Wings offseason news... [Archive]

H1Man

06-08-2008, 10:19 PM

WINGS' HASEK TO ANNOUNCE RETIREMENT ON MONDAY

Sources tell TSN that Detroit Red Wings goaltender Dominik Hasek will announce his retirement on Monday.

The Red Wings have called a news conference at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit for 11am et/8am pt.

Hasek leaves the NHL as one of the most important goaltenders the game has ever seen. From 1993 to 2001, The Dominator won six Vezina Trophies and became the first goalie to win consecutive Hart Trophies.

He followed up his domination in the late 1990's by becoming the first European starting goaltender to win a Stanley Cup in 2002, setting a record with six shutouts in the playoffs.

This season, Hasek won 27 games with a goals-against-average of 2.14 this season, appearing in 41 games while he shared duties with Chris Osgood. In the playoffs, he appeared in just four games against the Nashville Predators in the first round.

Hasek began his NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1990-91, appearing in five games. In 1992-93, the Czech Republic native moved on to Buffalo where he enjoyed his greatest individual success.

But it wasn't until he joined the Red Wings for the 2001-02 season that he won the ultimate team prize, the Stanley Cup.

After a brief stint with the Red Wings, Hasek signed with the Ottawa Senators for the 2005-06 campaign, winning 28 games and losing just 10. But last year, he returned to the Red Wings for what would turn out to be his final stop on a 16-year journey.

His unconventional and unorthodox style of flopping around his crease and sprawling on his back to make a save changed the way goalies play their position and earned him a spot among hockey's all time greats.
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=240146&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main

WTFchris

06-09-2008, 10:31 AM

The Wings have plenty of cap space for next year. They will be running short on it the following year though (from extensions). Holland is going to try and bring back Stuart and Lilja, and also sign Cheli for a year to be the 7th defenseman. I wouldn't mind trading Lilja during the season to give Ericsson a shot (Lilja has some good value I think). They'll also resign Filpulla.

With the cap space they'll probably try to make a big one year offer to a good vet (Sundin wouldn't surprise me at all). Not sure who wants a one year deal out there though.

WTFchris

06-09-2008, 10:33 AM

Here is the top UFA's out there:

Player Age Team 07-08 Salary
Joe Sakic 37 COL $6,750,000
Sergei Fedorov 37 CLB $6,080,000
Mats Sundin 36 TOR $5,500,000
Bobby Holik 36 ATL $4,250,000
Alexei Zhamnov 36 BOS $4,100,000
Doug Weight 36 STL $3,500,000
Mike Comrie 26 NYI $3,375,000
Martin Straka 34 NYR $3,300,000
Brendan Morrison 31 VAN $3,200,000
Keith Primeau 35 PHI $3,040,000
Craig Conroy 35 CGY $2,850,000
Mike Ribeiro 27 DAL $2,800,000
Daymond Langkow 30 CGY $2,442,000
Steve Rucchin 35 ATL $2,400,000
David Legwand 26 NAS $2,100,000
Bryan Smolinski 35 MTL $2,000,000
Sean Avery 27 NYR $1,900,000
Vaclav Prospal 32 TBL $1,900,000
Jason Williams 26 CHI $1,600,000
Yanic Perreault 36 CHI $1,500,000
Chris Gratton 31 TBL $1,500,000
Mike Peca 33 CLB $1,300,000
Chris Kelly 26 OTT $1,262,000
Stephane Yelle 33 CGY $1,250,000
Mike York 29 PHX $1,000,000

WTFchris

06-09-2008, 10:39 AM

Sakic will stay in Colorado or retire IMO. Sergei, Sundin, Holik, Weight, Zhamnov, Premeau, Ruchin, Perrault are all possibilities based on their age. Peca would be nice, but he's probably looking for 3-4 years. I like the idea of bringing Morrison back home as well, but again he'll be looking for more years. The rest will want long term deals and are probably not options.

WTFchris

06-09-2008, 10:50 AM

Their stats:

Fedorov - 68 GP, 11 G, 30 A
Sundin - 74 GP, 32 G, 46 A
Holik - 82 GP, 11 G, 19 A
Zhamnov - didn't play last year
Weight - 67 GP, 10 G, 11 A
Premeau - I think he already retired
Ruchin - 47 GP, 5 G, 16 A
Perrault - 53 GP, 9 G, 5 A

Weight is from Warren, so there is a good chance there. I'm hoping Sundin is a good chance (close to Toronto, all the Swedes we have). We could sign both of them to 1 year deals I would think. Weight would replace McCarty and Sundin would replace Drake (he'll retire I think). That adds a lot more offense to the lineup and we don't really lose any grit either.

MoTown

06-09-2008, 11:06 AM

I would take a 36 year old Doug Weight. He's still a playmaker and would be fun to watch with the second or third line.

WTFchris

06-09-2008, 11:24 AM

H1Man

06-09-2008, 01:01 PM

WTFchris

06-09-2008, 01:06 PM

H1Man

06-09-2008, 01:25 PM

I think Holland wants Cheli as injury insurance, but not as a top 6 D-man. It also gives him the luxery of moving Lilja if Ericsson can make the jump. Worst case I'm sure he can convince Cheli to retire anyway. Cheli plays for peanuts, so why wouldn't he want him as a 7th D-man? He also is a workout warrior and that rubs off on young guys.
It's a matter of numbers.

If we sign Lilja and Cheli, we will have 6 guys fighting for 2 spots on D. Lilja, Chelios, Lebda, Meech, Quincey and Ericsson. And Ericsson is the only one out of that group that can be sent down without being exposed to waivers. Assuming Ericsson is sent down, that leaves us with 5 guys fighting for 2 spots and I highly doubt that they are going to carry more than 1 or 2 extra D on the roster.

H1Man

06-09-2008, 01:28 PM

I like these lines a lot:

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom
Sundin-Filppula-Samuelsson
Franzen-Weight-Cleary
Helm-Draper-Hudler

We'd actually have centers on every line playing at LW as well (which helps us continue our faceoff dominance if our center is thrown out of the faceoff).

You are missing Maltby and Kopecky. One of McCarthy and Downey will also be back. They both provide the enforcer skills that this team needs during the season.

WTFchris

06-09-2008, 01:30 PM

It's a matter of numbers.

If we sign Lilja and Cheli, we will have 6 guys fighting for 2 spots on D. Lilja, Chelios, Lebda, Meech, Quincey and Ericsson. And Ericsson is the only one out of that group that can be sent down without being exposed to waivers. Assuming Ericsson is sent down, that leaves us with 5 guys fighting for 2 spots and I highly doubt that they are going to carry more than 1 or 2 extra D on the roster.

Then I think Lilja goes (unless Stuart takes more money elsewhere). I don't know the NHL cba well but it would be nice to get something for him.

WTFchris

06-09-2008, 01:31 PM

You are missing Maltby and Kopecky. One of McCarthy and Downey will also be back. They both provide the enforcer skills that this team needs during the season.

I think Downey stays, but isn't in the normal rotation. He'll get some PT though. I also left Kopecky off because he hasn't earned a spot. Not sure where to put Maltby. Ideally, I'd like Kopecky to steal Samuelsson's spot (never been that impressed with him).

H1Man

06-09-2008, 01:49 PM

I think Downey stays, but isn't in the normal rotation. He'll get some PT though. I also left Kopecky off because he hasn't earned a spot. Not sure where to put Maltby. Ideally, I'd like Kopecky to steal Samuelsson's spot (never been that impressed with him).

I think both Downey and McCarthy will be signed. And one of them will be sent to GR and the other will be with the team. And as far as Kopecky goes, he's definitely earned a spot (but not over Sammy). He is exactly the kind of player Babs likes and he was starting to put it all together before he went down with injury.

WTFchris

06-09-2008, 01:51 PM

So do you not sign a Sundin or Weight then?

H1Man

06-09-2008, 01:51 PM

Then I think Lilja goes (unless Stuart takes more money elsewhere). I don't know the NHL cba well but it would be nice to get something for him.

