Red Wings Add Frans Nielsen In Wake Of Datsyuk Retirement

By Will Burchfield
Twitter: Burchie_kid
On the heels of losing Pavel Datsyuk to retirement, the Red Wings have signed Frans Nielsen to a six-year deal. The news was first reported by Ansar Khan of MLive.com

Nielsen will make $5.25 million annually, for a total of $31.5 million over six years.

Over eight full seasons with the Islanders, the 32-year-old tallied 344 points in 575 games. Last season, he tallied 20 goals and 52 points.

In a phone conversation with the NHL Network following the deal, Nielsen explained he struggled with the decision but ultimately liked the idea of going down a new path.

"It's been pretty overwhelming I gotta say, I didn't expect this. In the end I had a hard time leaving New York, but it kind of came down to the two of them. I just felt in the end that maybe it was time to try something new and I was really excited about Detroit being there," he said.

Nielsen is known as a terrific two-way center, and will help fill the void left by Datsyuk. He logs time on both the penalty kill and the power play, and can be leaned upon at both ends of the ice.

In terms of advanced stats, Nielsen is one of the most underrated players in the NHL. He is able to drive possession without playing sheltered minutes, which is harder said than done. To wit: despite facing a high quality of competition and starting most of his shifts in the defensive zone, Nielsen is able affect a positive shot differential when he's on the ice.

He told the NHL Network he is looking forward to joining a team with a strong foundation in place and sliding into a system that complements his style of play.

"I like the mix of young and old but especially the talent they have," Nielsen said. "It seems like anywhere you play in the top nine you're gonna play with good players, you're gonna be surrounded by good players. And I like their hockey, the way they think, they want to be a fast team and a puck possession team, so I think it's a place that's going to fit me well."

For a more detailed breakdown of what Nielsen brings to the table, click here.

The money the Wings saved per year is somewhat offset by the length of the deal. Six years is a hefty commitment considering Nielsen's age and his NHL mileage. But on a day when David Backes, Kyle Okposo and Milan Lucic all raked in contracts worth $6 million annually, $5.25 million per year for Nielsen stacks up well.

For fans concerned about his age and the corresponding length of the deal, Nielsen feels his versatility will allow him to remain effective moving forward.

"You always want to try to get better all the time, but I feel like I'm a reliable player," he told the NHL Network. "I can play two-way hockey and I can kill penalties, too, and I think even with age I can still make a difference. Maybe it's not going to be as many points in the end, but I still feel like I can help the team in a different way, in playing a shut down role or like I said killing penalties."

The Nielsen contract leaves with Wings with just under $7.5 million in open cap space. The team still needs to address its situation in goal and either replace or re-sign Danny Dekeyser and Teemu Pulkkinen.