Several former Detroit Red Wings remain looking for a contract long after NHL free agency has opened

Robby Fabbri, a once thought to be standout name for Red Wings fans, played last season with the Anaheim Ducks after a July 2024 trade from Detroit for goaltender Gage Alexander and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick.

His three-year, $12 million contract, signed in 2022, expired this offseason.

Injuries are a recurring issue in his career and restricted Fabbri to 44 games with the Ducks, where he tallied up eight goals and added eight assists.

He underwent knee surgery in November and was later sidelined by an upper-body injury in February. Acquired from St. Louis in 2019 for Jacob de la Rose, Fabbri was thought to be a key addition by GM Steve Yzerman, tallying up 14 goals in 2019-20 and hitting career highs of 18 goals in 68 games in 2023-24 with Detroit.

Other former Red Wings seeking contracts include Tyler Motte and Craig Smith, both from the 2024-25 roster.

Motte was signed by Yzerman on a one-year deal and scored four goals and five assists in 55 games, while Smith, acquired from Chicago in March at the NHL trade deadline, recorded two assists in 19 games.

Daniel Sprong, who netted 18 goals for Detroit in 2023-24, played only 30 NHL games last season across Vancouver, Seattle, and New Jersey, scoring twice with five assists.

Luke Glendening, 36, a Red Wing for eight seasons, scored four goals and three assists in 77 games for Tampa Bay in 2024-25.

Familiar names like Brendan Smith, Jakub Vrana, and Klim Kostin also remain unsigned.