Red Wings should pass on Modano
by Ryan Weiss on Jul 21, 2010 5:55 PM CDT
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At first this whole Mike Modano to Detroit idea was intriguing, even a little exciting. Modano, who grew up in Livonia, coming home for one last chance to win a Cup. Who wouldn’t get behind that?
Well, now it looks like nobody.
Red Wings bloggers across the nation have voiced their opinions, and the consensus seems to be a resounding "No to Mo." After dragging out his decision into what now looks like at least August, you can add me to the list.
The problem for me isn’t about Modano waffling, or even the cap space that he’ll take up. The simple, honest truth is this: the Detroit Red Wings really don’t need Mike Modano.
With Modano on the team it would give the Red Wings five legitimate centers on the roster, assuming that deals with Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm get done. The indication is that both will be on the team regardless of what happens with Modano. Mike Babcock has said that Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg will play together next season, leaving three spots for four players.
One of those spots will go to Valtteri Filppula, who is slated to center the second line. Modano presumably would get line three, centering Jiri Hudler and Dan Cleary.
That leaves Helm and Abdelkader duking it out on line four, along with Drew Miller, Patrick Eaves, and Kris Draper, who are all already under contract for next season.
I’m no mathematician, but I believe that’s way too many players.
Modano is nearing 41-years-old, but the guy can still put up 15-20 goals a season. After all, this is the all-time leading scorer among American-born players. But if signing Modano means pushing back promising young guns like Helm and Abdelkader back a year in their development, then the Red Wings should tell Mo "thanks, but no thanks."
Helm and Abdelkader both showed that they are NHL-ready last season. Helm is an excellent penalty killer and could become one of the most dangerous players in the league if he can find a scoring touch to go with his incredible speed. Abdelkader is a great agitator, and has come up with very timely goals in his sporadic playing time the past couple of seasons. And as the Detroit Free Press reported today, the Modano Saga is dragging out contract talks with Helm and Abdelkader. Until Modano signs, Helm and Abby are stuck waiting.
With Modano on the team, one of those guys is going to be watching a lot of games from the press box, and that won’t help either one of them.
But hey, at least Derek Meech will have some company.
Ultimately, Ken Holland is not going to turn down a chance to sign Modano. He’s expressed a lot of interest in him ever since the Stars axed him about a month ago, which included taking him on a super sweet date to Comerica to watch a Tigers game. If Modano wants in, Holland isn’t going to say "Ehhhhh, I changed my mind."
And if that’s what happens, I’ll grit my teeth and get on the bandwagon for a year (or two).
After all, this is Mike Modano.
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This is Favre-esque
just sign Helm and Abby, bring in Asham or Exelby (or both) for some dirty work
In life, a man is either the hammer or the anvil. Ndamukong Suh is both
Pride of Detroits village idiot
mike madono
i say sign him. good character is hard to find.
define good character...
Does it include saying you are going to play for one team and one team only and then entertaining offers from other teams that might pay more? Listen man, Modano is as broke as the day is long and his playing for one more year has nothing to do with love for the game. It has everything to do with money.
I say pass on this one. The Red Wings are a team full of players who will take less money to make sure they can a put a winner on the ice. Players who are out for money because they could not figure out how to manage their millions need not apply.
by hellspawn138 on Jul 22, 2010 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions
They need to get rid of Draper though. He’s not much of a help anymore. Would rather them go with Modano than Draper.
Draper only has one more year on his contract
Buying him out wouldn’t be worth it and they would never bury him in the minors.
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
Science nerd and proud of it!
Can’t. A buyout is pointless because the team would still be on the hook for Drapes’ full salary against the cap. The only way to get Draper off the books is to trade him for draft picks or “future considerations” (it’s the Red Wings, a team notorious for its loyalty shown to loyalty given) or waive him with the intent of sending him to GR, in which case they run the risk of another team picking him up and then having to face a ticked-off Draper on another team.
There’s no such thing as a simple answer.
Stars fan here
Sorry to hear that you guys have to wait on him before you sign Helm and Abdelkader. I want to see him play one more year, but I hate the fact he is putting this thing off until August. The only person who seems to like that idea is Mo himself, while everybody else is comparing this to what Favre did last year.
