Jiri Hudler is officially done with the Detroit Red Wings. Prior to NHL free agency opening, it was pretty clear he was on his way out because the Red Wings wouldn't meet his desired salary demands, and on Monday, he agreed to a new four-year deal with the Calgary Flames.
Jiri Hudler agrees to 4 year, $16 million contract with Calgary Flames.4yrs x $4 mil.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) July 2, 2012
Hudler will be making $4 million a season with Calgary. Due to the lack of scorers on the open market, it's no surprise that Hudler was able to cash in with such a nice deal. The Red Wings did want to bring him back, but not at $4 million a season. It was a given that he would find more money on the open market, and that is exactly what ended up happening.
Hudler will essentially be replaced in the Red Wings' lineup by Mikael Samuelsson, who signed a two-year, $6 million deal on Sunday. While there is only a difference of $1 million a season in their contracts, the Red Wings just weren't willing to make up that difference with Hudler and instead opted to bring back Samuelsson.
In other news, Chris Conner, who spent most of last season in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins, has signed with the Phoenix Coyotes.
For more on the Red Wings, head over to Winging It In Motown. For more NHL coverage, be sure to visit SB Nation's NHL hub.