Lilja is a FA, so unless we trade his rights before the FA period begins we are not going to get anything for him.

WTFchris

06-09-2008, 01:52 PM

Ansar Khan's final grades for the Detroit Red Wings. First grade is for the regular season, second for the playoffs. Includes only players who appeared in the playoffs or were with the team the entire regular season:
FORWARDS
Dan Cleary (A, B): He was having a better season than his breakthrough year of 2006-07 before being idled for six weeks with a broken jaw. He was determined to go to the front of the net and the hard areas of the ice in the playoffs but didn't get the same offensive results.
Pavel Datsyuk (A, A): Could have easily been a Hart Trophy finalist with his excellent two-way play. His past playoff problems are a distant memory. He's shooting more, and his with his added strength, he's more willing to get involved in physical battles.
Aaron Downey (B, Incomplete): He was quick to stick up for his teammates (like when Ian Laperriere injured Nicklas Lidstrom), something that can't be underestimated for building team unity. It was a tough break for him to lose his job to Darren McCarty, but Downey wouldn't have played in the playoffs anyway.
Dallas Drake (C, B+): He struggled a bit during the season and wasn't as physical as he needed to be, but he saved his best for the playoffs. He was hard on opposing defensemen and strong on the penalty-kill, and he didn't take bad penalties.
Kris Draper (B, B+): Another player who raised his game in the playoffs. He was strong defensively, especially against Evgeni Malkin in the finals, and on the penalty-kill. His faceoff prowess was important in helping the Red Wings achieve their goal of puck-possession dominance.
Valtteri Filppula (B+, B+): He has more offense to give, but he must shoot more. He made good strides this season and has the speed, passing and defensive abilities to be a solid all-around player. A sprained knee hampered him a bit in the playoffs. A restricted free agent who might garner an offer sheet, which the Red Wings would surely match without hesitation.
Johan Franzen (A, A): When was the last time someone had such a meteoric rise from role player to scoring star? The key for him is confidence. He thinks of himself as a scorer now. And he's going to wreak havoc around the net with his size and hands. His quickness is underrated.
Mark Hartigan (B, Incomplete): A reliable fourth-line depth player when recalled from Grand Rapids (AHL) during the season, he appeared in the first four playoff games before being replaced by the quicker Darren Helm. Hartigan is likely to seek a better opportunity elsewhere.
Darren Helm (Incomplete, A-): Showing remarkable poise for a young kid with seven games of NHL experience, this fourth-line center was extremely impressive in the playoffs with his blazing speed, strong forechecking and willingness to battle physically. He earned a spot for next season.
Tomas Holmstrom (A-, B+): He was hampered by a sports hernia throughout the playoffs, constantly on pain-killers, but still did his thing in front of the net. He got a raw deal a couple of times from officials, which flustered him.

Jiri Hudler (B-, A-): He slumped badly the second half of the regular season but turned it around in the playoffs, where he was fifth on the team in points (14) despite limited ice time and shuffling mostly between the third and fourth lines. Like Filppula and Franzen, Hudler is only going to get better.

Tomas Kopecky (C+, Incomplete): He was coming on strong late in the season, playing increasingly more physical, until blowing out his knee and getting shelved for the playoffs. He must provide a more consistently physical presence.
Kirk Maltby (C, B): He hasn't provided the same physical, agitating presence he did since returning from the lockout and his production has declined as well. But he's still an effective penalty-killer and role player.
Darren McCarty (Incomplete, B): An unlikely comeback story, he worked hard to get himself back into shape and earn a spot in the lineup for most of the playoffs. A good leader and locker room presence who will be signed for at least another season.
Mikael Samuelsson (B-, B): A streaky scorer who has a tendency to get his goals in small bunches, he didn't score enough during the regular season (11 goals) despite ranking third on the team with 249 shots. He picked up his play in the finals.
Henrik Zetterberg (A, A): Zetterberg is the best two-way player in the game and could have been a Hart finalist. A deserving Conn Smythe Trophy winner, his defensive performance against opponents' top players is just as impressive as his offensive exploits.
DEFENSEMEN
Chris Chelios (B+, C): After a solid regular season, the 46-year-old seemed to run out of steam in the playoffs, partly due to his sore knee. A terrific team leader who sets an example for the younger defensemen, he'll return for one more season in a limited capacity.

Niklas Kronwall (A, A): A star in the making, he took his game to another level in the playoffs. Many will remember his numerous open-ice hits, but he also created a lot of offense, leading all defensemen with 15 assists and tying for the league lead with a plus-16 rating. The key is simply staying healthy.
Brett Lebda (B, B): His spot as a regular was tenuous at the start of the playoffs, but he was steady throughout the postseason, getting to pucks with his tremendous speed and joining the rush at the right time.
Nicklas Lidstrom (A, A): He's going to win his sixth Norris Trophy on Thursday and will finish his career as the second-best defenseman in NHL history behind Bobby Orr. Even at 38, he's showing no signs of slowing down. Like his teammates say, he's just the perfect player.
Andreas Lilja (B-, B): Mistakes earlier in the playoffs cost him his spot in the lineup, but he finished strong. A good penalty-killer and shot-blocker who stepped up his physical play, the team wants him back, but only at a reasonable price.
Derek Meech (B, Incomplete): Seeing limited action (32 games) didn't help his development, but the team didn't want to lose him. When injuries ravaged their defense, Meech stepped in and played well. He has good speed, moves the puck well and, despite his size (5-11, 197), he gets involved physically.
Brian Rafalski (A, A): The perfect partner for Lidstrom, Rafalski's passing and skating ability are ideally suited for this team's up-tempo style. They could continue to be the league's top combination for the next couple of years.
Brad Stuart (Incomplete, A): Going from the worst team in the league (Los Angeles) to the best made a world of difference. He meshed perfectly with Kronwall, playing more of a defensive role and adding another physical presence on the blue line.

GOALTENDERS
Dominik Hasek (A-, C): He rebounded from an early slump to put together a solid regular season but looked shaky in Games 3 and 4 against Nashville in the first round, before being replaced by Chris Osgood. He seems to be leaning toward retirement.
Chris Osgood (A, A): After an exceptional regular season, he was the savior in the playoffs, completing a remarkable comeback after reinventing his game. There's no reason to believe he won't be just as strong next season, when his workload will surely increase.
COACHING
Mike Babcock and staff (A, A): Under Babcock, the Red Wings became a harder team to play against, more gritty, physical, harder-working. He got the most out of his players and helped many of the younger players take another step in their careers.

H1Man

06-09-2008, 02:04 PM

So do you not sign a Sundin or Weight then?

Sundin is the only forward I would consider signing.

He is the logical FA pickup we can make IMO. We get a solid 2nd line C that won't block our young guys past next year and Sundin would get his chance to win a cup.

06-09-2008, 02:08 PM

Sundin is the only forward I would consider signing.

He is the logical FA pickup we can make IMO. We get a solid 2nd line C that won't block our young guys past next year and Sundin would get his chance to win a cup.

:cogent:

WTFchris

06-09-2008, 03:08 PM

He is the logical FA pickup we can make IMO. We get a solid 2nd line C that won't block our young guys past next year and Sundin would get his chance to win a cup.
I agree, but you named 2-3 people who should be playing regularly in your mind. We don't have that room. You said Maltby, Downey/Dmac, Kopecky. Scratch Weight from my lines and you have room for one of those (probably Maltby). What do you do with the other two?

H1Man

06-09-2008, 03:13 PM

I agree, but you named 2-3 people who should be playing regularly in your mind. We don't have that room. You said Maltby, Downey/Dmac, Kopecky. Scratch Weight from my lines and you have room for one of those (probably Maltby). What do you do with the other two?

