Steve Yzerman’s offseason checklist is complete.
It was announced early Tuesday that the Red Wings had signed RFA forward Givani Smith to a two-year contract extension. What remained unclear for several hours was how much that contract would be valued at. Our friends at CapFriendly leaked those details:
Givani Smith #RedWings
2 year / 1 way contract
$750,000 AAV2021-22: $750,000
2022-23: $750,000Smith will be an RFA with Arb rights when his new deal expires in 2023.https://t.co/eilrSvtOPc
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) September 14, 2021
Smith didn’t get nearly enough playing time last season, I think most Red Wings fans can agree with that. Now that he has this new deal, he gets NHL money and a couple more seasons to develop at the highest level possible. In 16 games this season, he put up 4 points, which isn’t too bad for a bottom-six grinder like Givani Smith. At 23, he still has a lot more to grow as a player and while we’re not certain how his offense will develop, we know that he’s mean as hell on the ice and will provide some muscle to the lineup.
The Red Wings selected Givani Smith at no. 46 in the 2016 NHL Draft.
