Former Maple Leafs Justin Holl to be bought out by the Red Wings per Source

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Marvin Azrak
July 25, 2024 (8:29 PM)

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If you're a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, it's tough not to keep an eye on Justin Holl's situation with the Detroit Red Wings.

Max Bultman of the Athletic revealed the organization might cut ties with Justin Holl going the buyout route in the summer of 2025.

After Detroit GM Steve Yzerman inked him to a three-year, $10.2 million deal on July 1, 2023, Holl was supposed to be a stabilizing force on their blue line.

Justin Holl, signed 3x$3.4M by DET, is a defensive defenceman and PKer who transports the puck up the ice fairly efficiently and prefers to pass rather than shoot the puck in the offensive zone. Put up consistently mid results during his tenure as a Leaf.

Justin Holl's future in Detroit: Potential buyout in 2025?

Despite a rough 2023-24 season, Justin Holl was a buyout candidate this summer, but Detroit decided to hold off. Bultman thinks that if Holl doesn't turn things around, a buyout could be on the table in 2025.

Red Wings May Reconsider Justin Holl Buyout Next Offseason

The Red Wings avoided a buyout this year partly because they didn't want to deal with four years of dead cap space, even if it's only $1.13 million annually.

They likely didn't want to be on the hook for four years of dead cap that would have come with a buyout. It wasn't a massive number ($1.13 million each year), but four years is a long time to pay dead cap. The Red Wings' management team likely believes Holl can play. Whether Lalonde uses him is another question, but I don't get the sense from Yzerman that he thinks Holl is a lost cause.

Next summer, a buyout would be more manageable for Detroit, costing them just $1.13 million for two years. It's interesting to see how Holl's career has evolved since his time with the Leafs. We'll have to see how things play out for him in Detroit!

Source: Heavy
Insider: Red Wings to Explore Buying Out $10.2 Million Defenseman in 2025