Winger Austin Watson has officially signed a two-way deal with the Red Wings after impressing on his professional tryout, according to a team announcement.
The contract carries a league-minimum cap hit of $775K, with a $200K salary in the AHL and a $275K guarantee, as reported by PuckPedia. The Athletic’s Max Bultman noted that Watson is likely to start the season on the NHL roster.
To make room for Watson, the Red Wings reassigned center prospect Marco Kasper to AHL Grand Rapids. If the team decides to send Watson to the minors during the season, he will need to clear waivers. For now, he is expected to serve as the team’s 13th forward.
At 32 years old, Watson brings 515 games of NHL experience over ten seasons. Last year, he played for the Lightning after signing a PTO, tallying just two goals and four points in 33 games, alongside 93 penalty minutes and a +2 rating. While he has shown offensive potential at times, with a peak of 14 goals during his time with the Predators and 10 goals with the Senators in 2021-22, he is primarily viewed as a fourth-line option, averaging 10 goals and 19 points per 82 games in his career.
Standing at 6’4″ and 204 lbs, Watson remains a significant physical presence on the ice. Although his possession metrics suggest limited defensive impact at even strength, he consistently ranks among his team’s hit leaders and has surpassed 100 penalty minutes in a season twice (2017-18, 2022-23).
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