Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings Shop Bargain Basement For UFAs
van Riemsdyk scored 16 goals last season

Perhaps the way July 1 goes now for the Detroit Red Wings is a sign of where the franchise is viewed in NHL circles. Some teams shop for UFAs at Tiffany’s. The past couple of years, the Red Wings have been opting to make additions from the thrift store.
As the first day to sign NHL UFAs was coming to a close, the Red Wings were adding four players. To put it politely, none among the group were moving the needle of excitement in the proper direction amidst the club’s fanbase.
The list of new Red Wings includes veteran left-wingers James van Riemsdyk and John Leonard, and defensemen Jacob Bernard-Docker and Ian Mitchell.
Of the four, van Riemsdyk is definitely the most intriguing. He didn’t cost much, getting $1 million on a one-year deal.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have signed James van Riemsdyk to a one-year contract with a $1,000,000 cap hit. pic.twitter.com/I7XMSvRlYe
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 1, 2025
Sure, you can make the argument that van Riemsdyk could be this season’s Vladimir Tarasenko – a once-mighty goal scorer who’s lost his touch around the net. Except the flaw in that argument is that he was enjoying a bit of a bounce back campaign last season. The 36-year-old forward, a seven-time 20-goal scorer as an NHLer, was netting 16 goals for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Certainly, van Riemsdyk will give the Red Wings a sterling net-front presence on the power play. If he does that, skates on the third line, plays a heavy game and posts 15-16 goals again, it’s a wise investment.
What it isn’t is a major upgrade for a team that is definitely in need of one. At this juncture of his career, van Riemsdyk is a solid complimentary piece.
Red Wings Know Bernard-Docker Well
Over the years, the Red Wings have certainly seen their fair share of Bernard-Docker’s work. He’s spent his entire NHL career in the Atlantic Division with the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres. The Senators took him 26th overall in the first round of the 2018 NHL entry draft.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have signed Jacob Bernard-Docker to a one-year contract with an AAV of $875,000. pic.twitter.com/SrFmZhlrxk
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 1, 2025
Bernard-Docker, 25, got a one-year pact for $875,000. He grades out to be a likely third-pairing defender. He’s never been averaging more than 16:35 per game in ice time in any season of his NHL career. He also won’t be injecting any offense into the Detroit rearguard. Bernard-Docker’s best NHL single-season outputs are four goals and 14 points.
The scouting report on Bernard-Docker is that he’s very mobile with a heavy shot. On the downside, his defensive zone coverage and positional play leave something to be desired.
Mitchell, Leonard Likely Heading To Griffins
Mitchell, 26, was the 57th overall selection of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2017 draft. He signed a one-year, one-way deal worth $775,000. Mitchell became a UFA when the Bruins were opting not to present him with a qualifying offer.
Since turning pro in 2021, he’s spent at least part of every season in the AHL. Mitchell has never played more than 39 games in any NHL campaign. Last season, he was up for 15 games with the Boston Bruins, spending 43 AHL games with the Providence Bruins.
That’s likely where he’ll be playing again next season, only with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Always a solid AHL performer, the six foot, 192-pound, Mitchell could be the new Brogan Rafferty in GR. He accounted for 11 goals and 35 points with the AHL Rockford IceHogs in 2021-22.
Leonard, who also got a one-year, one-way $775,000 pact, was accounting for a career-high 36 goals last season with the AHL Charlotte Checkers. He’d add another eight tallies as Charlotte was making a run to the Calder Cup final.
In 70 NHL games with San Jose, Nashville and Arizona, Leonard has scored six goals.
Petry to Cup Champs
The first member of last season’s Red Wings to find a new team on July 1 was defenseman Jeff Petry. He was signing a one-year deal with the two-time Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Petry will be getting the league minimum of $800,000.
Later in the day, goaltender Alex Lyon was agreeing to terms on a two-year pact with the Buffalo Sabres featuring an AAV of $1.5 million.