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom
Franzen-Sundin-Samuelsson
Hudler-Filppula-Cleary
Maltby-Draper-Kopecky
McCarthy/Downey

WTFchris

06-09-2008, 03:29 PM

So you don't keep Helm, or just scratch him? McCarty and Downey would be scratched most nights. I think Helm has played his way in the lineup for sure. In fact, if he learned to kill penalties he'd be more valuable than Maltby (and might be anyway since Datsyuk, Hank, Cleary, Franzen, Filppula and Draper all kill penalties very well). Helm created a lot of the opportunites that the checking line had in the playoffs. He's extremely fast and forechecks well. I can't sit him in favor of Kopecky, that's for sure.

H1Man

06-09-2008, 03:42 PM

Helm would be in GR.

As well as he played, he could always use more seasoning. He also needs to put on some weight.

06-10-2008, 11:25 AM

Stuart, others may have to make financial sacrifices to stick around; Babcock extention coming soon

BY HELENE ST. JAMES • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • June 10, 2008

Ken Holland met with coach Mike Babcock briefly to talk contract and said "we'll get it done. Hopefully it won't take too many days."
Advertisement

Holland plans to speak to agent for defenseman Brad Stuart over the next two weeks; Stuart will have to take less than the $3.5 million he made this season to stay.

"We've a whole group of people who are prepared to sacrifice financially, they're prepared to sacrifice ice time," Holland said. "My indications are Stuie is prepared to make some sacrifices to come here. We'd like to keep him, but he's got to buy into the Red Wings philosophy."

I really hope he buys into Red Wings philosophy.

H1Man

06-10-2008, 03:09 PM

I doubt it.

As much as he might like it here, he is not going to sign for less than $3.5 million when he will get offers over $4 million on the FA market. That's a lot of money to leave on the table.

06-10-2008, 04:59 PM

sigh....I know, I know. You're right. But let me have my pipe dream of the top 2 defensive lines in the league. They were so dominant these playoff that I'm not ready yet for the reality check.

Tahoe

06-10-2008, 05:14 PM

His value is prolly pretty high right now too. I could see a team/GM that wants to sign a guy that just went through the playoffs and moreso that the team he played on won the cup. He has clubhouse/locker room value too.

H1Man

06-10-2008, 09:23 PM

REPORT: RED WINGS, BABCOCK AGREE TO 3-YEAR EXTENSION

An NHL source tells The Associated Press that Mike Babcock and the Detroit Red Wings have agreed to a three-year contract for the Stanley Cup-winning coach.

The person spoke Tuesday night on the condition of anonymity because the team planned an 11 a.m. Wednesday news conference to announce the deal.

The Wings said Tuesday night they would hold a news conference, but didn't release details.

Babcock led Detroit to a title in his third season behind the bench after helping the franchise earn the most points in the regular season for the second time in three years.

Babcock and the Red Wings had expected to reach an agreement shortly after the season ended last week with Detroit's win at Pittsburgh, where the team hoisted the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in 11 seasons.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=240299&lid=sublink02&lpos=headlines_main
Glad to have him aboard. [smilie=clap.gif]

H1Man

06-12-2008, 07:47 PM

Datsyuk with the Selke and the Lady Byng trophy. Need the Norris and the Adams to round our collection.

Wilfredo Ledezma

06-12-2008, 09:04 PM

How did Babcock not win the Adams, the Caps were lucky to get in and were bounced out in the 1st round by the 6 seed...

Babcock got the Divison, Presidents, the West, and the Cup...

Babcock got f'ed

06-13-2008, 09:19 AM

Personally I felt Babcock was the best coach in hockey too. But normally coach of the year awards, in most sports, are rewarded for the greatest improvement. Excellence, growth in excellence or continued excellence rarely win.

I'm so happy Pavel got the Selke. I love Z and he's our biggest star, but I really do think Pavel is our best two way forward. And the beauty of saying that is that it doesn't take away from Z, he's still one of the top defensive forwards in the league. It's just that Datsyuk uses his body just a bit better, not only checking but leaning into guys as well. Combine that with his vision for the game and those ridiculously soft hands, and he breaks up plays so well in then neutral zone and takes pucks off guys sticks like they were squirts (I mean he blew away the league in takeaways if I'm not wrong).

WTFchris

06-13-2008, 10:17 AM

I thought Hank would get it even though Pavel deserved it. Pavel lead the league in steals (though I'm not sure that's an official stat), but those go largely unnoticed. Hank got his Conn Smyth anyway.

H1Man

06-30-2008, 06:54 PM

Lilja signs for two years, Stuart mulls offers
by Ansar Khan
Monday June 30, 2008, 6:19 PM

Quick update on the status of the Red Wings' free agents:

I spoke today with Ken Holland, who said Andreas Lilja is officially signed. It's a two-year deal for slightly more than his previous $1 million salary.

Holland is waiting to hear back from Brad Stuart's agent, Pat Brisson, after making the 28-year-old defenseman long- and short-term offers. He'll continue talking to Brisson tonight and right up until noon Tuesday, when free agency begins. If he isn't signed by then, he's more than likely gone.

Holland and Chris Chelios agreed to wait a few days before signing a one-year deal. Holland said Chelios is definitely coming back. They just need to settle on a salary and bonuses, which will depend on how active the Wings will be in free agency. Unlike previous years in this new CBA, bonuses earned in 2008-09 can't carry over to the following season, they must count against this upcoming year's cap.

He wants to sign both Darren McCarty and Aaron Downey but will wait until after the dust settles from free agency to see where they're at with their roster. This will give both an opportunity to find a better deal elsewhere. Ideally, he'd like both on two-way contracts.

He spoke briefly with the agent of restricted free-agent forward Valtteri Filppula but doesn't expect any deal to materialize until later in the summer.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2008/06/lilja_signs_for_two_years_stua.html

Vinny

06-30-2008, 07:20 PM

Thanks, H1. Just so you know, I at least read these and appreciate you posting them. It's hard to keep up going to different sites all the time and I get most of my news here.

Tahoe

06-30-2008, 10:34 PM

Thanks, H1. Just so you know, I at least read this and appreciate you posting them. It's hard to keep up going to different sites all the time and I get most of my news here.

Seconded

H1Man

06-30-2008, 11:00 PM

Thanks guys.

H1Man

06-30-2008, 11:09 PM

Rolston looking at the Wings?

As of now, Brian Rolston has not signed in Tampa Bay despite the Lightning offering him a Brink’s truck, I am told. I am also being told it’s looking more and more doubtful Rolston signs, although that could change. Brian Lawton and Len Barrie are using every ounce of persuasion they have. I haven’t heard back from Rolston this afternoon, but this is further proof he wants to go to free agency. In other words, if Tampa can’t get it done, the Wild wasn’t going to get it done.

Deep down, I really think he’s praying the Red Wings come calling. That would be a dream come true for the Michigan native and childhood Wings fan. Two other big options? I think Pittsburgh and the Rangers. I think he’d sign either place in a heartbeat.

I know Florida wants to sign him and make him the Panthers’ captain, but if he’s not interested in signing in Tampa Bay, why Florida? Deep down, Rolston still wants to be in a hockey city, especially since his son, Ryder, looks like he’s on his way to being as good as or better than pops. So Rolston wants quality youth hockey.

That’s why maybe, and just maybe, Rolston does come back to the Wild if the stars don’t align. I’d still consider that beyond doubtful.
http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/wildblog/2008/06/30/free-agent-eve/

If Rolston would be willing to take a little less to come here ala Rafalski, he would be a tremendous addition.

Zekyl

07-01-2008, 07:17 AM

I'd take him in a heartbeat. Its just a matter of how much less he's willing to take. The Lightning were apparently offering him quite a bit.

H1Man

07-01-2008, 01:45 PM

Brad Stuart stays with Red Wings

Brad Stuart has found stability with the Stanley Cup champions.

The defenceman signed a four-year, $15-million US deal with the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday and avoided entering the NHL's free agent derby, which began at noon ET.

The deal also includes a no-trade clause for the first two years and has a limited no-trade clause after that.

