I would like to apologize for the lack of posting over the last week. I've gone back and forth from Detroit/Chicago three times, started a new internship, and moved to a new city so there's been a lot of adjusting at my end. Since I'm about to head to work, here are some quick Wing notes to hold you over.
Goaltender Dominik Hasek retired after winning his second Stanley Cup in sixteen seasons. After being replaced by Chris Osgood in net after four games this postseason, you just knew that Hasek didn't like not being No. 1 in net. And when you're 43, just won a Cup, and didn't play the role you had hoped in the playoffs, it's a fairly easy decision to retire.
"When I was kissing that Cup, I had made the decision," said Hasek, 43, who made his exit from the game at a Monday morning press conference at Joe Louis Arena. "I didn't feel I needed to wait. I know it's 100 percent the right time."
Head coach Mike Babcock has signed a three year deal worth approximately $1.5 million per year plus bonuses. The deal was pretty much done before the playoffs, but they had to wait until the end of postseason to nail down some specifics regarding minor contract details.
"For me, this place has been fantastic," said Babcock, whose deal is worth approximately $1.5 million per season plus bonuses. "I love coming here to work. I love where I live. Our staff here has the same passion that I do. They love and care about hockey."
"We're excited about the opportunity here," Babcock said. "We're looking forward to the next three years. I don't think we're going away. The core players we have coming back will give us an opportunity to be successful."
Todd McLellan, one of the Wings assistant coaches this past season, is heading to San Jose where he will be the head coach of the team for three seasons after Ron Wilson was fired. While I hate to see him go, he is certainly deserving of this position.
"It's a very good feeling," McLellan said in a statement released by the team. "From the first moment Doug called to the moment he offered the job, I felt comfortable. I think the Sharks have done a tremendous job. You don't get that close to 50 wins for a number of years in a row without a lot of talent. It's a matter of getting over the hump. There are some real parallels between the Wings and the Sharks."