Red Wings will not extend qualifying offer to restricted free agent Martin Frk
Ted Kulfan
Detroit — Martin Frk has one of the hardest shots in the NHL — but that may not be enough to keep him in the league.
The Red Wings will not tender a qualifying offer to Frk, a restricted free agent, by the Monday, at 5 p.m. deadline, making Frk an unrestricted free agent.
The move is a mild surprise in that Frk, 24, scored 11 goals and 14 assists (25 points) last season — although only 1 goal over the final 23 games.
Frk was essentially a one-dimensional player, possessing that booming shot on a one-timer on the power play — accuracy is an issue, too — with little impact anywhere else on the ice.
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Frk made $650,000 last season, and he has arbitration rights. If Frk were to take the team to arbitration, the Wings could wind up paying more than the $710,000 he’d make if the Wings extended a qualifying offer at 110 percent.
There’s a chance the Wings could revisit Frk in unrestricted free agency. But the organization wants young players such as Michael Rasmussen, Evgeny Svechnikov and Dominic Turgeon competing for roster spots in training camp, and Frk’s open roster spot would be welcome.
Restricted free agents Dylan Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou and Anthony Mantha will be qualified and multi-year contracts will be worked on with each.
As for the unrestricted free agents, the organization would like to re-sign defenseman Mike Green on a one- or two-year contract. But with so little depth on the free agent market, Green could easily receive a three-year deal from teams in desperate need of an offensive defenseman.
Filling out staff
The Wings are likely to fill out their coaching staff by naming Dan Bylsma an assistant on Jeff Blashill’s staff.
An opening was created when assistant coach John Torchetti was not retained after the regular season.
Bylsma, a native of Grand Haven, won the Stanley Cup as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, defeating the Wings, in 2009.
Bylsma worked on the NHL Network last season, after being fired by the Buffalo Sabres, where he coached for two seasons.
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
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