On the heels of notching his fifth goal of the season, the Red Wings announced a two-year extension for defenseman Olli Maatta:
UPDATE: The #RedWings today signed defenseman Olli Maatta to a two-year contract extension. pic.twitter.com/t8EOMwhiPK
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 16, 2023
The extension is worth $6 million, with an AAV for $3 million.
Maatta, who turns 29 this summer, was part of Steve Yzerman’s free-agent signing frenzy over the offseason. The former first-round pick has been a solid piece of Detroit’s defensive backbone this season, with 17 points (5-12—17) and a +5 rating through 49 games.
There was some speculation among fans that Maatta would be an enticing asset come the NHL’s trade deadline, but this two-year extension should put that on ice, at least for now. The Finnish rearguard has been a nice accent for defensive partner Filip Hronek on Detroit’s second pairing.
The Red Wings are back to work in Calgary Thursday night.
