The Detroit Red Wings have signed forward Zach Aston-Reese to a one-year, two-way contract, according to a team statement.
According to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, the arrangement contains a $350,000 guarantee on a one-year, $775k contract. Seravalli also claims that he will be placed on waivers today, allowing the Red Wings to assign him to Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League.
Prior to this agreement, Aston-Reese was released from a PTO he had signed with the Carolina Hurricanes.At a league-minimum cap hit, Aston-Reese can generate a reasonable amount of value.
Aston-Reese has established himself as a quality defensive contributor in the NHL while lacking the height and aggressiveness that coaches look for in fourth-line role players.
Aston-Reese was a standout scorer in the NCAA and has had a respectable AHL career, but his offensive production in the NHL has all but vanished. Last season, he played in 77 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs and had 10 goals and 14 points. The Red Wings would be wrong to anticipate much more from their newest acquisition than solid defensive play in 2023–24.
The Red Wings’ wings already have a good deal of depth. Aston-Reese will reportedly be placed on waivers, thus it looks Detroit will have him start in the AHL and then use him as a top call-up option for head coach Derek Lalonde.
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