Steve Yzerman has ticked off the last big item on his summer to-do list.
The Red Wings on Friday re-signed Filip Hronek to a three-year deal. The 23-year-old defenseman, who led an offensively-starved team in points last season, is a key piece of Detroit's future. According to Elliotte Friedman, Hronek's deal is worth $4.4 million per year.
A second-round pick in 2016, Hronek has led the Wings in ice time each of the past two seasons. He mans both the power play and penalty kill and frequently matches up with the opposition's top line. His 46 assists since 2019-20 rank fifth among defensemen in his draft class.
Hronek, who just completed a three-year, $2.7 million entry-level deal, was the last of Detroit's key restricted free agents that Yzerman wanted to re-sign this summer. The Wings also brought back forwards Jakub Vrana, Tyler Bertuzzi, Adam Erne and Michael Rasmussen and defenseman Gustav Lindstrom. Forward Givani Smith remains unsigned.
A three-year deal for Hronek is a sign of Yzerman's belief in him moving forward. While his playing time might come down as Detroit's blueline gets deeper, Hronek projects as one of the club's top-four defensemen for the foreseeable future.