Now Comes the Real Fun: Who Stays and Who Goes in Motown?
by motownchollis on Jun 15, 2009 2:34 AM CDT
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PrintDespite only being two days removed from losing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, your friends here at WIM are picking up the pieces and moving forward. What better way to start moving towards next season's Stanley Cup title run than looking at the pieces that will hopefully be raising Lord Stanley next June.
Before we move forward and look at who might not be around, let's take a look at who is already locked up. Up front, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Valtteri Filppula, Dan Cleary, Tomas Holmstrom, Kirk Maltby, Kris Draper, Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader are all taken care fo for next season. Defensively, the Wings have already secured the services of Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Niklas Kronwall, Brad Stuart, Jonathan Ericsson, Andreas Lilja, Derek Meech and Brett Lebda. In net, Chris Osgood will be back as the starter and Jimmy Howard is signed for the next two years.
Which leaves us with the following question marks and probable results (which of course are all IMO):
- Hossa is an unrestricted free agent entering the off-season, but it is widely believed that he will be back in the winged wheel next season, and for quite a few seasons after that. Despite all but disappearing in this postseason, Hossa is still a superstar in the NHL and the Wings are a better team with him in the lineup. However, his price tag is guaranteed to be high, as he garnered 7.45 million this past season. Even if Ken Holland can work his magic and get Hossa to take less money over a long-term deal, his presence bodes pretty unfavorably for some of the other free agents on the Wings roster.
- Staying or going? Staying.
- Here's where things begin to get complicated. Hudler is a restricted free agent, so all the Wings have to do is offer him, and he stays with the team. However, as Hossa is widely expected to sign a long term deal with the Wings, Hudler becomes one of the players on the outside looking in. Normally, this wouldn't be a major issue, as Hudler has enough NHL experience to receive a crop of offer sheets from other clubs. However, and unproductive playoff - three assists and zero goal in his last 12 playoff games - could lead some clubs to reconsider Hudler. In the end, though, someone should take a chance on him, and Hudler will be playing for someone else when the fall rolls around.
- Staying or going? Going.
- Samuelsson, an unrestricted free agent, is expected to be another victim of a Marian Hossa re-signing. Despite being productive for the Wings early in the playoffs, Sammy fell of the map in the last 10 games, netting zero points. His contract is just over one million dollars, which is completely reasonable for a 20 goal scorer, so someone will scoop up Samuelsson off the market.
- Staying or going? Very much gone.
- Kopecky is another major question mark, as the Wings will likely need to shed one more salary, in addition to Hudler's and Samuelsson's, to keep Hossa in a Red Wings uniform for the foreseeable future. The likely answer appears to be Kopecky, who has been out since Game 5 of the Anaheim series after suffering a broken orbital bone. But it won't be easy to cut ties with him, as Kopecky played 79 regular season games and is only 27 years old. But the reality is that Kopecky only put up 19 points over those 79 games, and with younger players like Leino, Abdelkader and Helm gaining experience and playing time, Kopecky's lack of production might help to show him the door in Detroit.
- Staying or going? Probably going.
- No drama here. Leino is a restricted free agent, who hasn't played in enough NHL games to really warrant an offer sheet from another team. Leino will be back and will probably get increased time with the big club, especially if Kopecky doesn't get re-signed.
- Staying or going. Staying.
Darren McCarty and Aaron Downey
- With the young talent making its way up the ladder, I just don't see both of these guys staying. McCarty played in 13 games this season to Downey's four. Combine that with McCarty's status as a fan favorite and someone who is willing to grind it out in the minors to get his shot, and he's my pick to be back in a Wings uniform next season.
- Staying or going? McCarty: Staying. Downey: Going.
- Unfortunately, Cheli's time in Motown is up. With young defensive talent like Jon Ericsson and Niklas Kronwall leading the charge, Chelios' minutes just aren't there anymore.
- Staying or going? Gone.
