WingNut722

Alfredsson and Weiss are locked up.

Filppula has been picked up by Tampa Bay for 5 years and $25MM, a big raise from what he was makings Detroit. And also, as Yave pointed out, replaced by Weiss for less money.

Still no word about Cleary and Brunner, either coming or going. With the signings for today though, it seems Ken Holland is ready for them to leave. Still, don't you think Brunner and/or Cleary would want to stay in Detroit for a real shot at a winner - sacrificing a pay raise for a cup raise?

P.S. Mr. Holland. For the record, My cohort, Wingnut722, never lost the faith

Love, Dave

I've considered that myself plenty of times. The other issue is with a team stacked lime the Red Wings are this season, Brunner could sign on just to be a part of a huge opportunity and not concern himself with a pay raise.

I've considered that myself plenty of times. The other issue is with a team stacked lime the Red Wings are this season, Brunner could sign on just to be a part of a huge opportunity and not concern himself with a pay raise.

Here's what the lines look like now:

Forwards:

Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Abdelkader

Franzen, Weiss, Alfredsson

Miller, Helm/Samuelsson, Eaves

Tootoo, Emmerton, Bertuzzi,

Defense:

Kronwall, Ericsson

Kindl, Smith

DeKeyser, Quincey

Goal:

Howard

Gustavsson

Wanna keep Brunner? Buy out Patrick Eaves. He pales in comparison, particularly given the two lines above him.

@jammer2

It seems that Weiss may have been a key target all along. Grabo would have also been a good fit, but Weiss is a huge signing...5 years off the bat? This is a rarity with Ken Holland. There must really be something about Weiss for Holland to lock him up for that long on a first contract.

Update: 2:39 pm

Weiss deal confirmed. Five years at $24.5MM.

Unconfirmed reports that Stephen Weiss has also been picked up by Detroit. No word yet on details but if his most recent contract is anything to go buy, he's likely to bring in about $4.5MM per season. This will just about exhaust all of the Holland's pocket money for the season, unless the deal for Weiss is a multi-year contract where the bulk of the cap hit can be pushed back into the next several years.

This seems likely since Alfredsson is only under a one year contract.

Still no word from Cleary or Brunner. However, I tend to think both will go elsewhere. It seems that if both players were interested in staying, they would have signed already.

@jammer2 Lidstrom had to be in on the deal. There's no way that many Swedes can come together without him knowing about.

"Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmo, Detroit....the four largest cities in Sweden." - Pierre McGuire

Being an Olympic year and all, - makes sense.

Good point! Good pre-existing chemistry with half the Swedish Olympic team would certainly help their chances in Russia!

Here's the scoop so far:

-Red Wings sign Daniel Alfredsson for 1 year and $5.75MM.

-Negotiations still underway with Daniel Cleary and Damien Brunner. Brunner has stated he wants to stay in Detroit but I think he's curious about what other teams may offer him.

-Dan Cleary has reportedly been offered a larger contract with Dallas Stars, but no word yet on his decision.

Red wings had about $10.5MM to spend (before signing Alfredsson) and have yet to re-sign restricted free agents Nyquist, Andersson, and Smith.

Signing Brunner would just about clean out the Red Wings pocket for highlight players. If Brunner takes his time and decided to go elsewhere, the Wings would have missed the boat on other power forwards. Ribeiro's already gone, as is Nathan Horton. The Wings could still target Stephen Weiss, though, but they would be stretched thin and likely need to use their second buyout.

@hf101 Deal confirmed via TSN. $3.75MM salary with another $2MM in bonuses.

Methinks this is Alfie's last year and wants a real shot at a Cup surrounded by fellow Swedes

Agreed on all fronts, @jammer2. Would love to see Grabovski in the Winged Wheel! He is to Datsyuk what Brunner was to Zetterberg.

Sources say the Detroit Red Wings will use one of their compliance buyouts on Carlo Colaiacovo and relieve themselves of a $2.5MM salary cap hit for this season. After losing the Vincent Lecavalier Sweepstakes, the Red Wings find themselves back at Square One in this year's free agent pool. They are continuing talks with team forwards Daniel Cleary and Damien Brunner to extend their contracts and it appears deals will be made to keep them in red sweaters, and the buyout on Colaiacovo still leaves the Red Wings with seven NHL-caliber defensemen: Kronwall, Ericsson, Smith, Quincy, Kindl, DeKeyser, and Lashoff.

Additional rumors surrounding other highlight free agents don't look promising for Detroit either. New Jersey's David Clarkson is looking for an extended contract at $6MM per season, quite a lot for a guy who's only topped the 30-goal-season once. Boston's Nathan Horton has expressed his wishes to play in a warmer client because, well, he's a hockey player, and all that ice and cold really gets to you after a while....

The next likely candidate is Florida's Steve Weiss, who is coming off a six-year deal at $4.1MM per season. That's a little more to the liking of Detroit, who just finished paying Valtteri Filppula that much. Still, Weiss is a solid 20-goal scorer (ignoring his injury-shortened season last year). He's a left-handed shot, although Detroit would really prefer a righty, Still he'll be able to anchor the second line center position and Detroit has the room to give him a decent raise. The trouble is commitment. After a cozy six year deal, Weiss will probably be looking for something more along the same lines. However, as is Hollands M.O., Weiss would likely be offered a slight raise, but only a two- or three-year deal. Perhaps a system of bonuses could also be employed in lieu of a long term stint.

