Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: UFC 146 Predictions

Report I heard on NHL Radio last night...

With the draft now over, we, and the Red Wings' brass, have moved their attentions to the FA market.  We know that the Wings have a number of RFA's they have to worry about before July 1 hits, and it appears as though they've started to try and round out the roster.  Last night NHL Radio reported that Kenny has tendered qualifying offers to Patrick Eaves, Drew Miller, and.....Jonathan Ericsson.

That's not the worst part, though.  They also reported that Shitbox's offer was a MULTIYEAR deal worth JUST OVER $2mil/year.  How he turns this deal down is beyond me.  Worst, how we offered him this deal is beyond me.  This is reminiscent of Brian Burke offering the kitchen sink to Brett Lebda last year.

If Shitbox turns it down, he's saying that he thinks he'll get a king's ransom on the open market.  Good luck.  If he takes it, Kenny's saying that he believes in Rig and he'll be an integral part of our D corps for the next few years, especially if one of Kronner or Stuie leaves after next year.  Ugh.

Talk me down from this ledge. Please.

Comment 17 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

Well, all we can hope for now is that Ericsson turns it down. This is definitely some unsettling news, no way he worth even 1.5 M, let alone 2M.

by wingfan19 on Jun 26, 2011 4:20 PM CDT reply actions  

I agree

6’5" defensemen don’t just grow on trees, and even the good ones (Weber, Chara) have their faults. We could do much worse with this type of money; for example, signing Brett Lebda.

by Rob Rogacki on Jun 26, 2011 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions  

But what does Shitbox contribute?

He can’t use his size if his slower-than-molasses feet can’t get him in proper position to use it.

Fan of the Detroit Tigers, Lions and Red Wings.

by Elfuego51 on Jun 26, 2011 11:13 PM CDT up reply actions  

he has his moments. And I think last season he was really starting to not be a liability in all games. maybe he’ll be worth 3 mil in a couple years, so Ken is just prepaying for that year.

I'm a Homer

by holmstrom96 on Jun 27, 2011 12:17 PM CDT up reply actions  

2 Mil kinda sucks.

But….Big Defensemen are hard to find. Hopefully he improves over he’s usual crappy inconsistent self in the coming years. He is still pretty young.

Thanks for the year Red Wings!! Come back strong in 2012

by Veihl789 on Jun 26, 2011 5:44 PM CDT reply actions  

why is he called shitbox ?

is there something clever behind that that i don’t know about…… or is it because he is just a shitbox

by SLAUGHTERHOUSE on Jun 26, 2011 7:59 PM CDT reply actions  

Kind of a progression of the nickname.

Somebody started calling him Big Rig, then Riggy, and eventually Petrella at the Production Line started calling him Riggy Shitbox.

Yeah, pretty much because he’s a shitbox, I guess is the answer.

by J.J. from Kansas on Jun 26, 2011 8:53 PM CDT up reply actions  

Looks like your fears are coming true.

According to Det. Free Press the Red Wings are close to resigning Big Rig. I can handle Ericsson on the third pair though or alongside TPH. Provided of course that they sign a true top 4 Dman in FA.

Link

by AirmanSD on Jun 26, 2011 8:29 PM CDT reply actions  

A 2 yr deal for Ericsson at $2mil or so seems market value… Also think this is abot the devil you know vs, the devil you don’t. And who knows… He’s at the age where some defensive men really take a leap forward. Althought his heavy feet, and lack of a real mean streak seems to have limited his ceiling. I would have prefered a move to bring someone in like Kaberle combined with Wisniewski, but this will do if free up Holland to add a scoring winger. Which will in turn put even more pressure (if possible) to moving Hudler.

by cokolman on Jun 27, 2011 12:56 AM CDT reply actions  

There is no way we move Hudler.

Its not going to happen. I think the Wings organization believes in his upside. As much as we are mad at him for leaving, then not producing like the Hudler we use to know. He can still be an effective 2nd liner. Maybe if he underperforms again this year, we don’t offer him a contract. But I don’t see us trading him. (Feel free to prove me wrong Holland – look up next time Hudler, and if you see red skate AROUND Cleary…)

Ericsson is coming back and Happy will being playing with us too next year.

I'm a Homer

by holmstrom96 on Jun 27, 2011 12:24 PM CDT up reply actions  

Totally missed this fanpost when I wrote the Quick Hits for today. Damn.

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jun 27, 2011 5:47 AM CDT reply actions  

haha no worries.

Dubie…..beating WIIM writers to the punch since yesterday :)

by Dubie on Jun 27, 2011 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions  

Slight correction

The players you listed above are actually UFAs, not RFAs, so the offers extended to them were not “qualifying” offers in the sense that they allow the Wings to retain their rights.

Should July 1 hit and Eaves, Miller and Shitbox not sign, they are free to test the market. From what I’ve heard about Ericsson, he may try and see if he can get more money somewhere else.

by Amerinadian on Jun 28, 2011 9:41 AM CDT reply actions  

My bad.

I blame NHL radio. They definitely said “qualifying offers”.

by Dubie on Jun 28, 2011 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions  

Here's the thing

The days of true quality defensemen being available in FA are gone. The position is so important these days and the number of guys who are very good at both ends of the ice (or excellent in one of them) is dwindling. These players will be locked up by their teams because management knows that players like this don’t come around often.

This is precisely the reason that Kronwall got a long contract when he signed, and why Smith likely will if he progresses the way the Wings think he will.

$2M for Ericsson is a little high for my tastes, but at that price, what are you going to replace him with? A younger guy who may make just as many mistakes, or a vet that could break down halfway through the season?

$2M for a second/third pair d-man is not that bad because it frees up cap space for a scoring winger or backup goaltender. Look at it this way: Brooks Laich just re-signed with the Caps for $4.5M per season. I know we were all interested in him, but if Holland had made that deal, I would have been very upset. Despite his struggles, there’s still a glimmer of upside in Ericsson’s game that he could be worth the smaller investment.

by Amerinadian on Jun 28, 2011 9:47 AM CDT reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the SB Nation blog about the Detroit Red Wings.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

Rafiki_small
Red Wings with a shot at the 2012-2013 Calder Trophy
De_small
Should we Re-sign Abby? Am I the only one?
Small
Parise vs Suter
Small
Reasons why the 2011-12 Detroit Red Wings season was great
Small
What's next on Defense?
Small
More Thoughts on What Went Wrong
Small
Corey Perry? Strange coincidence
Small
Anyone else getting scared of the worst-case-scenario?
Epic_sax_guy_plz_by_epicsaxguyplz-d31pmuj_small
Great Moments in St. Louis Sports History
Small
Looking beyond next year...

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >


The Gentlemen

Images_small J.J. from Kansas

Simpsonsabbey_small Amerinadian

Dsc07546_small JeffHancock41

Editor

Jabdelkadercamp08_small stripe

Author

Small Robocop

Photochop Guru

Whiteknight_small Josh Howard