Another year for Alfredsson?

[hf101]

@Sz1909_Szemberg

Daniel Alfredsson says on Swedish radio that he will hit ice next week. Depending on how his back will respond, he will decide about future.

 

@Sz1909_Szemberg

Finally, @DAlfredsson11 said that if he plays one more year, it will be with @DetroitRedWings. No other options.

 

I guess if he returns for another year it won't be about the money as the Wings do not have $5.5 M this year for him. He will need to take a pay cut.  I think part of the reason why the management hasn't signed any one is because they've set aside money to sign Alfie.  

 

Do you want him for another year, and at what price?

 

[yave1964]

I see better than fifty fifty that Alfie comes back, but at a steep price.

  By not pursuing other free agents, we have missed the boat staying loyal to a guy at the tail end of his career who was a star with another team. Granted, he was very good last year, he played as well as could be hoped for and actually led the team in points.

 

  For the money that we will pay Alfie, who i love and respect, we could have signed Vrbata who signed for a lowball contract with the Canucks. A guy who can score, play defense and hits like Vrbata on a three year deal, IMHO would have been a better fit than one more year out of the aging Alfredsson.

  And lets look at the worst case scenario, lets say his aching back does not respond and he cannot play, we have held the spot and cap space while everyone else has signed elsewhere and now have nothing to show for it. Or Alfredsson signs and breaks down.

 

  Personally, i believe that Holland is loyal to a fault, multiple cases can be cited. We would have been better off long term and quite possibly short term by looking elsewhere.

[jammer2]

@yave1964  Geez, I usually stick up for Holland, but holding your cap space hostage on the whims of a 50/50 proposition (at best IMHO) is unforgivable. That's not even counting how old Alfie is and how very unlikely he won't be injury prone most of next year. You move on, use the cap space to sign a useful piece, and *if* Alfie wants to tag along, he can play for the league minimum. He has made how many million in his career?  One would think it would be more about the Cup and not maximizing his last ever deal. Besides, if he really wants to, he can re-hab the back to 80% and sign with the KHL for millions if cash is the most important thing.

[WingNut722]

@yave1964 @jammer2

 

I think it's better than 50/50.  I vote 75% he comes back.  I'm sure he's been seeing doctor's and getting treatment for his back all summer, but hockey is a tough sport so the proof is in the pudding.  While Holland is loyal to all his players, I think that's one of the hallmarks of his leadership.  It's not just about money or hardware.  Ask any of the Red Wings team, staff, or management...they all feel like they're part of a family, which is important in this business..hell, ANY business.  Granted, he may take it too far in certain cases, but at the end of the day, you'll never be able to say that he sold out.

 

As far as Alfie's salary, I don't think he'll have a problem with it.  Lidstrom took a pay cut the last couple years in his career, and he played every game of the season.  

[jammer2]

@WingNut722  It might be better than 50/50 to start the year, but what are the chances he stays healthy for the whole year?  I'd say 90/10% that he suffers a substantial injury requiring him to miss over a month, probably the back will come haunt him continually. They would have been better off spending their money elsewhere.

[yave1964]

@WingNut722  It might be better than 50/50 to start the year, but what are the chances he stays healthy for the whole year?  I'd say 90/10% that he suffers a substantial injury requiring him to miss over a month, probably the back will come haunt him continually. They would have been better off spending their money elsewhere.

I heard the Wings kicked the tires on Vrbata before he signed with Vancouver. I believe it was three years at 10.4 million total, one of the best contracts of the summer IMHO. No overpayment, the Wings would have been better served with him than Alfie at this point, and God love him Alfie is hell of a player.

Something I noticed Alfie do last year that I haven't seen in a long time from a winger, he brings the puck deep unchallenged and looks across the lanes for the open man. I don't know if he is so universally respected that nobody wants to hit him or if they are afraid of him going around them if they move in and play too tight. Either way it is unique, he simply carries the puck deep and waits for the open man, more often than not unchallenged. The Wings get killed by the forecheck, for whatever reason Alfie does not have it happen to him.

[WingNut722]

@yave1964

 

It's a sign of respect.  Lidstrom never had that happen to him either.  Players would skate in for a hit, but never a hard one, and only as part of the game.  Nick would usually dodge it anyway.  On the other hand, players never get too close to Datsyuk when he's skating it in, do they?

[yave1964]

@WingNut722

 

 Dats is a bit different, they try to check him, he just was crazy sick moves. With Alfie, he just sets up off in the slot and nobody rushes him, nobody puts pressure on him, it is unique in my long history of watching the game. kind of like Bertuzzi crossing the blue line butt first or Tootoo missing the net by eight to ten feet to the left almost every time. I notice things like that. Or Tatar always streaking right to the net, with the puck or without, hell bent for leather disrupting the other teams defense by his presence. Alfie is just smooth and glides to the slot and gets left alone.

[Old School Hockey]

Only after DeKeyser is resigned should he be resigned.

[WingNut722]

@yave1964

 

I suppose you're eight (and not just about Tootoo ).  It's a benefit in disguise though...the less he gets hit, the healthier his back stays, so I won't knock it.  

 

Is it hockey season yet?

 

@Old School Hockey

 

I'm not worried about DDK at all.  He'll be resigned.  There just negotiating the terms now, but he'll get he wants.  Considering Quincey got a pay raise, DeKeyser can just about name his own price and be approved.  If they let him go, Holland will have that contract extension crammed you-know-where and be run out of town.

[jammer2]

With Alfie, he just sets up off in the slot and nobody rushes him, nobody puts pressure on him, it is unique in my long history of watching the game.

 

  They treated Jean Reattle the same way, it's one of the ultimate signs of respect.

[Old School Hockey]

@yave1964

 

I suppose you're eight (and not just about Tootoo ).  It's a benefit in disguise though...the less he gets hit, the healthier his back stays, so I won't knock it.  

 

Is it hockey season yet?

 

@Old School Hockey

 

I'm not worried about DDK at all.  He'll be resigned.  There just negotiating the terms now, but he'll get he wants.  Considering Quincey got a pay raise, DeKeyser can just about name his own price and be approved.  If they let him go, Holland will have that contract extension crammed you-know-where and be run out of town.

[WingNut722]

@Old School Hockey

 

I see.  Understood.  Agree with you 100%.  DDK is first priority.