The Detroit Red Wings have filled their need for a top-four defenseman by signing Ian White. His deal is for two years and is worth $2.875 million per season (for a total of $5.75 million).
White is a 5-foot-10 defenseman that spent last season with the San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes and Calgary Flames. A year ago he re-signed with the Flames after playing there in 2009-10, and Calgary traded him in November to the Hurricanes. Carolina then moved him to San Jose in February, and he played against Detroit in the playoffs.
Because the Red Wings got an up-close look at him for that seven-game series, Ken Holland has a good idea of the kind of player Detroit is getting.
"We've seen him a lot in the San Jose series,'' general manager Ken Holland told Booth Newspapers. "He can play on the power play, he's a competitor. He's a guy that thinks the game. He's got the skills. We've got skilled defensemen in (Nicklas) Lidstrom, (Niklas) Kronwall, others, and he's comfortable playing with them.''
The Red Wings' defense going into next season now includes Nicklas Lidstrom, Niklas Kronwall, Brad Stuart, Ian White, Jonathan Ericsson, Mike Commodore, Jakub Kindl and Brendan Smith. The first five spots seem to be set, so Commodore, Kindl and Smith will likely battle it out for a spot on the third pairing.