Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland had a long list of tasks to complete entering this offseason, but after reportedly signing goaltender Petr Mrazek to a two-year, $8-million contract Wednesday, it seems as though Holland has ticked off all the boxes.
Signing Mrazek was a necessity for Holland and the Red Wings, and although the two sides reached a settlement before reaching arbitration, Detroit is facing a problem, currently sitting above the salary cap line of $73 million.
According to General Fanager, the Red Wings carry a cap hit of $77,867,042, but Holland doesn't foresee it being an issue once the season begins.
Holland explained his approach is based on forwards Johan Franzen and Joe Vitale - who was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes in the Pavel Datsyuk deal - being unable to play this season because of concussion issues.
"Certainly we have no expectations that Franzen and Vitale are playing hockey this year," Holland told Brendan Savage of Mlive.com. "I talked to Vitale after we traded (for) him. He's having ongoing issues with concussion. He's certainly not expecting to be in camp. I'm not expecting Johan Franzen on the ice.
"I think realistically, when it's all said and done, we're probably a little over the cap. What's a little? Probably a million dollars or just a little bit less over the cap if you don't count Vitale and Franzen."
Along with extending Mrazek's tenure in Detroit, Holland has re-signed Danny DeKeyser, Luke Glendening, Teemu Pulkkinen, and Darren Helm, while adding Steve Ott, Thomas Vanek, and Frans Nielsen through free agency.
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