The Rocky Mountain House, Alta., native prospered in his role as Detroit's No. 4 defenceman after he was traded at the season's deadline from the Los Angeles Kings. He recorded a goal and six assists and a plus-15 rating in 21 playoff games with the Stanley Cup champion Red Wings.

In 579 career games with the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Los Angeles and Detroit he's totalled 59 goals and 170 assists (229 points).

Stuart, 28, was drafted third overall by the Sharks in the 1998 NHL entry draft.
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2008/07/01/stuart-redwings.html

4 year deal worth 3.75 million per. That's a great deal, considering what he could have gotten on the open market.

Vinny

07-01-2008, 01:52 PM

Yeah, I love it. For some reason I thought he was older than 28 too. He seems to be just coming into his own.

MoTown

07-01-2008, 02:00 PM

That is most excellent news. Keep Stuart and Kronwall together for a couple more years.

WTFchris

07-01-2008, 02:16 PM

Per ESPN NHL rumors page:

Maple Leafs C Mats Sundin (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=904) is deciding between the Red Wings and Rangers, according to the New York Post. The paper said Sundin has been telling friends in Sweden he'd like to play in New York, but the Swedish-heavy Red Wings give him the best chance to win a Stanley Cup.
The Rangers are hoping that if Sundin signs, it will attract their own unrestricted free agent superstar, Jaromir Jagr (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=405) to re-sign, according to the Post.

Fool

07-01-2008, 02:20 PM

Wow

WTFchris

07-01-2008, 02:21 PM

I would take that with a grain of salt though. There were no quotes from the Sundin camp and that is a NY paper remember (their sports writers like to 'make up' stuff).

H1Man

07-01-2008, 02:28 PM

TSN is reporting that some team offered Sundin a multi-year contract at $10 million per.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=242175&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main

Fool

07-01-2008, 02:32 PM

Yeah, reality sucks.

Glenn

07-01-2008, 02:33 PM

I thought he was going to Montreal?

H1Man

07-01-2008, 02:40 PM

According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, it's the Vancouver Canucks with the two-year, $20 million dollar offer to Sundin.

Tahoe

07-01-2008, 02:40 PM

TSN is reporting that some team offered Sundin a multi-year contract at $10 million per.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=242175&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main

Doesn't sound like Holland to me.

WTFchris

07-01-2008, 03:07 PM

Well, the Wings have plenty of money this year. Next year will be tighter. If they could front load Sundin a 2 year deal they could probably get him 20 mil as well (or close to that).

07-01-2008, 03:33 PM

I haven't seen a computer in two days and I come online to find out the Wings sign Stuart to a fair deal (under 4M, just incredible)???

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow! I mean, where is Kenny Holland on the top GM list for all major sports? At least top 10. Top 5? Top 3?

We have the best 1-2 pairings in the league again.

(And put me on that H1 appreciation list. He's become my first source for all things Red Wings and hockey. Really.)

H1Man

07-01-2008, 04:15 PM

Well, the Wings have plenty of money this year. Next year will be tighter. If they could front load Sundin a 2 year deal they could probably get him 20 mil as well (or close to that).

Won't matter.

The cap hit is based on the average annual salary, so if we sign Sundin to a 2 year, $20 million contract, the cap hit will be $10 million. We can't afford that.

H1Man

07-01-2008, 04:16 PM

Also the Wings signed Ty Conklin to a one year deal worth $750k.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2008/07/wings_sign_ty_conklin_to_one_y.html

Zekyl

07-01-2008, 06:53 PM

Ty Conklin sounds like a familiar name but I can't think of why.

I'm extremely happy about the Stuart signing. I didn't realize he was only 28 either. I thought he was in his 30s. Perfect pairing for Kronwall. Now we just have to see who earns time on the 3rd defensive pairing, the first two are set for a while. How long is Rafalski signed for?

Fool

07-01-2008, 07:01 PM

Ty Conklin
http://www.50kamonth.com/

LOL @ Reverse Funnel System
RFS = Pyramid

Zekyl

07-01-2008, 07:18 PM

I actually read the article. Backup goalie for the Penguins. He's not too bad.

H1Man

07-01-2008, 07:24 PM

Tahoe

07-01-2008, 07:42 PM

4 more years.

Edit: I just realized that the contracts for Kronwall, Rafalski and Stuart all end in the same year.

Ramifications?

We'd most likely want to resign Kron and Rafalski right? Isn't Stew older?

Zekyl

07-01-2008, 07:46 PM

Actually, isn't Rafalski older than Stuart? Stuart's 28, I thought Rafalski was 32ish. At that point we'll probably let Raffy go depending on how the young guys like Lebda, Quincy, Meech develop.

Timone

07-01-2008, 07:47 PM

Stuart's 28, Rafalski's 34.

Tahoe

07-01-2008, 07:48 PM

Stuart's 28, Rafalski's 34.

Yea, I knew that, I just wanted to see if anyone else did.

H1Man

07-01-2008, 07:49 PM

Kronwall is fairly old too (27), considering this was his first full season.

Timone

07-01-2008, 07:52 PM

I feel old now...

Glenn

07-02-2008, 01:19 PM

Report: Red Wings sign Hossa for one year, $7.4 million
ESPN.com news services

Updated: July 2, 2008, 12:56 PM ET

The defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings have signed forward Marian Hossa to a one-year, $7.4-million contract, TSN of Canada reported on its Web site.

Hossa played last season for the Atlanta Thrashers and Pittsburgh Penguins, who acquired him from the Thrashers at the trade deadline. He had 29 goals and 37 assists in the regular season and had 12 goals and 14 assists in 20 playoff games as the Penguins advanced to the Stanley Cup finals.

A first-round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators in 1997, Hossa has 299 career goals and 349 assists in 701 career games. He was dealt to the Thrashers in 2005 as part of the trade that sent Dany Heatley to Ottawa.

Hossa was reportedly contemplating offers from the Canucks, Canadiens, Oilers and Penguins, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The Boston Bruins also were among the contenders, but the signing of forward Michael Ryder on Tuesday took them out of the bidding because of tight cap space.

The Oilers were willing to overpay, at least $9 million per year, to lure Hossa north, according to the Edmonton Journal. The Penguins still had a standing offer -- believed to be more than $7 million per year for five years -- on the table for Hossa, but hadn't raised it since the signing period began, according to the Tribune-Review.

MoTown

07-02-2008, 01:21 PM

NFW!

WTFchris

07-02-2008, 01:41 PM

That's fucking badass. I'm betting Hank and Pavel are separated (except maybe the power play) now that we have another scoring wing.

MoTown

07-02-2008, 01:51 PM

I don't think that's a bad deal, either. Wasn't he looking for $9 million a year or something like that?

Fool

07-02-2008, 01:52 PM

The Oiler's offered him that and he didn't take it. The Pens apparantly offered him 35m/5ys and he turned it down too.

MoTown

07-02-2008, 01:56 PM

Looks like the Wings are geared up for a second run. I like keeping Hank and Dats together, and having Hossa and Mule together. Those are going to be two great lines.

WTFchris

07-02-2008, 02:28 PM

The Oiler's offered him that and he didn't take it. The Pens apparantly offered him 35m/5ys and he turned it down too.

He probably thought playing here a year would give him a bigger pay day than the 35 mil next year. He wouldn't have much of a chance at the cup in Edmonton really.

Fool

07-02-2008, 02:31 PM

Right, anyone know the free agency outlook for next year or the probable cap space of teams? I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't just a move to be available for a bigger money score next year while possibly getting a cup in the process (as Chris said).

Tahoe

07-02-2008, 02:33 PM

Or Holland is thinking about getting him in a Wings sweater and start negotiating a longer term deal.

