The Daily: Red Wings Fans Say ‘Thanks, Bill Guerin’; Detroit Has $17 Million in Cap Space

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman understood that the romance with Vladimir Tarasenko’s talent wasn’t cancelled by an 11-goal season.

Yzerman didn’t buy out the final year of the Tarasenko $4.75 million contract. Instead, he had the patience to wait for an NHL general manager to see Tarasenko as a six-time 33-plus goals scorer and not the player he was last season. That happened Monday when Minnesota’s Bill Guerin decided to take Tarasenko’s contract for “future considerations.”

This was a clean kill. No Detroit salary retention. No giving the Wild a sweetener to take the player.

Yzerman appreciates the lure of Tarasenko because he said after the season that Tarasenko’s lower-than-expected scoring rate didn’t tell the story of how he was playing.

Tarasenko was getting to the areas he needed to be in to score, but simply wasn’t finishing. The Wild clearly believe Tarasenko can revive his scoring touch. Maybe they will play him with fellow Russian country man Kirill Kaprisov. At the very least, they should get time together on the power play.

Whatever happens in Minnesota, the Red Wings have Tarasenko’s $4.75 million cap hit off their books. The saving paid the salaries of Patrick Kane and Jonatan Berggren.

If the Red Wings bought out Tarasenko, they would have had $1.5 million of dead cap space for this season and next.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

Patrick Kane took an incentive-laden deal to stay with the Red Wings.

Jonatan Berggren agrees to one-year deal worth $1.8 million.

It was Anton Johansson’s decision to play in Sweden this season.

Red Wings Extra

After Detroit’s signing of Patrick Kane, Albert Johansson and Jonatan Berggren, the Red Wings have $17.2 million in salary cap space. The team still needs to sign Elmer Soderblom.

Hockey Now Network

Florida: The can’t-believe-it-got-done re-signings of Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand gives Florida a shot at three-peat. Florida Panthers. 

New Jersey: Now it looks like Cody Class will receive a qualifying offer from the New Jersey Devils 

Philadelphia: William James spells out all of the Flyers’ need going into the start of the free agent signing period. Philadelphia Flyers. 

Vegas: Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo’s career could be over. He’s at least stepping aside this season to concentrate on getting his body back to health. Vegas Golden Knights.