DETROIT, MICH — The Red Wings have signed restricted free agent defenseman Brendan Smith on a two-year, $5.5 million deal. Smith will make $2.75 million AAV.
Wings have signed defenseman Brendan Smith to a two-year deal worth $2.75 million per season.
— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) June 30, 2015
Detroit will now have Xavier Ouellet, and Alexey Marchenko as the odd men out.. So if they are meaning to get them into the lineup, it will have to happen via trade or a player going on waivers. Smith’s salary is a massive overpayment, in my opinion. He hasn’t done much to deserve that large of a raise.
Update on the breakdown of Smith’s contract from LeBrun:
New deal will pay Brendan Smith $2.25 M next season and $3.25 M in 2016-17 for a $2.75 aav
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) June 30, 2015
On top of the Smith news, Khan has let out a little tidbit that the Red Wings are still considering a buyout for Stephen Weiss‘ contract:
Wings still considering buying out Stephen Weiss. They have until 5 p.m. today. He didn’t require waivers due to his no-movement clause.
— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) June 30, 2015
More from the Red Wings organization:
DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today announced that they have re-signed defenseman Brendan Smith to a two-year contract. In accordance with club policy, additional details will not be disclosed.
Smith, 26, has played in a total of 195 games for the Red Wings in the past four seasons, recording 10 goals, 37 assists and 185 penalty minutes. The blueliner has also skated in 24 NHL playoff games for the Red Wings over the past three years, tallying two goals and three assists. Last year, Smith suited up in a career-high 76 games for Detroit and posted 13 points (4-9-13), along with 68 penalty minutes for the second-straight year.
Selected by the Red Wings in the first round (27th overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Smith started his professional career with the Grand Rapids Griffins, logging a total of 152 games between three seasons in Grand Rapids and recording 86 points (27-59-86). During his rookie campaign with the Griffins (2010-11), Smith posted 32 points (12-20-32), finishing the season with the third-highest point total in franchise history for a first-year defenseman.
Prior to turning pro, Smith was a standout at the University of Wisconsin, totaling 87 points (26-61-87) in three seasons (2007-10) from the blueline. During his junior year at Wisconsin, Smith led all NCAA defensemen with 15 goals and 37 assists in 42 games en route to winning the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year award and being named a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. The Mimico, Ontario, native also played two seasons in the OPJHL with the St. Michael’s Buzzers where he recorded 68 points (20-48-68) in 99 games.
