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The Detroit Red Wings have added to their roster late in NHL Free Agency. After bringing in Jacob Bernard-Docker, the Red Wings still needed to add to the blue line. They did just that by signing Travis Hamonic to a one-year contract worth $1 million.
The Wings had just over $12 million in cap space prior to this signing, but lacked third rotation depth. The top rotation is expected to hold Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot. The combination was solid and missed just one game in 2024-25.
The second rotation is home to Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson. Again, two solid defenders. Still, the team was 21st in the NHL in goals against per game and 32nd on the penalty kill in 2024-25. A major issue was the third rotation. While the team brought in Bernard-Docker and still has Erik Gustafsson, Hamonic will improve the defensive depth.
Travis Hamonic gives the Red Wings more defensive depth
Hamonic was the 53rd overall selection of the New York Islanders in the 2008 NHL Draft. He would break into the NHL in 2010-11 and would become a consistent presence on the team. The Canadian was traded to the Calgary Flames in the summer of 2017 before joining the Vancouver Canucks prior to the 2020-21 season.
The rearguard would be traded to the Ottawa Senators in the March of 2022, playing with the team since then. Declining production and injury concerns caused him to be unsigned until this point in the offseason. He has missed time in each of the past two campaigns due to lingering knee issues.
The former Senator has yet to play 82 games in a season in his NHL career, and has missed over 20 games in both 2023-24 and 2024-25. Still, he should add physicality to the Red Wings roster. In 2024-25, he had 72 hits with 77 blocked shots in just 59 games.
Detroit also needed to improve the penalty kill, a place Hamonic has excelled in his career. As the Red Wings look to contend in 2025-26, the veteran defenseman could be a solid addition in that pursuit.
