Fantasy Impact: Detroit has signed a replacement center for Valtteri Filppula on line two. Stephen Weiss comes over to the Wings after spending his entire career with the Florida Panthers – five years with an AAV of $4.9 million.

The Red Wings get: .

A responsible two-way center coming off of a miserable 2013 season marred by a wrist injury. Weiss is solid on the draw, he is good defenisvely, and he is a creative forward who uses his linemates well. He will be the perfect 2C behind Pavel Datsyuk. This move signals Detroit wanting to keep HenriK Zetterberg on the left wing (likely with Datsyuk). Detroit didn’t have a center in the organizaton ready for line two duty – this was a necessary move.

Weiss was Detroit’s primary target, and they got him. Weiss, outside of this past season, is a proven top-six point producer and he can play in all situations.

Potential top six in Detroit:

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Alfredsson

Nyquist-Weiss-Franzen

Not too shabby.

Fantasy Players Impacted: 

This signing is great news for all parties involved (outside of Florida, at least). Weiss goes to a really good team, and he will have good linemates regardless of who ends up on his wings. The Panthers will likely lean on their young guys – Drew Shore and Nick Bjugstad – to replace some of Weiss’s offense, but they will also be in the market for a veteran center.  Weiss played a ton with Versteeg/Fleischmann during his last full season in 2011-12 (and they were one of hockey’s more productive trios):

Fantasy Players this helps, in order:

1. Johan Franzen

2. Gustav Nyquist

3. Drew Shore

4. Stephen Weiss

5. Nick Bjugstad

6. Daniel Alfredsson

7. Tomas Tatar

Fantasy Players this hurts, in order:

1. Kris Versteeg

2. Tomas Fleischmann
3. Calle Jarnkrok