Nyquist files for arbitration; Ferraro agrees to extension
Red Wings forward Gus Nyquist was one of 23 NHL players to elect salary arbitration, the NHL Players Association announced Sunday.
Nyquist, 25, contributed a career-high 54 points, including 27 goals, playing all 82 games in his fourth season with the Red Wings. A restricted free agent, he was paid $1.05 million with a cap hit of $950,000.
Deadline to file for salary arbitration was 5 p.m. Sunday. Salary arbitration is a tool available to settle a contract dispute -- should it come to that. If the two sides can't reach an agreement, arbitration hearings will be held in Toronto from July 20-Aug. 4.
One of the few bargaining options available to restricted free agents, salary arbitration requires the player and the team to each propose a salary for the coming season and argue their cases at a hearing. The arbitrator, a neutral third party, then sets the player's salary for the coming season.
When the decision is announced, the team has the right to decline or walk away from the award, after which the player can declare himself an unrestricted free agent -- which isn't likely to happen. In fact, given the Wings' negotiating history with top players like Nyquist, it's highly unlikely it will even get to arbitration.
Meanwhile, the Wings signed another of their restricted free agents, announcing Sunday they had come to terms with center Landon Ferraro, 23, on a one-year, two-way contract.
A four-year pro who spent the last 10 games of this season in Detroit in a checking role, Ferraro -- Detroit's second-round pick (32nd overall) in 2009 -- will get a long look during training camp to make the Detroit roster. If he does, he'll be paid $600,000. Should he be reassigned to Grand Rapids, he'll earn $175,000.
Ferraro had a career-high 27 goals in 70 games with the Griffins this season, tying him for 10th in the American Hockey League among all goal-scorers. He had one goal in three regular-season games with Detroit and also played in all seven playoff games in the first round against Tampa Bay.
Besides Nyquist, Red Wings general manager Ken Holland also is negotiating new contracts with Tomas Jurco and Teemu Pulkkinen, Detroit's other two restricted free agents.
