Report I heard on NHL Radio last night...

by Dubie on Jun 26, 2011 1:16 PM CDT

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.

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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'll stick my neck out here

I don’t know what the specifics of the deal are here, but I think we’re going to consider it a steal by the time it’s over.

There simply is no such thing as a big-bodied defenseman who makes slightly over $2M per season and is perfect. That will come to be pretty much the standard pay for a third-pairing guy and Shitbox at least knows our system.

Ok… maybe not all of us will consider it a steal, since there are still people out there who don’t remember any of the good play that Lilja provided in his last 60 games with Detroit or so.

It’s not an awful move.

by J.J. from Kansas on Jun 26, 2011 5:04 PM CDT reply actions 4 recs

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.

Detroit4Lyfe

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

hahaha very logical

by SLAUGHTERHOUSE on Jun 26, 2011 9:52 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 :)

Datsyuk and Friends.

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.

Winging It In Motown

@Amerinadian19

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

My bad.

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

Datsyuk and Friends.

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.

Winging It In Motown

@Amerinadian19

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