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The Detroit Red Wings needed to make some major moves in NHL Free Agency this summer. And to some extent, they did make big moves. The Red Wings traded for goaltender John Gibson to kick off their offseason activity. However, more was needed, and there was a bit of anticipation building to see what this team would do on July 1.
July 1 came, but Detroit didn't do much. In fact, they only made three signings that appear to have any potential NHL impact. As the month of July begins to roll toward its end, the Red Wings still have glaring needs to fill. Most important are the need for a top-six forward and a top-four defenseman.
There is still time for Detroit to make those sorts of moves. However, they are unlikely to come in NHL Free Agency, given how thin the market is at this time. With this in mind, let's take a look at Detroit's NHL Free Agency signings and grade their work.
James van Riemsdyk provides Red Wings scoring depth
The Red Wings nearly traded for James van Riemsdyk a few seasons back. For whatever reason, this deal with the Philadelphia Flyers fell through. Now, he is headed to the Motor City on a one-year contract after spending this past season with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
van Riemsdyk is not the player he used to be. However, he can still be quite effective. JVR scored 16 goals and 36 points for the Blue Jackets in 2024-25. He provided crucial scoring depth for a Columbus team that made a surprising push for the Stanley Cup Playoffs this past season.
The Red Wings are hoping to make a push for postseason hockey themselves. And they desperately needed scoring depth if they wanted to make that push in 2025-26. van Riemsdyk won't solve their scoring issues on his own, but he's a good first step.
GRADE: B+
Jacob Bernard-Docker is an intriguing flier
The Red Wings added depth on the blueline with the signing of Jacob Bernard-Docker in NHL Free Agency. Bernard-Docker is a bit of an intriguing case for a few reasons. At one point, he seemed like a fixture on the Ottawa Senators' blueline for years to come.
However, he failed to win a roster spot over the likes of Travis Hamonic and Nikolas Matinpalo. At the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in the Dylan Cozens trade. In Buffalo, Bernard-Docker played rather well, but the Sabres elected not to extend a qualifying offer. This made the 25-year-old an unrestricted free agent.
Bernard-Docker is a depth signing, but he could easily find his way into the lineup. Especially if veteran right-shot rearguard Justin Holl struggles early in the season. It's not a home run move by any means, but it could be a very smart signing.
GRADE: B
Mason Appleton is a curious case
Detroit's final notable NHL signing was forward Mason Appleton. And there seems to be quite the disconnect as to what sort of player Appleton truly is. Scouting reports will have you believe he is a defense-first winger who doesn't have the offensive flair to make much of an impact. However, his analytics say that he is a good offensive presence who struggles defensively.
His role in Detroit is quite clear. Appleton will play on the third line, where Detroit hopes he can make them harder to play against. If he can kill penalties and score the occasional goal, that's fantastic. However, he is mostly an identity signing for the Winged Wheel.
The Red Wings did pay a bit more than you'd want for such a move. In saying this, it's a two-year contract. There isn't a ton of risk here, and the Red Wings can move on after 2025-26 if Appleton doesn't work out in the Motor City.
GRADE: B-
Overall grade and final thoughts
The Red Wings receive a decent grade for their work in 2025 NHL Free Agency. Detroit's signings all should make an impact at the NHL level, or have a realistic path toward doing so. None of these signings solve any particular need with the potential exception of Bernard-Docker, who could improve their woeful third-pairing depth. But these signings can still be effective.
Where Detroit loses points is the avenues they did not pursue. The Red Wings are facing legitimate pressure to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025-26. Failing to sign a top-six winger or a top-four defenseman does drop their grade a bit. Overall, though, free agency could have gone worse in the Motor City this summer.
Detroit Red Wings free agency grade: B-
