RUMOR: Detroit may sign 23-year old forward
On a segment of Insider Trading, McKenzie reported that the Detroit Red Wings and Athanasiou's agent have started talking again, while no contract is imminent, it is a step closer for the 23-year old to play in the NHL.
The dialogue and discussion between Darren Ferris, the agent for Athanasiou, and Detroit Red Wing general manager Kenny Holland have really intensified over the last couple of days, said McKenzie.While McKenzie isn't convinced that a deal will work out between the two, he believes that Athanasiou may have an even more important decision to make in the coming months.
Athanasiou has until December 1st to make a decision, if he isn't signed, he won't be able to play this season. During the off-season, the Red Wings have reportedly offered the 23-year old a two-year, $1.9 million contract as to which the player declined. Now that the season has started, the Wings are in a LTIR situation, which means they can no longer offer that same deal. If Athanasiou were to sign a deal, it would most likely be a 1-year, $1.25 million contract just to get back in the League and which is just a shave of what the Red Wings offered him this summer.
You do get the feeling that something is going to break one way or the other this week. That either Athanasiou signs in Detroit and gets back to the National Hockey League, or perhaps sign with a team in Switzerland starts playing games over there, McKenzie stated during the segment.
If you were the Detroit Red Wings' GM, would you offer Athanasiou a contract or not? Leave your comments in the comment section below.
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