The NHL will lock out its players if a new CBA is not agreed upon by 11:59 p.m. ET Saturday, but that didn't stop the Detroit Red Wings from taking care of a little bit of business on Thursday. The Red Wings have locked up a pair of players, signing both Carlo Colaiacovo and Justin Abdelkader to multi-year deals.
Colaiacovo has spent the past four seasons with the St. Louis Blues, and the Red Wings have signed him to a two-year deal that's reported to be worth $2.5 million per season. Abdelkader has spent his entire career with the Red Wings, and the Michigan State product reportedly agreed to a four-year deal that will pay him $1.7 million per season.
The Red Wings would have been well under the NHL's salary cap, but there's a good chance that the cap will be lowered when a new CBA is agreed to. The cap was scheduled to be at $70.2 million, and the Red Wings' payroll currently sits at just $61.3 million. Both signings are expected to be officially announced on Friday.
Be sure to stay with this StoryStream for more Wings free agency coverage, and head over to Winging It In Motown for more Red Wings news. Also visit SB Nation's NHL hub for more coverage from around the league.