WTFchris

07-02-2008, 02:35 PM

Looks like we have some Howard insurance:

• Red Wings sign Ty Conklin (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=1232) to one-year deal
Ty Conklin set the gold standard for backups this past season in Pittsburgh, where he came on in relief for starter Marc-Andre Fleury (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=2346), who went down with a high ankle sprain. Some wondered if the Penguins would free-fall out of the playoffs; but even without Sidney Crosby (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=3114) in the lineup for a long period of time, Conklin not only held the Pens in the playoff race, but he also helped them to the second seed in the East. His demeanor will fit perfectly with laid-back Chris Osgood (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=700), who recaptured the starter's role in Detroit and led the Wings to the Stanley Cup. Watch for Conklin to post excellent numbers again next season in a supporting role. He's a bargain at $750,000.

WTFchris

07-02-2008, 02:38 PM

Right, anyone know the free agency outlook for next year or the probably cap space of teams? I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't just a move to be available for a bigger money score next year while possibly getting a cup in the process (as Chris said).

Hossa will only be here a year (barring trades). Our cap is pretty much hosed up after this year. He has to extend Pavel or Hank (I think it's Hank), Filppula and someone else too. I doubt there is a way for Hossa to sign without moving quite a few pieces. I'm sure he's hoping Filppula or Hudler make the kind of jump that Hank and Pavel did (maybe not to that extent, but to become consistant two way players).

Tahoe

07-02-2008, 02:41 PM

The short-term deal will give the Red Wings salary-cap space to extend contracts, improving their chances later this summer of keeping Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen off the free agent market in 2009.

Fool

07-02-2008, 02:51 PM

From some dude at the DSR.
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/84/hossawv1.jpg

Does she come with him?

Glenn

07-02-2008, 03:31 PM

What's she go, 57 lbs?

Timone

07-02-2008, 03:32 PM

^ Internet stud.

Glenn

07-02-2008, 03:32 PM

I'm concerned for her health, man.

Fool

07-02-2008, 03:33 PM

If that's a zipper going down the front, that's my favorite dress ever.

Timone

07-02-2008, 03:34 PM

I'm concerned for her health, man.

You'd be stuttering like Bob Ryan if she ever came up to talk to you.

Glenn

07-02-2008, 03:35 PM

I'm almost sure that it's an just illusion, but if you look at that pic as long as Fool has, it's starts looking like he could pick her up and have her stand in the palm of his hand.

Fool

07-02-2008, 03:37 PM

You say that like its a bad thing. Ever had a spinner? They're great fun.

Timone

07-02-2008, 03:37 PM

I'm almost sure that it's an just illusion, but if you look at that pic as long as Fool has, it's starts looking like he could pick her up and have her stand in the palm of his hand.

How are you married?

Glenn

07-02-2008, 03:40 PM

How are you married?

Believe it or not, I'm a complete catch.

Timone

07-02-2008, 03:41 PM

GLENN FOR ROY!!!!!

Fool

07-02-2008, 03:41 PM

If you are suffering from some sort of psychological dissorder that makes it impossible for you to call Glenn back, he's not interested.

Jethro34

07-02-2008, 04:24 PM

Several things - she's hot, 100% doable, and I would be ok if she dislocated something in the process. Not like I'm in it for the long term anyhow.

Next, and back on a subject which isn't quite as cool, but still amazing and the purpose of this thread - holy freaking crap! I thought Stuart was doubtful, so as I'm checking in from time to time to see if he re-signed, then freaking Hossa pops up? What? Are you kidding me? If they somehow do NOT repeat next year, will that be the biggest let-down ever? Everyone noteworthy is back, along with arguably the top free agent?

Well done Ken.

Joe D just got pwned for Detroit GM or the year. (unless Sharpe goes off as ROY)

Fool

07-02-2008, 04:50 PM

I think Holland is well ahead of all the GMs in Michigan and almost everyone in the States as a whole (there are only a few in the conversation in any sports that I can think of).

Tahoe

07-02-2008, 04:51 PM

H1Man

07-02-2008, 06:50 PM

WOW.

Tahoe

07-02-2008, 06:52 PM

I wish I could edit 101. Thats quite a buzz kill to a really good thread. Sorry guys.

H1Man

07-02-2008, 07:08 PM

I really can't believe that we signed Marian fucking Hossa.

A brilliant signing by Holland.

Jethro34

07-02-2008, 09:59 PM

I wish I could edit 101. Thats quite a buzz kill to a really good thread. Sorry guys.

Take a lesson.

Werd. And while Kenny put the beat down on 3 2nd rounders Joe, he also was able to narrowly defeat such icons as Spend millions to hover around .500 Dave and draft for character and arrests Matt (the people's champ).

Tahoe

07-02-2008, 11:58 PM

^ LOL...PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRfect

Cross

07-03-2008, 01:54 AM

repeat

WTFchris

07-03-2008, 09:42 AM

Some interesting quotes from Holland and Hossa in here:

DETROIT -- Wednesday's move epitomized why the Detroit Red Wings are the organization they are, with the premier management group in the NHL, one of the best in all of professional sports.
Marian Hossa, the best forward on the free-agent market, spurned the security of a long-term deal worth upwards of $9 million a season other teams offered and inked a one-year contract for $7.4 million with the Red Wings.
He was motivated by the opportunity to win his first Stanley Cup, not cash in on the best deal he could get.

It's a credit to the winning environment this organization has cultivated -- from ownership, to the front office, to the coaching staff, to the players. People take less money to stay here, and now the most talented available forward is taking a sizable financial risk to be a part of this program for at least one year.
And keep in mind he's coming from a strong Pittsburgh team that lost to the Red Wings in the finals. He had a chance to continue playing with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but chose Detroit.

Hossa is a complete player, a good skater with a terrific shot and an excellent finishing touch. The 29-year-old right wing has scored more than 40 goals twice and has topped the 30-goal mark six times. He has good size (6-1, 210) and is also a strong defensive player.

It's a remarkable coup for a team that didn't even need it. If the Red Wings had made no moves this summer and returned the same skilled and relatively young roster intact they still would have been the odds-on favorites in the Cup race. Now, they might have lapped the field.

"It shows Marian's commitment to wanting to play with other good players,'' Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said. "Success is about sacrifice, whether it's ice time or money. He's shown incredible sacrifice. It shows Marian's determination and character.''
As he authorized his agent, Ritch Winter, to get the deal done, Hossa said they were both shaking their heads at the money he was turning down from other clubs. Edmonton and Boston reportedly made huge offers, but Hossa said he chose Detroit's deal over a long-term pact from the Penguins.

"I never thought after the season that I would sign somewhere for one year, but situations change,'' Hossa said. "It wasn't an easy decision. I wanted to have the best chance to win the Stanley Cup and I feel Detroit is the team. I was having a great time in Pittsburgh playing with (Malkin). I feel the team in Detroit is something special. ... I know I made the right decision. It wasn't easy to throw so much money away and try to win it.''

When free agency opened Tuesday, Holland called Winter and offered Hossa a long-term deal at a much lower salary than other teams tendered because the Red Wings will be tight for salary cap space next season, when they have to re-sign Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen, among others.
Holland went to bed believing he had no chance to land Hossa. Then, while Holland was filling his gas tank Wednesday morning, Winter called him and said Hossa would be interested in a one-year deal.

"I was caught way off-guard. Shocked was my initial reaction,'' Holland said. "The two best (available) forwards were Mats Sundin and Marian Hossa, but we thought it was a dream world that either of these players would come to us.''

The final hurdle was getting Hossa to accept a shade less than captain Nicklas Lidstrom, whom Holland had promised would be the highest-paid player on the team at $7.45 million a season.

"Marian was comfortable not making more than Nick,'' Holland said. "He bought into the team salary structure.''
The Penguins are a skilled team, but Hossa said he was swayed in large part because of the Red Wings' up-tempo, puck-possession style, with their mobile, puck-moving defense.

"It's attractive hockey, lots of offense, good players,'' Hossa said. "I want to play that way.''

It's hard to keep a talented team together in the salary-cap world. Players leave for more money. Others are forced out because of rising salaries for teammates. No team has managed the cap better than the Red Wings. It's not even close.

