Detroit Red Wings turn heads in free agency with puzzling signing of Winnipeg Jets forward

Appleton's deal with Detroit will see him pocketing $3M in year one and $2.8M in year two, leaving the Winnipeg Jets after four seasons.

But with fans craving a playoff push after nine years, this is clearly not enough to get them to that point.

Appleton is a solid utility guy at most.

This past season, he tallied up 10 goals, 22 points, and a +7 rating in 71 games with the Jets, playing bottom-six minutes.

It's a dip from his career-best 2023-24 (14 goals, 36 points, +16), when he averaged 16 minutes a night.

A wrist injury sidelined him for half of 2022-23, but he's since proven he's a reliable everyday player in the bottom six.

Over 400 NHL games, Appleton tallied 57 goals, 138 points, a +35 rating, and 124 penalty minutes.

Per 82 games, he averages 28 points, 31 blocked shots, and 83 hits.

In Detroit, he'll slot behind newly signed forward James Van Riemsdyk, adding depth to a forward group desperate for consistency.

Appleton might have to scrap for ice time with young guns like Jonatan Berggren or Elmer Soderblom.

GM Steve Yzerman's quiet offseason hasn't inspired much confidence.

Where's the big move to get this team over the hump?

Yzerman has addressed another trade is incoming and we can only hope it's a top-6 forward or a top-4 defenseman.