Simon Edvinsson is back in Sweden without a contract, and that has put an offer sheet back into the Detroit Red Wings conversation. Edvinsson remains a restricted free agent. If he is not signed by 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 1, he will not be able to play in the 2026-27 NHL season.
Edvinsson spent training camp with the Red Wings, an unusual step for an unsigned restricted free agent, and went home once the two sides could not agree to terms. He is now skating with FrΓΆlunda in his hometown of Gothenburg, TSN reported on Sept. 30.
Edvinsson is only 23 years old. He played in 72 games last season with Detroit. He scored nine goals and recorded 16 assists, along with a plus-12 rating. There is a real chance that Edvinsson never plays for the Red Wings again. Will other teams put the pressure on Detroit and offer sheet him?
Friedman Linked Simon Edvinsson to Carolina in July
Elliotte Friedman raised the idea on Sportsnetβs 32 Thoughts podcast in the summer, tying Carolinaβs interest to its own unsettled blue line. βHeβs a really good player, and if they lose Nikishin, theyβre gonna need a defenseman, right? And I think Edvinsson would be excellent for their system,β Friedman said.
That condition still holds. Alexander Nikishin is still unsigned in Carolina, where general manager Eric Tulsky says the two sides are βtrying to find a resolutionβ. A team staring at the loss of its own young defenseman has every reason to go find another one.
It would be interesting to see what Carolina could potentially offer Detroit. After that, the Red Wings would have seven days to match the offer.
What an Offer Sheet Would Cost the Hurricanes
Would the Hurricanes be willing to give Edvinsson more than $11,939,166 a season? That is the line where the compensation tier jumps to four first-round picks, so Detroit could decide not to match and take the picks back from Carolina instead. Offer sheets can only be signed between July 1 and Dec. 1, so the Hurricanes have two months to pick their moment.
Detroit Has the Room to Match
The Red Wings currently have $19.57 million in cap space, according to Spotrac. There would be no excuse for Detroit not to match the offer sheet if Carolina or anyone else made an offer for him. With that being said, the Red Wings may decide to take the draft picks and let him walk. It would be inexcusable, however, to give up early on a defenseman who has this much upside.
One Response
Four first round picks but Carolina will have to offer under that compensation. Detroit would probably get the second tier of 2 first 1 second and 1 third or sign him to that offer sheet.