Steve Yzerman said he wanted to add up to three defensemen in free agency. He signed his first on Friday in veteran Jon Merrill, according to TSN.
Merrill, who spent the last three seasons with the Golden Knights, comes to Detroit on an inexpensive one-year deal.
Merrill played in 49 games for Vegas last season, tallying two goals and seven points. He's a left shot who figures to play on Detroit's second or third D-pair.
A University of Michigan product, Merrill was a second-round pick of the Devils in 2010. He spent the first four years of his career in New Jersey before being selected by the Golden Knights in the 2017 expansion draft.
The Red Wings also signed veteran forward Bobby Ryan to a one-year deal Friday.