- So this is one situation that has managed to stay under the radar for the most part, but Conks finds himself as a free agent and the Wings potentially find themselves with an untested backup goaltender in Jimmy Howard. At this point, things get really tricky, and Ken Holland is going to earn his paycheck when this is all said and done. Conklin made $750,000 last season, but happened to turn in 25 wins while Osgood was interested, and will most likely ask for more money. But Jimmy Howard is making $717,000 a season, and also can't be sent back down to the minors without being waived. And if Howard got claimed off waivers and called back up from the minors, half of his salary would be on the shoulders of the Red Wings. It's a predicament, for sure. However, I don't think that the Wings staff is 100 percent confident in Howard's ability to succeed in the NHL, and surely don't consider him a full time backup at this point. Combine that with the fact that there isn't a huge demand for starting goaltenders this off-season and, in the end, I think it looks something like this: Howard gets a few more chances to prove himself during the regular season, but...
- Staying or going? Conklin is staying, at least until the trade deadline.
That covers off on all of our free agent action, but there is one more area of concern:
Andreas Lilja
- Lilja is signed to play this year, but after getting his block knocked off during the regular season last year, he hasn't been able to return to the ice because of persistent headaches. For awhile, it looked as if he was turning the corner, but now he claims that the pain is worse than ever. I hate to say it (and I hope it's not true), but Lilja sounds like a player who might possibly have played his last game in the NHL. I may very well be wrong about this, but he doesn't sound like he is making a ton of improvement here and I, for one, do not expect him to be ready for the start of next season.
- However, if he does somehow make it back to the lineup, it puts Derek Meech in a really tough position. Meech has had a really tough time cracking the starting lineup over the last two years, and if Lilja can return, Meech finds himself squarely on the trade block. However, if Lilja can't return, then Meech finds himself on more secure footing, as long as he isn't passed by another guy from the minors.
All in all, it's going to be a tricky off-season in terms of roster movement. Without a doubt, there will be changes, but the Wings remain in good shape since their core players have all been taken care of. With young, playoff proven talent ready to step up for anyone who leaves town, the Wings should find themselves in a pretty good position when the playoffs fire up again next season.
As always, WIM will bring you all the latest news and notes on the off-season moves for the Wings, so check back frequently for updates and analysis.
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I think Kopecky may actually stay just because of the fact that he would most likely come at league minimum and isn't a bad 12/13th forward option. Good job though and I still really do hope Hossa stays.
Just hope the next season Dats-Zeta are together the ENTIRE season and Hoss-Flip-Mule. No more Dats-Hoss please.
In the grand scheme of things, the pain of life is not worth it.
Also, if Conklin is staying I am willing to bet that we wouldn`t have to worry about re-entry waivers, no doubt in my mind that some desperate team will give him a chance to be at least a backup.
In the grand scheme of things, the pain of life is not worth it.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Chelios actually retires as a Red Wing. It’s great that he’s trying to be the next Gordie Howe by playing in the NHL at such an old age, but to be honest, it would be great if he retires as a Red Wing. That way, the organization could offer him a spot in the office.
Ty Conklin is a good goaltender. He really stepped up his play when Osgood was not doing too well this season. If we don’t resign him (most likely we won’t), then I think Colorado should actually give a shot at Conks. The Avs are killing themselves because of poor goaltending.
