Source: Red Wings, Zetterberg close on deal
by Ansar Khan Friday January 16, 2009, 4:00 AM
LOS ANGELES -- Contract negotiations between the Detroit Red Wings and center Henrik Zetterberg appear to be heading toward the homestretch.
A personal familiar with the talks said negotiations have intensified in recent days and that the sides could be closing in on an agreement.
Zetterberg would not confirm the status of negotiations on Thursday, but he denied a CBC report that indicated he had spurned a 10-year, $75 million offer from the Red Wings.
"That's not true,'' Zetterberg said. "I haven't turned down an offer of $75 million.''
If anything, he likely will sign a deal in the neighborhood of 10 years and $75 million, which would be the longest and most lucrative pact in franchise history.
"That figure really is in the ballpark,'' said a person with knowledge of the talks.
Zetterberg, 28, is the final year of a four-year contract that averages $2.65 million a season. Though his production (16 goals, 40 points) isn't on pace with last season, when he finished sixth in the NHL with 92 points, including 43 goals, his value has not diminished.
Last year's Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP, Zetterberg is one of the premier two-way forwards in the league and would be one of the summer's most highly coveted free agents if he opted to test the market.
But there is no reason to believe he won't re-sign with Detroit. Red Wings general manager Ken Holland and Zetterberg's agent, Marc Levine, have talked off and on for months and have made significant progress in recent weeks.
Team captain Nicklas Lidstrom, forward Tomas Holmstrom and club vice-president Steve Yzerman also have had one-on-one meetings with Zetterberg over the last two months in an effort to get him signed.
The Red Wings have three high-end players who could become unrestricted free agents on July 1 -- Zetterberg, Marian Hossa and Johan Franzen. They have opened talks with Franzen, but they're not going to sign him or anybody else until they have a deal with Zetterberg. Salary-cap restraints more than likely will prevent them from signing both Franzen and Hossa.
Forward Jiri Hudler, who is having his best season, is a restricted free agent.
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