The current CBA is set to expire on Saturday, but Detroit might take a significant step towards addressing their defensive problems before that happens.
Carlo Colaiacovo is close to inking with Detroit, although Red Wings GM Ken Holland said nothing has been signed yet, according to the Detroit News.
The contract is expected to be in the ballpark of $5 million over two seasons.
Colaiacovo would be joining a team that needs some defensive depth after losing Nicklas Lidstrom and Brad Stuart this summer.
Colaiacovo is capable of eating minutes and can chip in offensively, so he would definitely provide them with a boost. What he can’t be counted on to do is replace the star power they’ve lost over the past couple of seasons with the retirements of Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski before that.
It’s also worth noting that Colaiacovo has never managed to play a full season at the NHL level. The closest he came was in 2008-09 when he played in 73 games between the St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs. Over the last three seasons, he’s played in 196 of a possible 246 regular season contests.