Abby Stays Put

[WingNut722]

For all our worry about what the future holds, looks like we can cross one big-ticket item off our list.

 

Justin Abdelkader signed a large contract extension with the Red Wings yesterday.  7 years and $29.75 Million.  That's $4.25MM per year.  Abby is 28 right now, and this contract will take him through to 35.  

 

As the Detroit Free Press reports, Abby will likey close out his career where it started...at home, In Michigan.

[jammer2]

@WingNut722  I think it's a decent deal for the Wings. A tad to long, but hey....if you are gonna sign a decent player for 4.25 mill a year, guess you have to give up some extra years. As long as he can skate the same way in his early to mid 30's this will work out fine for the Wings. When you find a guy who leaves it all out on the ice every game and has decent offense, you keep him...he's a big part of the Wings.

[WingNut722]

@jammer2

 

He's a ruff 'n' tuff kind of player, and that tends to take a higher toll on ones body.  At the same time though, he's proficient in just about every skating category.  There will be years when that 4.25 MM is an absolute bargain, and others where it will be an albatross.  Overall though, that's a great deal for a great player.

[SpikeDDS]

I agree it's a bit long, but I agree that that's what it takes to keep a player like this. You're not going to find too many cheap players who are good at setting up their office just outside the crease. The damage to the team would have been much greater to have lost a guy like Abby, because we really have almost no one like him. No one else to fill that role, and it's an important role in today's game. If today's goalies can see the puck, most of the time, they are going to stop it. That percentage goes significantly down on shots off of rebounds. We could actually use another player with a similar skill set, to be honest, but ya gotta at least have one.

What this says to me, however is that unless we dump a few players, I have no idea how it will be possible to keep Darren Helm after this season. If there is a way to do it, I can't see it, but that's why KH gets paid the big bucks for making those decisions and I get a fraction of what he makes for drilling teeth. I think what we are seeing from guys like Larkin and AA--particularly AA, as I watched him fall back to play defense when the Dman pressed forward more than once--are guys who have a similar skill set as Helm does only are able to finish and may actually be faster, making him more expendable. Still, I like him and won't like seeing him go, but we'll see if KH can work something better than what I'm seeing or if decides that these young kids are the future and Helm is not.

Part of that answer will likely be what they can do with Howard. I can't see them continuing to keep the two-headed monster in net, even as good as they've been. And as good as Howard has been, they might just be able to move him and free up some dough to keep a guy like Helmer. There is NO WAY they lose Mrazek. He's the future in net. I am so impressed with him. I think Helmer's future may largely hinge on how that plays out.

[WingNut722]

@SpikeDDS

 

I can actually see Helm being let go.  He has the speed which is huge on the PK, but honestly his performance in the other categories does not stand out.  And young Mr. Larkin has speed.  Otherwise, the other options are trading Tomas Jurco for draft picks.  Also, (and I hate to say it) another option is losing Drew Miller too.  

[yave1964]

@WingNut722

This deal pretty much means Helm is a gonner. Too much youth someone has to go, of the two if you had told me a few years ago that we were signing Abby and letting Helm go I would have thrown a fit but Abby has developed into a nice power forward and Helm has taken a couple of steps back and we have better options. Think of it like this, next year would you want Helm or Athanasiou and use the money to sign another puck mover for the back end? No brainer to me.

[SpikeDDS]

@WingNut722This deal pretty much means Helm is a gonner. Too much youth someone has to go, of the two if you had told me a few years ago that we were signing Abby and letting Helm go I would have thrown a fit but Abby has developed into a nice power forward and Helm has taken a couple of steps back and we have better options. Think of it like this, next year would you want Helm or Athanasiou and use the money to sign another puck mover for the back end? No brainer to me.

The ONLY reason I disagree at all is because of the Helm's role on the PK. He will be missed there, and I don't think AA is gonna be suited for that task. That said, there is no way we can afford to keep him there for the price without creating another hole somewhere else. With his injury risk factored in, I think his fate is sealed.

But there is no question; I'd rather have AA for what we will pay him than Helmer for what we will have to pay him to keep him. That IS a no-brainer. And if that is the choice, Helm's already gone. Trade deadline bait, perhaps?

[jammer2]

  There is only one reason to trade Helm....that means that Cleary is on the comeback trail     I heard they crazy glued his bone on bone knees, all good to go...