"We're fortunate. We got great owners, great management. Ken Holland finds a way to make it work,'' Detroit center Kris Draper said. "(Hossa) left millions on the table for a chance to win the Stanley Cup.''

Holland is hoping to sign Hossa to a long-term deal before next summer. He'll first need to convince Zetterberg, Franzen and others to take less than they could get on the open market in 2009. And he hopes the salary cap, which has risen from $39 million to $56.7 million in three years, will continue to escalate.

"It gives me the opportunity to sit down with key players and hopefully we're able to find a way to keep everyone together,'' Holland said.

Is there any reason to doubt their ability to do it?

What must the league's other general managers be thinking?

Zekyl

07-03-2008, 04:57 PM

Everyone noteworthy is back, along with the top free agent?
Fixed

Fool

07-03-2008, 08:41 PM

Even not being much of a hockey fan, its hard not to feel good after reading something like that.

Fool

07-03-2008, 09:13 PM

http://redwings.nhl.tv/team/console?type=fvod&id=19628&tab=1

Holland on the trade.

Jethro34

07-03-2008, 10:31 PM

http://redwings.nhl.tv/team/console?type=fvod&id=19628&tab=1

Holland on the signing.

Fixed.

H1Man

07-04-2008, 07:51 PM

Filppula might be the target of an offer sheet from the Canucks.

Fool

07-04-2008, 10:52 PM

Oops. Brain fart.

MoTown

07-04-2008, 11:03 PM

Filppula might be the target of an offer sheet from the Canucks.

That's a guy I really don't want to lose.

Vinny

07-04-2008, 11:05 PM

Agreed, but he may (and probably should...) see the signing of Hossa as an obstacle to his moving up the ladder.

H1Man

07-05-2008, 01:46 AM

As much as I like Filppula, if the Canucks are stupid enough to throw big money (anything over $3.2 million) at him, I'd say take the picks and run.

Zekyl

07-05-2008, 11:29 AM

I'd take the Hossa signing as a good thing for him. He's got a good shot at ending up on a line with Hank, Dats, or Hossa now, who wouldn't want to play with guys like that?

H1Man

07-05-2008, 09:56 PM

Filppula filed for salary arbitration, which means that we don't have to worry about anyone signing him to an offer sheet. I think we have until the 20th to get a contract done before heading to an arbitration hearing.

WTFchris

07-15-2008, 01:33 PM

Drake officially retires after 15 NHL seasons (http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2008/07/drake_expected_to_make_retirem.html)

by Ansar Khan Tuesday July 15, 2008, 12:09 PM

Red Wings forward Dallas Drake announced today that he is retiring after 15 seasons in the NHL. Drake began his career with the Wings in 1992-93 and ended it last season in Detroit, winning his first Stanley Cup. The scrappy, physical left wing played in 1,009 regular season games, scoring 177 goals and adding 300 assists, for 477 points. He also played for the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes and the St. Louis Blues. Last season was the first time any of his teams had advanced to the Cup finals. Drake told the club a couple of weeks ago that he was leaning toward retirement.

WTFchris

07-21-2008, 12:44 PM

Wow, if we could get Sundin (with Hossa) for a year that would be amazing. The only way I see that happening is if a Cup is VERY high on his list.

Nine teams originally had been in on the bidding for Sundin, including the Canadiens who had offered $16M for two years, according to the Toronto Sun.
Various reports have the Rangers and Red Wings still in the mix while returning to captain the Maple Leafs remains a possibility, although they have reportedly offered just a one-year, $7M deal.

Vancouver's offer includes a $5M signing bonus, $5M for this season, $5M due July 1, 2009 and another $5M to play in 2009-2010, according to TSN.

Zekyl

07-21-2008, 07:08 PM

Do we even have the money to get him?

WTFchris

07-21-2008, 07:26 PM

Maybe, but only for a year. I doubt it's the 10 mil that Vancuver offered though.

WTFchris

07-21-2008, 07:29 PM

It doesn't look like it actually. We've got 4 mil in space and we have not re-signed Fillpulla yet. They also plan on bringing back Cheli and Downey or Dmac (probably all short and cheap deals).

I doubt there is any chance at Sundin (he'd have to come very cheap).

http://www.letsgowings.com/salarychart/index.php

Zekyl

07-21-2008, 07:43 PM

Filp will take up a good 2.5-3.5mil of that I'm guessing, so that leaves Chelios and DMac on the league minimum and that's almost all our cap space

WTFchris

07-21-2008, 11:10 PM

I'm not sure how their cap works either (whether they can go over it to resign players or not).

Zekyl

07-22-2008, 07:07 AM

I'm pretty sure they can't. Otherwise we wouldn't be so worried about clearing up space to resign the guys next offseason.

Zekyl

07-23-2008, 08:14 AM

The Hockey News' Jason Kay recently wrote about Ken Holland being named The Hockey News' executive of the year. Here's a portion of the story:

Our executive of the year, Red Wings GM Ken Holland, is quick to reference some of his best decisions have been about team-building…in the front office.

He is surrounded by an elite staff of advisors, including assistant GM Jim Nill, vice-presidents Jimmy Devellano and Steve Yzerman, consultant Scotty Bowman, Euro super-scout Hakan Andersson and an exceptional coach in Mike Babcock.

And while our exec award takes into account both the regular season and playoffs, the roots of the honor snake down through several years of work; it’s not all about 2007-08.

What makes the Wings’ achievements more remarkable is they’ve done it without the aid of high draft picks and in spite of a cap system that is designed to discourage dominance.

WTFchris

07-26-2008, 02:30 PM

Interesting conversation with Bowman about Hossa:

Wojnowski: And you mentioned, when the Pittsburgh series, you mentioned Marian Hossa, and he was very dangerous in that series against the Red Wings, and then the Wings really just swiped him, really, for one year, $7.4 million, other teams were offering longer-term and what not, how big and how surprising of an addition is Marian Hossa to the Red Wings, do you think?

Bowman: Well, I can tell you, Bob, is that, even prior to the deadline, when he was a free agent, and everybody's always trying to keep up with everybody else, and there was a lot of big talk about you know, free agent, Sundin was one, would Toronto trade him, and Hossa was there, but the guy that probably knows the most about Hossa is Jimmy Nill, because he was involved with Ottawa when Hossa was drafted, and then Hossa went out West, and Mike Babcock knows a lot about him, too, because Mike told me after the handshake, after the last game, he said to Hossa, you know, "Why don't you come to Detroit," and he said the response he got from Hossa was, he said, "I like Detroit!"
Jim Nill, now we're talking in the early 90's, the mid 90's, I guess Hossa's now 29, so he was drafted when he was 18, so it was about 11 years ago, maybe the mid-90's, so Jim Nill knew a lot about him, and he, they pushed hard, when they [the Red Wings] had their [pre-trade deadline] meetings, everybody was pushing hard to see, is there any way that they could bring Hossa aboard. Of course, the price was high, and I think the fact that bringing Bertuzzi in last year, you know, like, Kenny would admit the same thing; when they made the deal, they gave away a young player named Matthias, and they would like to have him back. They say he's going to be a top six-eight forward, and it's a loss, but not that they couldn't recover, they've recovered with so many other moves, but I don't think they were prepared to go as much as Pittsburgh, you know, they give players, they give draft picks, for a player that, you don't know if you're going to keep him for more than two months.

WTFchris

07-26-2008, 02:42 PM

Some comments from Stevie too:

Bob Wojnowski: Now, how the heck did you guys get Hossa, were you as shocked, talking to Ken Holland earlier, and Scotty, were you as shocked as everybody else, or did you kind of have an inkling that Hossa would do what he did and come here?

