JUSTIN ABDELKADER - Left Winger - 32 - $4.25MM Cap Hit - UFA in 2023-2024
LAST UPDATED 3/7/19
A Michigan native who has spent his entire career with the Red Wings, Abdelkader is a locker room leader in Detroit. A gritty winger who plays with his heart on his sleeve, Abdelkader plays a rough, physical game but lacks a refined offensive game. After a 20-goal campaign in 2014-2015, the Wings signed Abdelkader to a foolishly lengthy, expensive contract, and Abdelkader’s contract has proven to be one of the league’s biggest albatrosses. Abdelkader’s 6’2, 216lbs. frame allows him to screen the net well, but other than that his other offensive attributes—skating, playmaking, shooting, etc,—are all exceedingly poor. While he does provide solid defensive awareness, Abdelkader is hardly the player he was during the mid-2010's. He obviously means a lot to the Red Wings organization as a leader, but his contract relative to his ability to produce offensively makes him a negative asset for Detroit. Furthermore, while he does provide a good veteran presence for the Wings, his age doesn’t quite fit their identity, making his long-term signing look even more questionable.
A Michigan native who has spent his entire career with the Red Wings, Abdelkader is a locker room leader in Detroit. A gritty winger who plays with his heart on his sleeve, Abdelkader plays a rough, physical game but lacks a refined offensive game. After a 20-goal campaign in 2014-2015, the Wings signed Abdelkader to a foolishly lengthy, expensive contract, and Abdelkader’s contract has proven to be one of the league’s biggest albatrosses. Abdelkader’s 6’2, 216lbs. frame allows him to screen the net well, but other than that his other offensive attributes—skating, playmaking, shooting, etc,—are all exceedingly poor. While he does provide solid defensive awareness, Abdelkader is hardly the player he was during the mid-2010's. He obviously means a lot to the Red Wings organization as a leader, but his contract relative to his ability to produce offensively makes him a negative asset for Detroit. Furthermore, while he does provide a good veteran presence for the Wings, his age doesn’t quite fit their identity, making his long-term signing look even more questionable.
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