Top 5 Free Agent Choices

by Tender on Jun 30, 2011 3:40 PM CDT

As this year's free agent class thins out, I put together a list of the top five players by position that would be of help to the Red Wings with a brief explanation and a basic contract offer.

Forwards:

1. Erik Cole, RW. Good power forward with grit and Stanley Cup Finals experience. 3 years, $10.5 million ($3.5mil/yr)

2. Radim Vrbata, RW. Can score a lot of PPGs with Datsyuk, had 10 with offensively-challenged Phoenix. 2 years, $7 million ($3.5mil/yr)

3. Jaromir Jagr, RW. Can he keep up with the 82 game schedule? We shall see. 1 year, $1.5 million (with incentives).

4. Brad Richards, C. It is possible (and rumored) that he would take less to compete for another cup. 1 year, $6.7 million.

5. Tim Connolly, C. I would only sign Connolly if the Wings traded Filppula for a defenseman (Green, Bogosian, etc). Put him on the third line where can he be hidden (from injuries hopefully). 2 years, $5 million ($2.5mil/yr).

Honorable mention: Simon Gagne, LW; Scottie Upshall, RW.

Defensemen:

1. James Wisniewski. Right-handed shot on the PP, plays with grit. 4 years, $18 million ($4.5mil/yr).

2. Ed Jovanovski. Can kill penalties and the Windsor-native may want to return home. 2 years, $6.5 million ($3.25mil/yr).

3. Shane O'Brien. Fights, kills penalties, brings grit: the Wings' top priorities. 1 year, $2 million.

4&5. Sami Salo and Anton Babchuk. Both are special teams players. Booming shot from the point on the PP and kill penalties. 1 year, $2.5 million for one or the other.

Honorable mention: Scott Hannan, Jan Hejda, Randy Jones.

(Back up) Goalie:

1. Chris Osgood. He claims he is in the best shape of his life and is ready for what the Wings throw at him. I'll buy it (for now). 1 year, $900,000.

2. J.S. Giguere. Remember rumors years ago of the Wings trying to land Giguere after he demolished them in the '04 playoffs and again in '07? Now is the time. 2 years, $4 million ($2mil/yr).

3. Ray Emery. I have never been a fan of his goaltending, but he wins and that's the bottom line. Give him a chance to compete for the starting job. 1 year, $2 million.

4. Mathieu Garon. Good career back up goalie. 1 year, $1.5 million

5. Marty Turco. As an Ann Arbor native, I have to give Turco the benefit of the doubt that he will rebound from last year's awful season. 1 year, $1.75 million

Honorable mention: Johan Hedberg, Ty Conklin, Brian Boucher.

Any thoughts?

Poll

What is your top priority?

Top-6 Forward

10 votes

Top-4 Defenseman

52 votes

Penalty-killing Defenseman

4 votes

Experienced Back up Goalie

4 votes

70 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

i voted top 6 foward

but we are going to definitely address both…… why brad for 1 year id give him 4 for 30-32

by SLAUGHTERHOUSE on Jun 30, 2011 4:30 PM CDT reply actions

Marty Turco????

Seriously, Marty Fuc***g Turco???

you have got to be kidding. How many years did he go not winning at JLA?

Ann Arbor yes, Wings – please god no. I’ll take Ozzie three times before I take Turco.

by Kendal on Jun 30, 2011 4:51 PM CDT reply actions

Agreed

I live in Chicago so I watched Turco a bunch early in the season. He is terrible. No.

Living in Chicago is great... apart from the Blackhawks fans.

by Cornelious on Jun 30, 2011 11:01 PM CDT up reply actions

I'd take a mix of each.

I’d take Brad Richards for a little extra offensive firepower on the Second or First Line Even.
I’d take Babchuk and Hejda or Hannan combo to shore up our 3rd defensive pairing with a good mix of Def and Off. Especially if Ericsson is lost in UFA. Then we bring up Smith.
I’d take Osgood on the cheap and since he himself has decided he’ll play backup plus we still have goal tenders waiting in the wings. Though a real choice would be Giguere or Emery.

by Idle Drifter on Jun 30, 2011 8:00 PM CDT reply actions

Turco

Has won, I think, one time in his LIFE at the Joe. That includes college puck. Something about that arena intimidates him and we absolutely cannot take that chance.

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jun 30, 2011 8:10 PM CDT reply actions

I wouldn't want Turco playing goal for Michigan anymore

let alone the Wings

Detroit4Lyfe

by Rob Rogacki on Jun 30, 2011 9:00 PM CDT reply actions

My quick take

I’d like Wisnewski & White on the D side. Fallbacks would be Kent Huskins, Scott Hannan or Jan Hedja – all of them would be 2 yrs max though, except Huskins, they’re all getting a bit old.

If you can trade Ericsson – because everyone is overpaying for Defensemen this offseason – do it and get yourself a comparable age D man.

Offense – I’d like Eric Cole over Brad Richards, any day of the week. The guy is gritty and digs in the corners, Carolina won the Cup with that BBC line – Cole, Brindamour & Battaglia (?), they were puck cycling madmen….we could use a bit more of that, and we’ve got plenty of centers, I’d like to see a winger added.

Oh, and I’d love to have Michal Handzus – dude is a beast and a banger, excellent at the dot as well!

FWIW…
Kendal

by Kendal on Jul 1, 2011 9:17 AM CDT reply actions

Well now that Ericsson is resigned (sigh..), they have a little less cap space to deal with. I still think a top-6 forward and top-line defenseman are priorities. If this is some grand scheme to trade Ericsson to a team who is trying to reach the cap floor, Kenny Holland is a genious. Trade Ericsson and Filppula to Winnipeg for Bogosian and a prospect for example. We shall see what comes of this..

by Tender on Jul 1, 2011 9:41 AM CDT reply actions