Ansar Khan is reporting that the Red Wings made qualifying offers to nine restricted free agents earlier this week.
In addition to making qualifying offers, as expected, to Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, Patrick Eaves, Drew Miller and Derek Meech, the Red Wings also qualified defensemen Sergei Kolosov and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, forward Jamie Tardif and goaltender Daniel Larsson.
They severed ties with forwards Evan McGrath and Johan Ryno, who were not extended qualifying offers and now are unrestricted free agents.
Restricted free agents don't exactly have a ton of options outside of taking the qualifying offer to re-sign with their team or heading to Europe to play hockey overseas.
Restricted free agents have limited options. They can accept their qualifying offer (one year at a 10 percent raise from their 2009-10 salary), negotiate a longer-term deal with the club, seek an offer sheet from another team after July 1 (highly unlikely, since their club has the right to match or receive a draft pick as compensation) or play in Europe.
For the Red Wings, two of their RFAs, Tollefsen and Larsson, have already decided to play in Sweden next season. By offering them a deal, however, the Red Wings will retain their NHL rights.
As for the other seven restricted free agents, it is expected that they will eventually all be signed. It's not likely that all of them will quickly re-sign with the team, but when all is said and done those seven are expected to be back with the Red Wings next season.
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