The Red Wings and Filip Zadina are officially parting ways.
Detroit has placed the former sixth overall pick on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination.
As a result, Zadina forfeits the remaining $4.6 million of the three-year, $5.5 million contract he signed with the Red Wings last summer and the Red Wings are free of Zadina's $1.8 million cap hit the next two seasons.
Zadina had requested a trade from the Red Wings ahead of the draft in search of a bigger opportunity, but GM Steve Yzerman couldn't find any takers. The Wings waived him Monday and Zadina went unclaimed.
Yzerman said he hoped Zadina would stay with the team and fight for a roster spot in camp, but the 23-year-old clearly had other ideas.
Billed as an elite goal-scorer when the Red Wings drafted him in 2018, Zadina never lived up to the hype. He leaves Detroit after scoring three goals in 30 games last season and 28 goals over parts of five seasons in the NHL.
For Yzerman and the Wings, the extra cap space could clear the way for a true goal scorer this summer.
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