The Detroit Red Wings were among the more active teams in this summer’s NHL free agency period, signing multiple players to short-term contracts and re-signing future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane.
They hope that GM Steve Yzerman’s roster additions, combined with Todd McLellan starting his first full season behind the bench, will culminate in their first playoff berth since 2016.
What will the 2026 offseason bring for Detroit after many of those contracts expire? Could they lure a notable metro Detroit native to return to his home state?
Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor, who hails from the northern Detroit suburb of Clinton Township, can become an unrestricted free agent next July 1 upon the completion of his current contract, which includes a $7,142,857 cap hit.
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NHL Insider Frank Seravalli, who was most recently with The Daily Faceoff, opined that he could see Connor returning to his home state of Michigan and joining forces with fellow former Michigan Wolverines forwards Dylan Larkin, J.T. Compher, and Andrew Copp.
"A lot of people have been wondering if Kyle Connor does decide to go to market next summer, would the Detroit Red Wings be a fit for Kyle Connor?" Seravalli said. "You can see the Michigan product going back. I can certainly see that, he would seem to make a ton of sense for a Detroit Red Wings team that could use additional scoring punch. But, don't count out the Jets."
Connor has been one of the Jets' most consistent offensive threats, surpassing the 30-goal mark in seven of the past eight seasons. Last season, he scored 41 goals, which was six shy of his career-high of 47 goals set in the 2021-22 campaign.
He'll turn 29 years old this December, and still has several more years of productive hockey in him.
Connor would not only provide the Red Wings with a bona fide offensive threat up front, but his potential signing would also send a clear message that Yzerman is ready for Detroit to be a serious contender in the Eastern Conference.
Furthermore, the NHL's salary cap is expected to rise by nearly $10 million dollars to $104 million for the 2025-26 campaign, followed by another increase to nearly $114 million in 2027-28.
Detroit, who already has ample salary cap space, could easily afford a lucrative deal for Connor while still leaving plenty left over for other acquisitions as well as new deals for young players like Marco Kasper and Simon Edvinsson.
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