Hudler is going to be a “class-b” type free-agent this summer. His name isn’t going to be big, but I’m sure teams will probably offer him something because of his outstanding growth from a Griffin to a Red Wing.
by forever_rednwhite on Jun 15, 2009 4:53 AM CDT reply actions
Chelios
Chelli is interested in fitness and keeping the body young. I believe he would retire if the Wings let him keep in shape by training and practicing with the team, maybe a secondary fitness and ice coach at the Joe and maybe an association with Grand Rapids, Let’s face it, the guy has dedicated himself to the Wings and hockey, he’s a good man, I hope the Wings recognize this and give him a ticket. I really don’t want Chelli to go play for another team, I wouldn’t want him to get seriously injured. I believe he is a candidate for a jersey in the rafters. He could be a good teacher.
aftermath of the season
I would like to thank Hossa for a wonderful season, but in all, i think its time to say goodbye,it just didnt work. Ken Holland has his work cut out for him,the way i see it, he can sign Hudler who red wing fans know averaged more points per minute than any other red wing, Saumelsson point man on the power play and Leino a up and coming player for far less money than Hossa and still have some money left, yes Hossa is a world class player but if you dont perform in the playoffs than what good are you really? In fairness to all these guys they all didnt play as well as they and we may have hoped. Red wing nation was thilled to get Hossa at the start of the year and were hoping for a Shanny or Hull season and playoff performance, the season was great, the playoffs, not as good…..Mr Holland , please find a way to sign these three players and let Hossa go, we can find a sniper at the trade deadline next year
Hossa: I want Hossa gone. Sure he let the team in the regular season, but he was a no-show in the playoffs. Plus, signing him takes up way too much cap space that would force quite a shake up with the Wings’ roster; a la Holmstrom and Draper. Getting rid of two core players for “Hossa the Playoff Goat” makes no sense to me.
Hudler: Offer him somewhere in the order of $1.5 million. Let another team beat that and ship him off for some draft picks.
Samuelsson: I like Samuelsson and think his game fits in well with the Wings’. I’d like to see him back.
Kopecky: Gone. Next.
Leino: He’s an RFA and a future 30 goal scorer. He’s going nowhere.
McCarty: I love Darren. Such a great player for the 90’s Wings. But it’s time for him to retire rather than live in obscurity in Grand Rapids.
Downey: Gone. Next.
Chelios: Again, love Cheli, but it’s time to retire.
Conklin: I’d say he’s staying for now, but come mid-season he could be trade bait if a playoff contending team has their starting goalie go down due to injury without a proven backup.
On Lilja and Meech: If he is indeed still suffering from his concussion and done, then yes, play Darren Meech. Only $500,000 for him this season. Plus if he plays considerably well, he’ll bring in good offers come next summer’s free agency and bring the Wings some draft picks.
Wings fan by birth. Leafs fan by empathetic association.
Added Note
Also on Hossa: Not signing him to a long term deal also frees up cap space for a top tier defenseman to replace Lidstrom should be retire after the coming season. Gotta think ahead about those things…
Wings fan by birth. Leafs fan by empathetic association.
I doubt McCarty will retire...
He basically has no money. He needs one more trip to the NHL so he can get some money and then hopefully spend it wisely. Just saying…
I agree with everything this guy said EXCEPT:
I’d rather Samuelsson’s money be spent somewhere else. Plus I’d rather his roster spot go to someone like Helm, Abdelkader, etc.
I also do not think Conklin will be back. Now, I WANT him back as I don’t really have any faith in Howard but I have heard rumors that he won’t be back.
Good stuff
you saved me from writing something like this :-P
Yeah Lilja is a big question mark. There are reports that he was ready to play in the SCF and then there are reports that his hockey career might be over. I hope the second of those is wrong and that he can make it back.
As for the rest, I can see highs and lows to each player and think we’ll come out just fine no matter what. I’m wondering if Daniel Larsson will leapfrog Howard in the near future. He had a higher GAA and lower SV% than Howard this year but can easily improve on that.
McCollum
McCollum is another kid that they are really high on, but who needs some more time down in the juniors. We also have Jordan Pearce of Notre Dame fame coming in to the system, so I think goaltending talent is a huge strength right now for the Wings.
That said, I don’t think any of these kids are reading for the big show yet, hence Conklin gets re-signed. It then becomes a “battle royale” of sorts between Howard, Larsson, McCollum and maybe even Pearce to see who can emerge as a viable backup. If someone makes it, great. Then you trade Conks at the trade deadline and find yourself a third line scorer or shore up the defense. If not, then you have a 25 game winner waiting to step in for Ozzie if need be.
