Oliwer Kaski is officially signing with the Detroit Red Wings, according to hockey insider Darren Dreger.
Dreger reports that the Finnish defenseman intends to sign with the Red Wings after his participation in the World Championship. He would become Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman's first free agent signing from outside of the organization.
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Kaski, 23, has been tearing it up in SM-liiga, or the Finnish Elite League, Finland's top pro hockey league. The defenseman scored 19 goals and 32 assists for 51 points in 59 games played this season with the Lahti Pelicans.
Again, he is a defenseman (righthanded), putting up forward-like numbers in Finland's top league. He was undrafted by NHL teams, and now they're lining up for him.
Kaski spent a season at Western Michigan University, where he put up 12 points in 31 games played. He went back to Europe after just one season, but perhaps his time in Michigan was enough for the Red Wings to have a better chance at landing him as a free agent. He wasn't turning any heads until this past season.
Kaski could help Detroit's defense right away.