Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings have made their first move of free agency.
Detroit signed forward Bobby Ryan to a one-year, $1 million deal on Friday, according to reports. The acquisition was confirmed by the team.
Ryan, the winner of the Bill Masterton Trophy this year after a comeback from alcohol abuse, will give the Red Wings a veteran playmaker up front. He also fills their need for a right-shot forward that Steve Yzerman referenced ahead of free agency.
The No. 2 overall pick in 2005, Ryan played in just 24 games for the Senators last season as he took an extended leave of absence to enter the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in November. He returned in February for Ottawa's final eight games before play was halted by COVID-19.
In one of the best moments of the NHL season, Ryan scored a hat trick in his first home game after his hiatus.
Ryan spent the last seven seasons of his career with the Senators. He scored 15 goals and 42 points in 78 games in 2018-19, while finishing minus-29. He put up five goals and eight points in his shortened 2019-20 season.
Now 33, Ryan is far from the player who once notched four straight 30-goal seasons with the Ducks. But he'll be a good presence in a young locker room for the Red Wings, and he still has enough skill to contribute on offense.
Ryan opened up publicly about his battle with alcohol abuse after winning the Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, in hopes of helping others in the same fight.