Confirming the earlier reports, the Detroit Free Press reports that the Red Wings and Tomas Homstrom have agreed to a two-year deal worth $3.75 million:
The contract will pay Holmstrom $2.25 million in ’10-11 and $1.5 million in ’11-12.
The salary cap hit is $1.875 million a year. Holmstrom is expected to sign the deal either today or Monday.
With a two-year deal, Holmstrom is likely to reach the 1,000-games-played mark, all in a Wings jersey. He has 469 points (214 goals and 255 assists) as a hard nosed player that sets up shop in front of the opponent's net for most of his time on the ice. That role certainly won't change.
This signing will leave the Red Wings with roughly $8 million to take care of the other signings this off-season. Todd Bertuzzi, Darren Helm, Patrick Eaves, Justin Abdelkader and Derek Meech are presumably next on the Wings' wish list, in no particular order, with the latter four all expected to be locks to re-sign..