The Detroit Red Wings didn’t waste any time after the free agency bell rang on July 1. They signed Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year deal, then turned around and grabbed some muscle from the Western Conference. Keegan Kolesar is headed to Detroit. The Red Wings gave up a third-round pick in 2029 and a seventh-rounder in 2027 to get him, per TSN’s Darren Dreger.
Kolesar is not the kind of guy who’s going to light it up on the scoresheet. In 439 regular-season games, he’s got 44 goals and 120 points. Playoff hockey? Even quieter — 11 points in 77 games. But that’s not why Detroit wanted him.
The guy hits. A lot. Over 200 hits in each of his full seasons. He played a pure checking role for Vegas, the kind of guy you send out to make life miserable for the other team’s skilled players. That’s the exact vibe Steve Yzerman seems to be collecting this offseason.
What Kolesar Actually Brings
He came into the league through the Columbus Blue Jackets organization but ended up with the Golden Knights via the expansion draft. Debuted in 2019-20, became a full-timer the next year, and has been a staple of their fourth line ever since. He’s not going to wow anyone with finesse, but he’ll punish you on the forecheck and kill penalties. Detroit’s been missing that kind of edge.
The Red Wings have been stuck in a rebuilding loop for what feels like forever. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2016. That’s a long drought. Adding a guy like Kolesar is a clear signal that Yzerman thinks the roster is close enough to start adding role players who can survive a seven-game series.
The Cap Situation and the Larkin Factor
Kolesar is due $2.5 million this year and next. That’s not nothing for a fourth-liner, but it’s manageable. The interesting subplot here is Vegas. They’ve been one of the teams linked to Dylan Larkin, who reportedly asked for a trade. Kolesar’s salary coming off the books might be part of a bigger plan. The Golden Knights were on Larkin’s short list, but nothing has materialized yet. Could this be cap-clearing for something bigger? The team hasn’t confirmed anything, but the timing is awfully convenient.
Detroit’s been active. Yzerman signed Arvidsson, brought in Kolesar, and the buzz around Larkin’s situation keeps simmering. Whether that’s enough to finally break the playoff drought remains to be seen. But at least the Red Wings look like they’re trying to build a team that won’t get pushed around.
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