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Red Wings announce that they have signed Justin Abdelkader to a seven-year deal

MiHockey Staff
Photo by Jen Hefner/MiHockey
Photo by Jen Hefner/MiHockey

 

By @MichaelCaples –

Confirmed.

Justin Abdelkader’s all locked up.

The Muskegon native has officially committed to a seven-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings, the club announced today.

 

“He’s homegrown. A character guy. He’s one of the guys Blash and I are looking to be one of the leaders of this team,” Holland said via the team’s Twitter account. “We couldn’t afford to lose him.”

TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported last night that the seven-year extension would be around a $4 million cap hit per season.

Abdelkader, 28, recorded a career-high 23 goals and 21 assists last year, after recording back-to-back ten goal campaigns between 2012-14.

“Signing my extension, hoping to end my career in Detroit,” Abdelkader said. “It’s a dream come true for me.”

“Putting that Red Wings sweater on each and every day, it’s a special feeling.”

A Michigan State and Grand Rapids Griffins product, Abdelkader is regarded as a top two-way forward for the Wings, and he has spent the majority of this season playing on Detroit’s top line with Henrik Zetterberg and Dylan Larkin.

The 28-year-old has spent his entire NHL career with the Wings since being drafted by the Original Six franchise in the second round of the 2005 NHL Draft. In 413 career games since 2007-08, he has recorded 139 points and 309 penalty minutes.

The Muskegon native spent three seasons with the Michigan State, scoring the game-winning goal and being named tournament MVP in the Spartans’ 2007 national title.

A Mona Shores alum, Abdelkader won Michigan’s Mr. Hockey Award in 2004, the first junior to ever receive the top high school award in the state. From there, he won the 2005 Clark Cup in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

He also spent parts of two seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, earning a spot on the AHL All-Rookie Team in 2009.