The bigger issue is how much the Wings are schilling out to Howard right now and, if Conks re-signs, does Howard clear waivers.
Find me on twitter @chollis
by motownchollis on Jun 15, 2009 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions
Get rid of Hossa
Hossa takes up too much cap space for nothing in the postseason. The Red Wings need to board the Antropov train and sign him for less and still get 60+ points. Which then leaves money to re-sign Hudler for around 1.5 mill. Then we get rid of Lebda and we get Lilja evaluated and have Chelios retire. Get a pick out of Lebda and if Lilja cant play we buy him out and sign Jordan Leopold. Plus we gotta reward Conks for his 08-09 play and re-sign him. Re-sign Ville Leino.
sheesh....
now that i’m done vomiting, & a few days have past since the collapse of the wings, here’s my thoughts on hossa & a few others.
ditch hossa. period. if for no other reason, call it the “hossa Cup curse”. there are all the reasons other posters have written.
my hopes that helm & abdy get season-long time next season, these two will be dynamic with more experience….helm sneezes electricity :p
goodbye to cheli, mccarty, downey, kopecky, & huds.
i sooo wish holland would just simply fire stuart for being a bonehead. hopefully, by saving some cap money by ditching hossa, the wings can get a couple of hard-hitting defensemen that can actually pass the puck to a teammate.
yes, i’m still bitter.
go wings!!!
I was waiting...
For someone to bring up Stuart. He’s another potential question mark, as his salary is pretty high, but I can’t imagine the Wings moving him right now.
That said, there has been much backlash against Brad for his play late in the playoffs, and quite a few fans are calling for his head.
I have to disagree.
Yes, he had some boneheaded turnovers. But so did Kronwall. The simple fact is that those turnovers are much more bearable if the Wings show some signs of offensive life in Games 6 and 7. And Stuart was excellent throughout much of the playoffs, so he gets a pass in my book. Personally, he might be making too much money, but that’s what we have to live with.
Find me on twitter @chollis
by motownchollis on Jun 15, 2009 2:11 PM CDT up reply actions
I hope the guys give Stuart a break, he did have some bad luck in the Finals but you can’t pin the whole thing on him. I like Brad, he is a hitter and if you notice he is a battler for our Goalie. I think his minutes got increased with the injuries and he just can’t handle much more than 20. Fatique was a factor in the Wings downfall, the NHL really put us behind the 8 ball in scheduling the Finals, we took Chicago out early we should of got the last game days off.
Hossa
I just don’t see how the Wings can keep Hossa without jeopardizing their future. Unless they dump some older, loyal players, they’ll have to get rid of a few younger guys, I think. I’d rather keep Leino than Maltby, for instance. I don’t see how keeping Maltby and Draper around forever is going to help out. I can see it from a leadership standpoint, but I think guys like Zetterberg and Cleary can provide that just as well, because they’ve been around a bit and have won.
Keep Hossa, Leino, and Conklin.
Say goodbye to Samuelsson, Chelios, Lilja (unfortunately, as we’ve seen in hockey, once a player sustains a nasty concussion, they’re never quite the same), McCarty, Downey, and Kopecky.
Hudler is up in the air for me. If they can figure out a way to keep him, okay. If not, I’m not sure I would notice his absence.
Package Hossa with a guy like Lebda at the deadline for a number one defenseman or a guy who has worn out his welcome somewhere else. Heatley? Kovalchuk? Who?
Uh, why was there not one mention of how much cap space is actually available to sign everyone above? The wings have approximately $5M in cap space for next season assuming the cap doesn’t decrease. Even on a long term deal, there’s no way you’re going to be able to get Hossa for less than $4M a year, then sign a reliable backup goalie, and replace two-20+ goal scorers. Hossa is in the prime of his career, and will be looking for $6-7M on a long term deal which Detroit cannot offer. He turned down crazy money last year. He’s not going to make that same mistake twice.
