Ansar Khan of the MLive.com confirms the Detroit Red Wings are no longer in the running for free agent Justin Schultz. The defenseman’s agent told the Red Wings general manager as much Wednesday.

“Don Meehan informed me today we are not one of the teams on his list he wants to sign with,” Ken Holland said.

Apparently there are five teams on this list. The Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers are seen as co-favorites, while the Toronto Maple Leafs may have a legitimate shot and the Ottawa Senators are also in the mix. The Kelowna native apparently wants to play north of the border, which puts the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Chicago Blackhawks at a disadvantage.

Regular playing time is considered a given, since money isn’t an issue. The Wings reportedly guaranteed Schultz a roster spot. Not good enough.

The soon-to-be 22-year-old can’t put pen to paper on a contract until July 1, but a deal could be worked out by the start of weekend.


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