That the Detroit Red Wings still have around $8 million in salary cap space has something to do with what Steve Yzerman told one of his former players earlier this summer.
Locking up newcomer Alex DeBrincat through 2026-27 on a deal with a $7,875,000 annual average value still leaves the Wings flexibility, thanks partly to terminating the contract of Filip Zadina. When that was triggered last week, the Wings saved $1.825 million in salary cap space and $4.56 million in actual salary over the next two seasons, while Zadina, 23, walked away from the nearly $5 million in guaranteed salary.