Steve Yzerman: You know, I was pretty surprised, really. In July the 1st, in the afternoon, we got a chance to talk to Marian and his agent, and, uh, at that time, he'd just left it with us that he was gonna spend 24-48 hours and kind of go over all the teams that he'd talked to, but we kind of made it clear that it would be difficult to do a long-term deal based on other contracts that we had to do over the next year, but the one thing his agent did say on the 1st was, you know, just don't close it out, you know, or, give us, we may call you back, and, sure enough, I guess they called Kenny, Kenny was at a gas station, he got a call, and when I showed up at the office a little bit later, they were literally on the phone, kind of tidying up loose ends on the deal, so it was a pretty pleasant surprise.

Wojo: See, I wonder if it's anti-Hossa sentiment that some people expressed, or just, "Oh, God, the rich get richer, the Red Wings," you know, and the Red Wings have become the big monster to the rest of the NHL to a certain degree, and you guys must feel to a certain degree that the rich get richer...

Yzerman: Well, you know what? I, this is really unusual, passing up multi-year, pretty significant dollar deals, but, you know, traveling around, and talking to people within hockey and hockey fans outside of Detroit, I think everybody really admires the team and the way the team played this year, so I haven't really seen a lot of anti-Red Wing sentiment, and I'm guessing that if there was, they're not going to tell me anyway, but I think that, for the most part, people have been extremely complimentary of this team, how they played, and the style of hockey they played, so, you know, again, I just think that people, there are always going to be two sides, and people can't wait to find a reason to criticize.

Zekyl

07-28-2008, 10:47 AM

The Red Wings have signed right wing Darren Haydar to a one-year, two-way contract for $525,000. He'll most likely bolster their depth in Grand Rapids, filling the role that Mark Hartigan had last season.

Haydar (5-9, 170) had one goal and seven assists in 16 games with the Atlanta Thrashers last season and has appeared in 22 games in parts of three seasons in the NHL.

"He's a high-end American Hockey League depth type of player,'' Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill said. "We're set with 12 solid forwards. The 13th, 14th and 15th spots are open. We're looking for some healthy competition (in training camp). We just want to add some depth and it's important to have those types of players.''

Haydar, 28, has been a prolific scorer during his six seasons in the AHL. He helped the Chicago Wolves win the Calder Cup this past season, becoming the AHL's career leader in playoff goals (55) and points (124) in the process. Haydar was the AHL's MVP in 2006-07, when he led the league in (81) and points (122) while scoring 41 goals. He had 19 goals and 39 assists in 51 games for the Wolves during this past regular season, when he served as team captain.

Hartigan recently signed with Dinamo Riga, a Latvian club in the Kontinental Hockey League.

The Wings also announced they have re-signed forward Ryan Oulahen to a one-year deal. Oulahen has played the last three seasons with the Griffins, picking up 34 goals and 42 assists in 229 games.

Zekyl

07-30-2008, 01:45 PM

Filp just signed a 5 year, $15million deal

WTFchris

07-30-2008, 11:28 PM

Filppula signs for five years, $15 million; cap crunch could force a trade in preseason

by Ansar Khan Wednesday July 30, 2008, 11:51 AM

The Wings have signed forward Valtteri Filppula to a five-year deal worth $15 million, thereby avoiding an arbitration hearing scheduled for Friday. Filppula, 24, had 19 goals and 17 assists in 78 games last season and the Wings believe the talented all-around player has a tremendous upside.
"He's a young guy who's going to develop into one of the core players on our team, if he isn't already there,'' general manager Ken Holland said. "He's a good two-way player. The question is how much offense does he got? He plays hard, he's a good skater, he protects the puck, he's good defensively, he's a good playmaker. So many parts of his game are outstanding.''
This signing pushes the Wings right up against the cap. They are less than $1 million under the $56.7 million cap, and they still need to sign defensemen Kyle Quincey and Chris Chelios. With Chelios, it was just a case of seeing how much money they had available after signing Filppula.
Holland said they will likely head into camp over the cap, forcing them to trade somebody. He said they'll let it play out in camp and the exhibition games and then make a decision. They don't have to be under the cap until Oct. 8, the day before the season. They have 10 defensemen, only one of whom (Jonathan Ericsson) is exempt from waivers, so they'll likely need to move somebody on defense.
"We'll have to make a decision based on the 23-man roster, the salary cap and age,'' Holland said. "We'll have to be prepared to trade some players. I would expect there would be interest in some of our players.''
Holland said they're still interested in signing forwards Darren McCarty and Aaron Downey, but only on two-way deals.

Zekyl

08-05-2008, 11:52 AM

Brad McCrimmon and Paul MacLean both signed 3-year contracts as Red Wings assistants. MacLean's been with the Wings for 4 years now.

Fool

08-05-2008, 12:01 PM

What are "two-way deals"?

Glenn

08-05-2008, 12:03 PM

I think that means that they can move them back and forth between the parent club and the minors.

I'm sure someone else knows for usre.

Zekyl

08-05-2008, 12:04 PM

Two-way deal means that they'll get a certain amount if they're on the Red Wings, but if they're in the minors they'll get paid less.

Howard got a 2-way deal. He'll make $800,000 or something along those lines, if he's on the Wings, but if he's playing in Grand Rapids he'll only get $200,000.

Fool

08-05-2008, 12:05 PM

Should have signed Willis to a two-way deal.

Zekyl

08-05-2008, 12:06 PM

Should have signed Willis

Zekyl

08-31-2008, 11:37 AM

I heard a rumor that Chelios signed with the Blackhawks but I can't seem to find it anywhere. Any truth to it?

Wizzle

09-02-2008, 04:07 PM

I heard a rumor that Chelios signed with the Blackhawks but I can't seem to find it anywhere. Any truth to it?
Nope

Wings close to two-year deal with Quincey; agree to one-year deal with Chelios
by Ansar Khan
Tuesday September 02, 2008, 1:40 PM

About a half-dozen players, including new backup goaltender Ty Conklin, are skating at Joe Louis Arena in preparation for training camp (first day on ice is Sept. 20).

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said he is close to signing defenseman Kyle Quincey to a two-year contract and said he and defenseman Chris Chelios have agreed to a one-year deal for slightly less than the $850,000 Chelios made last season. It does not include bonuses.

"We've basically agreed,'' Holland said. "When he gets into town next week, we're going to sign it.''

Forward Darren McCarty said he's basically agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the club, similar to the deal Aaron Downey signed last month ($575,000 NHL salary, $100,000 minor league salary). It won't be signed until closer to the start of camp, however, as McCarty is hoping the NHL Players Association makes a decision on whether or not to open the CBA.

It's a decision that affects bonus clauses for players 35 and older. The NHL won't allow teams to carry over bonuses to next season until the union declares they will not open up the CBA. The union's decision is not expected to come prior to training camp, but McCarty is waiting just in case.

"The deadline is to get it done before camp,'' McCarty said. "This is the only place I want to play. ... I'm pretty confident something will get done in the next couple of weeks.''

"In Darren's situation, he'd like to get some bonuses, he knows he's going to be a low base, he's like the potential to make a little more money,'' Holland said. "I'm in no position to do that (for this season).''

McCarty said he has received offers from other teams but, "In order to leave here it would have to be something pretty special.''

Of signing a two-way deal, McCarty said, "You have mixed feelings about it because of the career you'd have but sometimes you have to make sacrifices.''

He said he would have no qualms about playing for Grand Rapids, however.

"Some of the most fun I had last year was helping some of the young kids develop (in Grand Rapids),'' McCarty said. "Playing down there I wouldn't have a problem at all. ... I just want to be compensated for it. But the way the CBA is you can only make so much (in the minors).''

The question is, does he want to play in the minors for $100,000 on a two-way contract or seek strictly a minor league deal for upwards of $250,000.

"Is that more of a benefit? There's a few options,'' McCarty said. "Bottom line is you want to be here. I'm pretty confident I'll be back, in whatever role.''

-- McCarty, incidentally, said he and some friends ate a 12-scoop ice cream sundae out of the Stanley Cup, undeterred by Kris Draper's revelation over the summer that his infant daughter Kamryn -- how shall we phrase this -- did her business in the Cup.

"That was a long time ago,'' McCarty said. "There's been worse things in there since then.''