Mo will help Detroit out, though, no question about it.
I guess this situation has become more splitting then Bertuzzi from last year
I don’t think this is like Farve at all…. At least not yet. Brett Farve returned to play to attempt to get revenge on the franchise that dissed him by having him leave AND play for a contender which happened to be the Vikings. While it is rather similar, Modano is not frustrated at the Stars and understands that, but unlike Farve Modano is actually still deciding if he even wants to play or not. Also, Farve avoids Training Camp before deciding to play. Modano is actually going to have a skate day to help decide if he’s good enough to continue playing. I’ll change my mind if he has not a decision before August 31
Whether Modano signs or not, Helm and Abby will be on the team. And even the numbers shouldn’t be concerned because whether or not we have Modano we’ll have healthy reserves in case of Injuries (I’m gonna guess there will be some, not as much as ya know last year of course hopefully)
But I can deal with it if Mo can’t sign. We will just go with the old plan of Abby centers the 3rd line and Helm the 4th line. But Modano will get some good points on both the 3rd line and even the 2nd Powerplay. We make players that were on mediocre teams look like Superstars (Well in the case a former Super star player looking just a little bit like his old self).
Though again, my patience will reach it’s end it he doesn’t have some sort of guranteed decision by the end of August. Maybe he’s loling at the Kovalchuk ideal too much to really focus on what he wants… (Bad Joke aside, I still find the pros in a Modano sign well making up for the cons. A Modano Wings jersey I bet wouldl be really popular even outside of Michigan)
by SonicMario(RW) on Jul 22, 2010 12:15 AM CDT reply actions
Modano would be "NICE to have"
Depth on defense would be a lot more important. An inexperienced third pairing would NOT make the team more solid defensively, and would also not help to reduce Lidstrom’s minutes to a manageable level. That’s the more pressing need.
Mike Modano on the team would be cool, but not as important.
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
Science nerd and proud of it!
agreed
the defense needs to be solidified in my opinion
by Casey Richey on Jul 22, 2010 7:18 AM CDT up reply actions
Said it perfectly.
im looking make lidstrom as comfortable as possible. Dont get me wrong i still think he and modano have plently left in their tanks but this deal isnt really what is best. lock up helm now!
Kind of want him
If Kenny H was worried about Helm or Abby deals getting done he would have told Modano i really have to know right away but insted he gave Mike no drop dead date that we know of . Yes us fans want stuff to get done A.S.A.P and can get put off by what we feel is too much time but i really have to trust Kenny Holland .
What he has built for us fans is something you don’t find very often so i will put my blind faith in Kenny and sleep well at nite knowing the Red Wings will be a force no matter what he does
Show me the CUP
My take
At first I didn’t want Modano. Then I did want him. Now I don’t care either way, but I feel it’s a slap in the face if he doesn’t accept. The organ-i-zation doesn’t need to have its hands tied this long for a one year deal of a 3rd line former superstar who is on the cusp of retirement.
My take exactly.
Modano would be a great third string center but at the same time I’d like to see some of our new players and prospects to be given a chance to fight for a spot on the team. Plus as many have pointed out this money could be going to a decent, preferably hard hitting, 5th defenseman for the third defensive pair to relieve demand on the first two. Obviously Holland is waiting to see he’ll have left over for the season in terms of cap space should Modano sign and who he might trade away to clear enough space to get who else the Wings may need before or throughout the season.
by Idle Drifter on Jul 23, 2010 9:15 AM CDT up reply actions
Meh
If he signs, great. Depth is good. Anyone not familiar with this idea found it out the hard way last year.
He’s an upgrade offensively from Helm and Abby (unless one of them shows talents as yet unseen), and we don’t lose either guy even if he does sign.
I think if the goal is to win the Cup next year (it is, is should be), you wait him out. If the goal is to develop young talent with the idea of winning in 2-3 years, then you take a pass.
by Big Z in Orlando on Jul 27, 2010 2:53 PM CDT reply actions
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