Detroit Red Wings Sign Mason Appleton to Two-Year Deal

DETROIT, Mich. — The Detroit Red Wings have signed forward Mason Appleton to a two-year contract, announced Wednesday. The deal has an average annual value of $2.9 million, totaling $5.8 million over its duration.

Appleton, 29, comes off a season with the Winnipeg Jets, where he scored 10 goals and recorded 22 points in 71 games. He also contributed with seven assists in 13 playoff games, helping the Jets secure the Presidents’ Trophy.

A native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Appleton stands at 6 feet 2 inches and is a right-handed shooter. The Winnipeg Jets drafted him 168th overall in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He played two seasons at Michigan State from 2015 to 2017, accumulating 53 points in 72 games.

Throughout his seven seasons in the NHL, Appleton has played for the Jets and the Seattle Kraken. He has appeared in 400 regular-season games, scoring 57 goals and 138 points. Last season, he had a plus-seven rating with the Jets and recorded one power-play point.

Before joining the Kraken during their expansion draft in 2021, Appleton played 138 games with the Jets, where he scored 43 points on 20 goals and 23 assists. After a brief stint in Seattle, he was traded back to Winnipeg in 2022.

With Appleton on the roster, the Red Wings aim to break a nine-season playoff drought. The team finished sixth in the Atlantic Division last year with a record of 39-35-8, finishing just five points shy of a Wild Card playoff spot.

The 2025-26 NHL season is set to begin on Oct. 7.