Draper said he regrets going public with that unusual anecdote.

"I've talked to a lot of media, and if I could take that line back I probably would,'' Draper said. "For a dad to have their child in the Stanley Cup, getting a picture and having a birth announcement is something special. The one thing I want to make sure, there was no disrespect toward the trophy whatsoever. I'm as proud as anybody to win the Stanley Cup and I would never want it to come across that that was the case. We were talking about it and I got caught up in the moment.''

-- Kirk Maltby's wife, Wendy, delivered twins on July 17, a boy ((Landen) and girl (Leighton).

"It's been a lot of ... not sleepless nights, but broken-sleep nights, feedings and all that fun stuff,'' Maltby said. "It's definitely double duty and double the work, but it's fun.'' yeah, it's a frickin' blast

-- Tomas Kopecky skated and said he is hoping to be ready for the regular-season opener on Oct. 9 against Toronto. He had surgery in April to repair a torn ACL.

-- Tomas Holmstrom is also skating. He said he'll be ready for the start of camp after having surgery for a sports hernia on June 11.

WTFchris

09-02-2008, 04:09 PM

So the net gain/loss for this year was this:

Loss: #2 goaltender

Gain: top line winger

sounds good to me.

Glenn

09-02-2008, 04:09 PM

+1 Landen

+1 Leighton

Zekyl

09-03-2008, 01:20 PM

So the net gain/loss for this year was this:

Loss: #2 goaltender

Gain: top line winger, #2 goaltender

sounds good to me.

WTFchris

09-04-2008, 11:22 AM

Babcock breaking up Wings' Datsyuk, Zetterberg

by Ansar Khan Thursday September 04, 2008, 12:10 AM

DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock has aimed to split-up superstars Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg before, only to reunite them at some point because they're so dominant together.
This season, Babcock is determined to keep the two on separate lines. And this time he might be able to stick to the plan, due to the addition of a third star forward, Marian Hossa.
"Not maybe, for sure. They're not playing together,'' Babcock said Wednesday, after watching a handful of players skate during an optional pre-training camp workout at Joe Louis Arena. "Now with Hossa, the kind of player he is, and (Johan) Franzen coming into his own, it would be crazy to play (Datsyuk and Zetterberg) together. They're both happy at center anyways.''
Babcock said he will keep Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom together and likely start the preseason with Hossa on that line. The other top line, at least initially, will feature Zetterberg centering Franzen and Jiri Hudler.
"The balance goes deeper now,'' Babcock said. "(Valtteri) Filppula is a second-line center in the NHL and now him and Drapes (Kris Draper) will be our third- and fourth-line centers. But who's on the third and fourth line? I don't know, I'm just going to watch.''
Dan Cleary, Mikael Samuelsson, Kirk Maltby and Tomas Kopecky will fill out the third and fourth lines. Highly skilled Finnish rookie Ville Leino, veterans Darren McCarty and Aaron Downey and young Darren Helm also will be competing for jobs in training camp.
Babcock is keeping tabs on Leino, an undrafted late bloomer (he turns 25 on Oct. 6) who was named the best player in the Finnish Elite League and was its second-leading scorer. He has been working out with fellow Finn Filppula.

"I don't know where he fits. That's the great thing about coming here; if you're good enough, you get to play, if you're not, you don't,'' Babcock said. "Tomas Kopecky's not getting out of the way to let someone have his job, nor is Maltby or Downey or McCarty.''

As for how his power-play units will look, Babcock said, "We'll figure out that as time goes. I wrote the line combinations down many times on a napkin this summer and have gone through it over and over. We're going to play them all (in preseason). Nobody that comes to camp is going to say they didn't get a chance. The best players play, regardless of contracts.''
The blue line is even more crowded, with 10 NHL defensemen, only one of whom, top prospect Jonathan Ericsson, can be sent to Grand Rapids (AHL) without being placed on waivers. Barring a long-term injury before the season, general manager Ken Holland expects to trade a defenseman to alleviate the logjam and get under the salary cap.
It will lead to some heated competition between young players Brett Lebda, Derek Meech and Kyle Quincey and veteran Andreas Lilja, one of whom is likely to be dealt.

In my time in the league, this will be the deepest team I've ever coached, up front and on the back end,'' Babcock said. "But that doesn't guarantee you anything. I'm real cognizant of the fact of how hard it is to repeat. It's about will and determination and commitment, and sometimes being satisfied gets in the way. So that will be my job and our leadership group's (job) to make sure that isn't the case. I thought we were the hardest-working team in the league last year, and if we're going to win it again, we're going to have to be (the same) again.''

Tahoe

09-04-2008, 11:24 AM

^ It must be nice to have the luxury of that depth.

Tahoe

09-26-2008, 12:08 AM

4-3 Wings.

Is it that time of the year already?

Tahoe

09-26-2008, 12:25 AM

Lidstrom broke his nose....or someone else prolly did.

WTFchris

10-07-2008, 11:11 AM

Source: Red Wings looking to trade Quincey

by Ansar Khan Tuesday October 07, 2008, 12:15 AM

DETROIT -- The final roster cuts are proving to be more difficult than anticipated for the Detroit Red Wings.
The club must reduce its loaded roster to a maximum of 23 players and be salary-cap compliant by 3 p.m. Wednesday. A trade would help alleviate the logjam.
General manager Ken Holland said Monday he has been working the phones in an effort to make a trade before Thursday's regular season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Joe Louis Arena.

An NHL source confirmed the Red Wings are attempting to deal defenseman Kyle Quincey. The club likes the 23-year-old Quincey's size (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) and the physical element he brings, but believes Derek Meech, a better skater and puck-handler, has a bigger upside.

Meech, who also can play forward in a pinch, has outplayed Quincey in training camp and the preseason. The Red Wings likely are seeking a mid- to late-round draft pick for Quincey, who can't be assigned to Grand Rapids (AHL) without clearing waivers.

The team has settled on Andreas Lilja and Brett Lebda as its third defense pairing.

Meech is the seventh defenseman. Because top prospect Jonathan Ericsson is their only NHL-ready defenseman who is waiver-exempt, he is expected to start the season in the minors.

Chris Chelios (fractured right tibia) will start the season on long-term injured reserve (minimum 10 games or 24 days), so his $750,000 salary won't count against the cap.

Excluding Chelios, the Red Wings have 22 players on one-way contracts who can't be sent down without going through waivers (forwards Pavel Datsyuk, Marian Hossa, Tomas Holmstrom, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Jiri Hudler, Valtteri Filppula, Dan Cleary, Mikael Samuelsson, Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby and Tomas Kopecky; defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Niklas Kronwall, Brad Stuart, Lilja, Lebda, Meech and Quincey; goaltenders Chris Osgood and Ty Conklin).

With those 22, the Red Wings are about $450,000 under the $56.7 million salary cap.

They would have had to move a defenseman by the time Chelios returned. Dealing one in the next couple of days would enable them to keep a 13th forward on the season-opening roster.

Young Darren Helm, who flourished in the playoffs, is the odds-on favorite, but only if coach Mike Babcock plays him. The club won't carry Helm or rookie Ville Leino -- who also has impressed during the preseason -- as a spare.

Helm and Leino are exempt from waivers. Veterans Darren McCarty and Aaron Downey, who provide a different dimension with their toughness and also are in the mix for a forward spot, must clear waivers to be assigned to Grand Rapids.

"I think with every organization, the last three or four decisions are always difficult because you're talking about people who think they've played well enough to play in the NHL," Holland said. "We came to camp hoping to have competition, and we've had it. Some people we send down have stated a case to stay."

Holland also noted the club must have either enough cap room or the ability to immediately send down a player without waiting for the waiver process in case they need to recall a goaltender from Grand Rapids in the event Osgood or Conklin has a short-term injury or illness.

This is why they waived Downey on a couple of occasions last season. He cleared and wasn't sent down, but it gave them the flexibility in case of an injury to a goalie.