Red Wings sign defenseman Mark Pysyk to one-year contract

The magic of Stevie Y continues to fly.

24 hours after adding several free agent players, the Detroit Red Wings have added another agile weapon on the blue line.

Welcome to Hockeytown, as veteran defenseman Mark Pysyk has come to terms with the Wings on a one-year deal.

The Edmonton native was a steal on the marketplace as his contract is worth $850,000, so it can easily be tossed if the Wings find themselves in a pickle.

But with a team needing as much veteran presence as possible, the right-shot defenseman arrives in Detroit with more than 500 NHL games on his resume. The 10-year NHL veteran, who was drafted in the 1st round (23rd overall) by the Buffalo Savers in 2010, has scored 104 points (28 goals, 76 assists) in 521 NHL games.

Pysyk, 30, is not going to put up numbers reminiscent of a Cale Makar or a Victor Hedman, but he’s a solid depth guy. While he isn’t known for lighting up the scoreboard or being an overtly physical defenseman, he is often commended for his agility, speed, and positive locker room presence, precisely what a young squad needs.

Pysyk had 12 points – three goals and nine assists – and 16 penalty minutes in 68 games during his second stint with the Sabers last season.

Before re-joining the Sabers, he played with the Dallas Stars in 2020-21 and had mediocre results, putting up just four points (three goals, one assist). But on an interesting note, it was just the second time in his career that he posted more goals than assists.

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