Red Wings sign Frk, Bertuzzi to new deals

The Detroit Red Wings resigned restricted free agent forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Martin Frk on Monday. The 23-year-old Bertuzzi signed a two-year deal that will pay him an average of US$1.4 million per season according to CapFriendly.com, while the 24-year-old Frk received a oneyear deal for $1.05 million. A second-round pick by the Red Wings in 2013, the six-foot, 190-pound Bertuzzi started last season in the American Hockey League with Grand Rapids before being recalled to Detroit. He had seven goals and 24 points in 48 games with the Red Wings and his 0.50 points per game average was fourth on the team.

The six-foot-one, 205-pound Frk, a 2012 second-round pick, spent his first full season in the NHL in 2017-18 and had 11 goals and 25 points in 68 games.

PUEMPEL GETS OFFER

The Detroit Red Wings extended a qualifying offer to Essex native Matt Puempel on Monday.

A former first-round pick by the Ottawa Senators, the 25-year-old Puempel was acquired by Detroit from the New York Rangers early last season for defenceman Ryan Sproul. The six-foot-one, 205-pound forward spent the entire season with the club’s AHL farm team in Grand Rapids, Mich. and was named an all-star while posting 22 goals and 54 points in 57 games. By extending a qualifying offer, the Red Wings retain negotiating rights to Puempel, who is a pending restricted free agent.

ANOTHER PICK ADDED

The Detroit Red Wings added another draft pick to the team’s collection for the 2019 NHL Draft by dealing defenceman Robbie Russo to the Arizona Coyotes.

The six-foot, 195-pound Russo was a former fourthround pick of the New York Islanders, but was signed as a free agent by Detroit in 2015. In exchange for Russo, the Red Wings received a conditional seventh-round pick from Arizona. That gives the Red Wings 11 picks in seven rounds in next year’s draft.

The 25-year-old Russo played 19 games for the Red Wings in 2016-17, but spent all of 2017-18 with the club’s AHL farm team in Grand Rapids, Mich.