The Detroit Red Wings have signed forward Austin Watson to a one-year, two-way contract. Watson, 32, initially joined the Red Wings during training camp on a professional tryout and recorded one assist, a plus-one rating, and 27 penalty minutes in four preseason games.
Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 210 pounds, Watson spent the 2023-24 NHL season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. During that time, he accumulated four points (2 goals and 2 assists), a plus-two rating, and 93 penalty minutes across 33 games. The year before, Watson played for the Ottawa Senators, recording 11 points (9 goals, 2 assists) and 123 penalty minutes over 75 games. Watson was originally drafted by the Nashville Predators in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft (18th overall). Since making his NHL debut in the 2012-13 season, Watson has played in 515 games with the Predators, Senators, and Lightning, amassing 118 points (60 goals, 58 assists) and a substantial 705 penalty minutes.
In postseason play, Watson has appeared in 45 playoff games, tallying 19 points (10 goals, 9 assists) and 48 penalty minutes. Notably, he was a key player for the Nashville Predators during their 2017 run to the Stanley Cup Final. Alongside his NHL career, Watson also spent parts of six seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Milwaukee Admirals, where he totaled 132 points (73 goals, 59 assists), a plus-10 rating, and 89 penalty minutes in 234 games.
Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Watson spent four seasons playing junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2008 to 2012. During his time in the OHL, he played for the Windsor Spitfires, Peterborough Petes, and London Knights, where he earned 219 points (89 goals, 130 assists) and 164 penalty minutes over 244 regular-season games. Watson also contributed 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 43 OHL postseason matchups. He won OHL championships with Windsor in 2009 and London in 2012. In 2012, Watson was awarded the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as the OHL Playoff MVP for his role in leading London to the championship.
Watson also has significant experience on the international stage. He represented the United States at various international tournaments, including serving as an alternate captain for Team USA at the 2022 IIHF World Championship. In that tournament, Watson contributed one assist and 27 penalty minutes in 10 games. He also played for Team USA in the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he tallied nine points (3 goals, 6 assists) and a plus-six rating in six games. Earlier in his career, Watson won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2010 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, where he registered three points (2 goals, 1 assist), a plus-two rating, and 33 penalty minutes in seven games.
Watson’s journey to the NHL also included a stint with the U.S. National Team Development Program during the 2009-10 season, where he posted six points (4 goals, 2 assists) and 33 penalty minutes in nine games. His strong junior career and international experience helped build a solid foundation for his professional hockey career, where he has become known for his physical play and penalty-killing abilities.
With this new contract, Watson will look to bring his experience, grit, and leadership to the Detroit Red Wings organization for the 2023-24 season. His versatility as a forward and history of contributing in both regular-season and playoff settings should be an asset to the team, whether he spends time in the NHL or AHL.