"Oh, buy Sam a drink and get his dog one too!" - Mike Lange
5 million?
I think that’s selling it a little short. As it stands now, the Wings actually have almost 9.5 million in cap room for next season. If the cap goes down, it goes to around 7 million.
As far as Hossa and money: he’s not getting 6 million. He wants 6, but the Wings won’t give it to him because of his woeful playoff performance. Yet Hossa’s motivations still seem to ring true in that he doesn’t want to stay somewhere and have a chance at his Cup. If the Wings get him, it will likely be for 5 of 5.5 million a season.
As far as goalies go: If the cap goes down, you can probably expect Conklin to leave, seeing as he wants a pay increase, and has probably deserved one. Plus, the Wings already have Jimmy Howard under contract through 2011 and believe that he is close to being Osgood’s backup.
Additionally, if the Wings decide to try and move Lilja with the intention of Meech replacing him, that’s another million pretty much in the bank. If Lilja comes back, Meech gets moved and there is no real damage to cap.
If Downey and McCarty come back, they are both going to get two-way contracts for just about 500,000.
So currently we are looking at:
$5 million for Hossa
$1 million for McCarty/Downey
$1 million to re-sign Leino
Leino might not get that million, which would free up some more cash to put towards Hossa. So there’s one option if the cap goes down.
If it stays put, take all of that and then figure that Hudler gets an offer and then is traded, Hossa goes up to 5.5 million and you might even be able to snag Conks for a little over a million.
In the end, there are a million ways this goes down. I’m just offering up a sampling of what might happen. Yes, Hossa is expensive. But I think he’s worth it.
Thanks to letsgowings.com for the figures. http://letsgowings.com/salarychart/
Find me on twitter @chollis
by motownchollis on Jun 16, 2009 10:32 AM CDT up reply actions
I think our(?) numbers might be a little off:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/cap-central/team.php?team=DET
It shows Detroit has $51.2M already committed for next season. I haven’t audited the discrepancies in those numbers yet, and my numbers could be off.
"Oh, buy Sam a drink and get his dog one too!" - Mike Lange
Eh, it's probably me.
I was never a math guy. :)
Find me on twitter @chollis
by motownchollis on Jun 16, 2009 8:51 PM CDT up reply actions
We need the young guys.
It is imperative that the Wings do whatever it takes to keep Helm, Leino, Ericsson, guys like that, in years to come. It’s no use developing quality players like that in order to lose them when the time comes because the money is given to Maltby, Draper, etc. I hope Holland and co. keep their eyes on not only the immediate future, but also down the road a ways. They’ve been great at doing that in the past.
Mike is a trader.
I hope we don’t fall into the Toronto trap and start looking at who is available and who we could get. Sure there are good players out there but you never know what you will get. When we got Hossa, I remember everybody saying the Wings locked up the cup, the whole season is for second place. Hossa didn’t bring us the cup, it was supposed to be a walk in the park. So, if Hossa can be signed for a decent buck then OK, I’d say comparable to Franzen’s pay. Hudler is a great playmaker, accurate pass and shot but will always be lacking in a banging playoff series because of size, he’ll put up the points in a no hitting reg season. Sammy is penalty prone, temper, but will shoot from anywhere even if there is no play. Getting rid of 2 or 3 for draft choices and freeing up spots for the young guys is progressive, in todays market.
Trade bait maybe...
Maybe the Wings will try to use Hossa or someone else as trade bait and get Bouwmeester away from the Panthers. I think that would be a good move. So does Buccigross. That means I’m right, if Buccigross agrees.
Bouwmeester? Really?
