Petr Mrazek-Glove.jpg

The Red Wings signed Petr Mrazek through the end of the 2017-18 season.

(Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

DETROIT - Signing goaltender Petr Mrazek Wednesday puts the Detroit Red Wings over the NHL salary cap but general manager Ken Holland said it's not as much as the club's payroll might indicate.

Mrazek signed a two-year deal for $8 million, hiking the Red Wings payroll to $77.8 million, according to generalfanager.com.

The NHL salary cap will be $73 million this season.

But Holland doesn't expect Johan Franzen and Joe Vitale to play this season because both are dealing with concussion issues. Franzen is slated to make $3.9 million and Vitale $1.16 million.

Teemu Pulkkinen - who re-signed for $812,500 - won't be ready to start the season after undergoing off-season shoulder surgery.

So when the Red Wings place all three on long-term injured reserve to start the season, they'll be close to reaching the salary cap.

"Certainly we have no expectations that Franzen and Vitale are playing hockey this year," Holland told MLive Wednesday. "I talked to Vitale after we traded (for) him. He's having on-going issues with concussion. He certainly not expecting to be in camp. I'm not expecting to see Johan Franzen on the ice.

"I think realistically, when it's all said and done, we're probably a little over the cap. What's a little? Probably a million dollars or just a little bit less over the cap if you don't count Vitale and Franzen."

Holland was pleased the Red Wings were able to avoid arbitration with Mrazek. The sides were far apart after submitting their briefs Monday.

Mrazek was asking for a two-year deal worth $5 million per season while the Red Wings were offering two years at a total of $5.85 million - $2.7 million this season and $3.15 million in 2017-18.

"Certainly going into an arbitration, in order to state your case, we're looking for reasons the salary should lower and they're looking for reasons the salary should be higher or closer to their request," Holland said.

"I think anytime you negotiate a settlement, you feel better about it than having somebody else determine what the number should be. Yeah, I'm happy we were able to negotiate a settlement rather than having the arbitration."

The hearing was scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday in Toronto but it was postponed when they struck a deal after Holland reached out Tuesday night to Mrazek's agent, Don Meehan of Newport Sports Management.

They agreed to resume negotiations and reached a deal about 10 a.m.

"They don't start the hearing until both sides are ready to start it if you're engaged," Holland said. "Obviously, in an arbitration process I think the arbitration process would prefer if you could negotiate a settlement vs. going to arbitration.

"So as long as you're engaged they let you be. So we just went about our business and eventually got to the solution that we did."

The Red Wings also avoided their other arbitration hearing by signing defenseman Danny DeKeyser to a six-year, $30-million contract on Tuesday. DeKeyser's hearing was scheduled for Thursday.

With Mrazek and DeKeyser under contract, the only remaining restricted free agent the Red Wings have to sign is Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Ryan Sproul.

The Red Wings haven't went to arbitration since 1995 with Ray Sheppard although they did have a unique case with Jiri Hudler in 2009.