Chelios was very happy to be re-signed for another year in Detroit. His one year contract is worth $850,000. A price cut he was willing to take in order to stay with the Wings. “It was pretty much a no-brainer,” Chelios said. “It was just a matter of seeing if they wanted me, if they could fit me in under the cap. It’s a big relief. Now I don’t have to leave Detroit and my family.” Between his chili restaurant in Dearborn and having even played for the Motory City Mechanics in the lockout, Chelios really wanted to stay in Detroit.
Chelios realizes that his role will be different this year. “I’ll accept whatever my role will be,” Chelios said. “My role has changed since I got here. If I play well enough, maybe I’ll get more minutes, but if they want me to be a fifth or sixth guy, I’ll be that.” Wings GM Ken Holland has already hinted at Chelios’ new role. “I’ve talked with Chris about our exact expectations,” general manager Ken Holland said, “and impressed upon him that we’ll give him less minutes, keep him fresh and not overplay him.”
Holland is still having a hard time with signing Pavel Datsyuk. Datsyuk is apparently looking to make $4 million. “We have had a very productive conversation,” Greenstin said. “We’ve explained our position, he has explained his position. He has a certain amount of money to spend and has to sign another player. Pavel, you know, Pavel Datsyuk’s future is with the Detroit Red Wings.”
After Thursday’s signings, the Wings have about $10 million left to sign Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Kronwall, a goaltender, another defenseman and a few more forwards to fill out the third and fourth lines.Asked if he sees a scenario in which he ends up without Datsyuk or Zetterberg, Holland said, “Anything is possible.”
“It’s going to take a while,” Holland said. “Sometimes you need a marketplace to surface. You need some other restricted free agents in similar rights and age groups to sign first to see where the market is at.”
Mathieu Schneider is also excited to return to Detroit. “I really wanted to come back,” Schneider said. “Once I heard there was a cap, I didn’t think it would be possible. But once the buyouts happened, I thought there might be a chance still. It couldn’t have worked out any better. I’m thrilled to be back.”
Holland believes that Johan Franzen should fit in the third or fourth line. While Franzen is stronger defensively, Holland sees him develiping into a strong two-way forward. “We think he’s ready to play in the NHL,” Holland said. “At this point, he probably won’t score a lot of points.”
I like Pavel, but he’s not a $4m player in this market…not yet anyway. I say qualify him and trade him, then take that $2 to $2.5m and bring in a proven, veteran sniper like Kariya. If Holland waits much longer, we might end up with no Datsyuk and no skilled FA’s who could take his place.
Chelios might be old, but he’s probably still at least average, if not a little better. At $850,000, he’s a reasonable signing.
As for Daciuk, I’m sure one of the Russian oil barons will tempt him with similar money…and you take the tax advantages and playing close to home, and the Wing$ will have their work cut out for them.
Well, considering Peter Forsberg is only getting $5.7 million in Philly, Pavel is insane to expect $4 from the Wings. If that attitude persists much longer, I say trade him for someone proven. The Wings can bank on potential for only so long.
Pavel may be tempted by some oil money but would playing at home really be all that great? Russia isn’t exactly Oakland County, Michigan. Even Detroit has to seem nicer, though the roads are comparable or so I hear.
Regarding Chelios, I’m happy to see him back. Not just because he still has some hockey left in him, but because now that Kariya has signed in Nashville, we’ll have eight nights of opportunities to see Cheli clothesline Paul during a line change and call it a dive.
(I still would have preferred to see Kariya in Detroit though…)
Matt, don’t know what travelogs you’ve been watching, but the Moscow of today is very modern, and very prosperous. And while not Oakland County, Detroit would love to be Moscow. I know this after hosting a Russian exchange student, then having my stepdaughter visit her in Moscow.
Besides, after playing a few years at $3.2 mil, tax free, Pavel will be able to live anywhere in the world he wants to.
Europe is going to become an increasingly popular destination, especially for European players. If you don’t mind my pluggin my own site, check out friday’s post at http://greatwhitebear.blogspot.com
LOL! Poor Datsyuk is 5 years late. 4M$ is what he couldve asked for when the WIngs had 80M to spend. Now he needs to be reasonable. He’s one of the most electrifying players i have ever seen on ice, but I don’t think the team should sacrifice that much to keep him.