Still, he presents probably the best option for Detroit at this point. Otherwise, Mike Ribeiro is still available, but his demands are a little high.

He's solid but unspectacular. Tends to fly under the radar a lot, so he doesn't get a lot of attention. Haven't heard of him making a lot of spectacular plays, but then again, I never hear of him screwing up royally either.

...yucky pre-throw up taste....

wha..wha....WHAT????

Without a doubt...a serious powerhouse team if ever there was one. Not one real flaw at all that a team might have been able to capitalize on reliably.

I can't seem to find my crystal ball right now, so as I peer into the empty scotch bottle i see.............

1. Nathan Horton, RW - Vancouver

2. Valterri Flippula, C/W - Columbus

3. David Clarkson, RW - Philadelphia

4. Mike Ribero, C - Washington

5. Stephen Weiss, C - Ottawa

6. Mike Smith, G - Phoenix +1

7. Patrick Elias, LW - New Jersey +1

8. Pascal Dupuis, LW - Detroit

9. Jarome Iginla, RW - Pittsburgh

10. Brian Bickell, LW - Chicago +1

11. Derek Roy, C - St. Louis +1

12. Daniel Briere, C - New Jersey

13. Nicklas Backstrom, G Minnesota

14. Ron Hainsey, D - Toronto

15. Damien Brunner, RW - Detroit

@SpikeDDS Can't agree more. See also the other topic we were discussing of whether Hossa should be picked up if the 'Hawks buy him out. Gives you a peek inside last summer where both Parise and Suter signed with Minnesota. Michigan is close enough to Minnesota (particularly for Suter who lives in Wisconsin, of all places). Had the Wings made the same offer or better for them, they'd be in a Wings sweater right now.

@hf101

As a condition of employment, all Red WIngs' front office staff must spend at least one season shoveling octopi off the ice. It's a probationary period to see if the candidate will be a good fit within the organization.

Hossa will be expensive, and likely TOO expensive. My answer depends on how much it takes to get him. I think Bickell would probably fit better financially, and give a pretty good return on investment.

I doubt very much that Hossa would be a good prospect. Should he be bought out by Chicago, there would be a whole host of teams wanting to throw all kinds of money his way. Teams looking to lock up a long term scorer, however, Hossa has made it very clear in the past that he's looking for hardware. Don't bet that he signs someplace like Columbus or Carolina. I can see playoff perennials like the Sharks eyeing him closely, looking to augment the next generation after the Thornton and Marleau start easing out. I can also see a team like Vancouver or maybe Washington bringing him on as an expensive rental to make a big push for a Cup. I do not see Detroit in the running at all.

she is I such a good mood I may end up getting some.

Ahh...the fringe benefits of Pavel Datsyuk!!!

@SpikeDDS Good points. However, I think the tipping point for Bickell is his flexibility. Bickell has shown he can play in several different situations with the Hawks. This is something Detroit relies upon heavily. A player that can perform well on special teams as well as in 5-on-5 situations is more highly prized in Detroit. Hossa can rack up points very well. He's done it his entire career, but I just don't think he has the flexibility that the Red Wings have come to demand of their top players.

The other thing to consider is his grit. He's not shy about roughing people up, and he's really good at it. We already have Abdelkader and Tootoo (and to a lesser extent, Ericsson) in that role. I wouldn't go so far as to call Bickell a "goon", but I think he mixes it up better than any of the others. If the Red Wings pick up Brian Bickell, consider Jordin Tootoo's days numbered. That scenario also presents the Red Wings with what is likely their best option for their buyout. I think Tootoo has two years' contract left, so it's a few extra dollars that can be transferred to woo Bickell our way.

While it cannot be official until July 5 per the CBA, it appears that Pavel Datsyuk is dispelling the rumors and working on a 3-year extension to his contract with the Detroit Red Wings. Looks like the magician will be adding a few more performances.

http://www.freep.com/article/20130618/SPORTS05/306180033/Pavel-Datsyuk-Red-Wings-extension

@SpikeDDS Bickell would be a key signing, without a doubt. Matter of fact, if he were the only acquisition in this offseason, then I think the Red Wings could call it a huge success. @OccamsRazor is right about Bertuzzi. I have heard nothing about his health lately, and if he was cleared to play in the playoffs this year, he certainly wasn't used (I think he was out once). He's entering the last year of his contract and I think he's considering hanging them up. The only issue is, does he want to get a decent season in first. I certainly wouldn't blame him. You can't end a long career like his by sitting in the locker room for two whole seasons with a nagging, non-specific back issue. That's no way to punctuate your entire life I recall @yave1964 asking me another thread whether the Blackhawks would consider using their buyout to relieve themselves of Marian Hossa. I think this thread is a good place to pick up that discussion again. If this is the case, who would you choose? Bickell or Hossa? (I say Bickell)