The Detroit Red Wings and forward Justin Abdelkader have reportedly made "significant progress" toward a contract extension. Ansar Khan of MLive.com reported on Thursday that Abdelakader and the Red Wings are putting "the finishing touches" on a long-term deal that, per Khan's sources, should be complete within the next couple of weeks.
Abdelkader, a second-round pick by the franchise in the 2005 NHL Draft, has embraced the gritty nature of his game and thus blossomed over the past few seasons. He seemed well on his way to delivering on the ample promise that made him a fairly high draft pick when he finished the 2013-14 season with 10 goals and 18 assists, but the Michigan native took his game to a new level last year, potting 23 markers and adding another 21 assists in 71 games for the surprisingly strong, playoff-bound Red Wings team.
His possession metrics have always been good, well above the 50 percent mark in Corsi For, but Abdelkader was able to bring it to a career-high of 56.4 last season. His Corsi For is down to 46.5 percent through 12 games this year, but he's got four goals and three assists playing alongside Henrik Zetterberg and electrifying rookie Dylan Larkin.
Abdelkader is currently in the final year of a four-year deal. He's making $2.25 million in salary, but counts $1.8 million against the cap.
Per Khan, Abdelkader's new deal - something that was a "top priority" for the Red Wings this season - is expected to be longer than four years and likely to average over $4 million per season.
As the Red Wings' most physical player, he provides a presence on the ice and a shield for Zetterberg and Larkin that the team clearly considers vital to their success.