The guy is a heck of a player, and I sure wouldn’t mind seeing him come to Detroit, but I have a very hard time ever believing he would come to Detroit. Yes, he’s a puck moving defenseman, but that is definitely not what the Wings need right now. If I’m Ken Holland, I’m looking to find a physical, two-way forward who has some grit and can score some goals, but can also D up.
Wait…didn’t we have someone like that last season? coughcoughHOSSAcoughcough
Someone like a John Madden or even and Ian Laperriere would be worth it to. Detroit needs the grit that Dallas Drake brought last year. The blue line will be fine. Let’s make it happen up front.
Find me on twitter @chollis
by motownchollis on Jun 16, 2009 6:51 PM CDT up reply actions
Right, that was half joke, half serious.
I know the Wings are pretty set on D as far as offensive defensemen. But who wouldn’t want a guy like Bouwmeester? I agree with you that they need a gritty two-way forward. I wonder who will be available that has some good years left, is affordable, and will fit the system.
OH trust me.
I’d eat 17 Little Caesar’s Hot N’ Ready pizzas in a 24 hour period to get Bouwmeester. He’d be an awesome addition.
I’m still liking the thought of John Madden. But he would have to take a pay cut, and I don’t know if that happens. I’ve heard that Sammy Pahlsson is another name floating around, btu I just don’t see the ’Hawks giving him up. But stranger things have happened. :)
Find me on twitter @chollis
by motownchollis on Jun 16, 2009 8:54 PM CDT up reply actions
?
Taylor Pyatt, Travis Moen, and Colton Orr are the names that jump out at me as far as young, gritty, affordable forwards from lists I’ve seen. I could see Pyatt on a fourth line for the Wings, but I’m not too sure about the other two. Living in Minnesota, I’ve been able to watch Stephane Veilleux for the last few years, and he looks like he plays a decent game as well. What do you think about Cammelleri being a possibility, if Hossa is let go? I suppose his price will skyrocket. He had a great season.
Interesting choices
Couple concerns with Pyatt. I think he still lacks some consistency, which is what the Wings need out of a fourth liner. We need to know he is going to grind every night, and I just don’t see it out of him yet. Also, and this may be unfair, but with the personal issues he went through this year, you have to wonder if his head is back in the game yet and if he could handle a move to a new city. He also has injury tendencies that need to be considered.
Orr: Limited upside. He’s a fourth line enforcer, which, while nice, doesn’t fit the mold of the Wings. He’s not fast enough to play the style of hockey that Babs runs, and when he gets frustrated, he likes to take the dumb penalty. He’s all grind, which is a nice thought, but there isn’t much balance with his game.
IMO, Moen is the fit. He has the size. He’s an incredibly hard worker, which bodes very well in Detroit. He made less than a million last season. But best of all, he’s a Natural Born (Penalty) Killer. Plus, he’s already had a year under former Wings coach Todd McLellan, which makes a transition to Detroit that much easier. If Moen can stay within his game and not try and do too much, he could be an unsung hero in Detroit, and an instant fan favorite.
Veilleux has the tools (minus size) but can he put it all together every night?
Unfortunately, Cammalleri’s breakout season makes him pretty much a lateral move moneywise with Hossa. If it came down to that, I’d prefer to keep Hossa. He’s more proven.
But man, I think I am seriously on the Moen bandwagon now. Solid choice Mr. Braun.
Find me on twitter @chollis
by motownchollis on Jun 16, 2009 10:11 PM CDT up reply actions
On Veilleux.
The answer to your question, at this point, is no. The only Wild players who can put it together every night are Koivu and Backstrom. That’s why they sucked this year. Clutterbuck was a real positive surprise, as well.
Moen could be another Dallas Drake/Darren McCarty type guy for the Wings, yeah. He’d be cheap, too.
Just as an "F you" to Pittsburgh...
The Wings should seriously pursue Scuderi. Not only is it an “F you,” he’s also a good defenseman.
