The Detroit Red Wings are expected to sign restricted free agent C Justin Abdelkader to a new contract in the near future, according to a report from Ansar Khan of MLive.com. Free agency has otherwise been a slow process for the Red Wings, who are $13 million under the salary cap and are still shopping for defensemen. Abdelkader is a former second-round pick of the Red Wings from 2005. He is 25 years old and has played in 209 career NHL games while scoring 18 goals and dishing out 29 assists for a total of 47 points. Last season he appeared in 81 regular season games and produced 22 points (eight goals and 14 assists).
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