blues will be facing the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday in Game 7 of their NHL Western Conference opening-round playoff series.

Two key elements for the Blues this season have been forward Dylan Holloway and defenseman Philip Broberg. Holloway finished second on the team with 26 goals. Broberg tallied eight goals while accounting for 29 points.

St. Louis was scooping up both players from the Edmonton Oilers as restricted free agents by presenting each with an offer sheet that the Oilers were declining to match.

The Blues were playoff absentees a year ago. Does this development make an offer sheet to an RFA or multiple RFAs something that Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman might be considering in order to change the fortunes of his club?

No, not really.

Red Wings Yzerman No Fan Of Offer Sheets

“Well, I think, I think in general, I’ve never really ever considered one because usually you never get a player,” Yzerman said. “St. Louis got two last year and it turned out to be two guys that are really helping them. Good for for the St. Louis Blues. It turned out to be a great move.”

Yzerman went to further explain why he believes offer sheets are simply bad business in the long term. Teams generally end up paying the RFA more than he’d actually be worth on the open market. By doing so, it throw a team’s salary cap out of whack, because other players are also going to want more money when their contracts are up.

Ultimately, it can be short-term gain for long-term pain.

“So, I say, maybe I take a different position,” Yzerman reasoned. “Mine has always been with the Group One (free agents), in order to get the player, you got to pay him so much. You never end up getting a player.

“Two, you end up screwing up your own internal payroll and overpaying players. And it just is upsetting to the staff.”

At the same time, Yzerman willingly admits that right now, the decision to offer sheet these players is looking like a home run for the Blues.

“You had a team (Edmonton) in a vulnerable position and they (St. Louis) were able to take a swing at it and it worked, or take advantage of it, so to speak,” Yzerman said.

“Then is it something to consider?” he asked rhetorically. “Yeah. Do I see us doing it? Probably not.”

The Detroit GM saw another reason why offer sheets are unlikely to happen this offseason, The cap is increasing.

“I’m not sure how many teams there are really in that vulnerable spot,” he said. “But I got to think you have to have reason to believe you’re going to get the player when you do the deal. Otherwise it doesn’t make sense to do it.

“I’m certainly open to it, but I wouldn’t expect a whole lot.”