Wasn’t Hossa an “F you” to Pittsburgh last year? And look how that turned out.
"Oh, buy Sam a drink and get his dog one too!" - Mike Lange
Point taken.
But you have to admit that Scuderi would be a good addition to anyone’s team, judging by how he played in the finals. I think we need to avoid any more “F yous” directed toward Pittsburgh, except taking the Cup back! That was a tongue-in-cheek post.
Don't Trade
As you can guess I am not a trader, a little tinkering but there will be no blockbuster, why would we? Stanley Cup last year, finals this year, some young guys who can step right into 15 good minutes a NHL game. Guys who want to talk trade just because they like the grass on the other side are Toronto followers, those people are talking trades in their sleep. Holland is not that kind of a guy, thank God.
I agree.
It’s fun to speculate, but in the end, Holland will do what he’s always done. That will be signing a key piece here or there, letting a guy go here or there, and putting a winner on the ice next season. It’s just a fun way to pass the time, thinking of Heatley wearing the winged wheel, etc. It’ll most likely never happen.
So you assume you can still use the “you have a better chance to win a cup in detroit” line to pull Scuderi away? Are you retarded we just beat you? God, every day i come here to read how assinine you people are and you never dissapoint you just assume every player in the NHL is beating off to thoughts of playing for your team, just amazing…
by JasonGoPens on Jun 18, 2009 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions
You come here to read?
You come here to be a prick (and excel at it btw.) I haven’t read one legit or interesting comment from you on any site you belong to. You are the definition of a “trolling asshole”
All Mike Braun suggested was going after Scuderi in FA and you come up with this shit. Go fuck yourself sideways with a hockeystick
Your reading skills leave much to be desired, young bandwagon Jedi...
To quote myself: “That was a tongue-in-cheek post.” That means it was a joke, for the most part. While I think Scuderi is a good d-man, the Wings don’t need him. In fact, the Wings don’t need to do anything except sign Hossa and do what they always do: win. Holland knows what he’s doing.
Boumeester and Hossa
The person who said the Wings only have 5.2M in cap space is correct assuming the cap stays the same. Once you add Helm and Ericsson it drops to 3.8M and they still need to drop a D-man, add a goalie and 3 forwards. Realistically they have about 4.3-4.5M in available cap space for 4 roster spots.
Re-signing Hossa for anything more than 2.7M is going to require moving another player off the roster besides Hudler, Sammy and Kopecky. Even at 2.7M you would have to fill the other roster spots with players making at or near the league minimum. The only moveable salaries are Draper, Maltby, Homer, Flip and Kronwall. The calculator at capgeek.com is an excellent resouce for cap calculations and roster info.
The same goes for Bouwmeester – even if they traded Kronwall or forced Stuart out the kid isn’t going to sign for less than 6M and they would still be in the same position as trying to re-sign Hossa.
If lilja is going to spend a year on the LTIR it gives them a little extra room but much…
.
Also to keep in mind, the Wings should not cheap out on a backup for Osgood. Ozzie is already 36, and will turn 37 this November. Conklin was an integral part of the Wings this year, and his contribution cannot be overlooked. The Wings need an NHL-ready netminder – not a work in progress. A quality, proven backup will be between $1-2M.
"Oh, buy Sam a drink and get his dog one too!" - Mike Lange
Abdelkader
Coach Babcock should have left abdelkader in for the finals maybe we would havwe won then. I would like to see Chelios stay as a coach for strength. Hossa will stay if he can he is a strong asset for the team. Sammuelson should go and maybe Hudler.
by Lansing devildog on Jun 17, 2009 9:28 AM CDT reply actions
Of all the adjustments, moves, strategies, and other various things that Babcock did during the SCF this year, the most foolish was taking out Abdelkader, who was on a hot streak.
by Presidentjlh on Jun 20, 2009 6:00 PM CDT up reply actions
Downey will stay i see McCarty retiring possibly with draper and malts but the sam and hudler exits should be expected along with kopecky possibly, i see hossa staying and i dont think it will jeopardize our future, but if he wants to leave then so be it, i think the wings need a lil shake up of young talent and at least two hard grinders like we had with drake nad mcCarty last year
I just have to say, on Chelios, I love the guy – who doesn’t – but I think, realistically, signing him is out of the question. I think he’d be a great asset to work with the team, and I think a lot of people would be happy to see him doing so, but not playing for the team any more.
Hossa should stay, he wants to stay and I think he’ll become even more valuable if he does so. Hudler and Samuelsson should go, they seemed to almost disappear once the playoffs came around. Samuelsson, actually, in my opinion, caused more trouble for us than actually helping us.
Conklin should stay as well, he obviously doesn’t get much ice time, but he’s been highly reliable when he does, every time someone brings that up with me I find myself wondering why, he’s a solid back-up goalie, though I do understand the logistics and monetary worries about it, especially in respect to Howard, but I’d rather see Detroit keep Conklin on for another season, seeing as we’ve only had one season with him. Odd though, how no one mentions that Conklin played for Pittsburgh last year and Detroit this year…
I’m crossing my fingers that we keep Abdelkader, Leino and the rest of the young boys we had this year, they contributed a lot. To be honest I’ve had little to no time to keep up with what’s going on with them as well as how the draft is looking, though I’ll be watching that if I have time to spare.
In respects to Maltby and Draper retiring, probably not. Maltby is signed at least through this next season, and I don’t see why he would retire before then (and I hope he doesn’t after, he’s a great asset far as I’m concerned). And Draper’s signed through the next two seasons and making some pretty good money at that.
What I really think Detroit needs, names aside, is a player or two that are physical and aren’t afraid to take the puck to the net, I got a little sick of some of the boys trying to get fancy with it, especially in the later playoff games. Pretty broad, but I think if the Wings could get some young players with that mindset, they might find themselves in the same position going into the Cup Finals this year, but with the outcome of last year. Once again, crossing my fingers…
@ Jim P
What do you mean by, “Mike is a trader?” Do you mean “traitor” or that I like trades? Here’s what I can tell you about myself: I like the Wings’ current team, but there is no way they can keep everyone. Holland and company have to decide who is the best fit to stay or go, and, if possible, who to bring in. That’s what they’ve always done in the past and will continue to do in the future. I am excited to see what happens. I don’t want the Wings to go trading and signing guys just for the hell of it, like the Rangers and Leafs seem to do. We see where that leads. But I’m sure Holland would be the first to tell you that if there’s an affordable, difference-making player out there who you can go get and you don’t, that’s crazy. Look at the big names he’s brought in over the years (and I haven’t heard anyone complaining about): Robitaille, Hull, Hasek, Lang, Hossa, Rafalski, Stuart, Murphy…if I forgot anyone, I’m sorry! Now, speculating about this and that is one thing, especially on an internet forum. What really happens is not up to guys like me. I’d be a Wings fan for life whether they keep Hudler and Samuelsson or not, whether they keep Hossa or not, whether they sign Antropov or someone like that or not. I’m just having fun. I really don’t think they will do anything out of this world during the offseason, but I’m up for change and surprises. We’ll see what happens. In the meantime, we’ll speculate and kill the time over the looooooong summer without hockey.
Hossa Should Go
Unless he signs at bargain basement price he should hit the road. Hudler Samuelsson and Kopeckey are all solid forwards and as stated would probably have to leave if Hossa signs, to me, I just dont think it is worth it. Chelios is obviously gone. I love what Mac used to be, but he aint the player he was in the late 90s and should go along with Downey. There is some good goaltending talent in the orginization, let Conklin go, let Howard take a few games and maybe call up a prospect here and there for a game. They cant rely on Osgood too much longer, need to get some of these rookies going if they want to be a contender in the future
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