Archive for July, 2007

Wings sign Dallas Drake

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According to Ansar Khan, Dallas Drake has signed a one-year, $550,000 contract with the team that drafted him in 1989. The signing adds size to the Wings’ forward group, should they choose to use the 6’1″, 195 lbs. grinder type. There’s a chance he could fill in on the 3rd or 4th line, but it’s not unlikely that he’ll be in Grand Rapids to start the season, given the Wings’ youth log-jam.* He’d have to clear waivers to go to the minors, but at this stage in his career, that isn’t much of a concern. In the Khan piece, Holland talks as though Drake will be a Red Wing, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that that depends on the training camp performances of guys like Jiri Hudler, Tomas Kopecky, Igor Grigorenko, and Matt Ellis, not to mention Drake himself.

Drake’s a gritty player who plays a rough game, as you might remember from his high hit on Brett Lebda this past season that resulted in a two-game suspension. He’s never been a guy to put up big numbers (he maxed out at 45 points in ’99-’00 in Phoenix), but he was big on the penalty kill for the Blues last season and would be a likely candidate for a regular spot on the Wings’ PK if he makes the team.

Not a bad signing at all, given the price and the fact that Drake will bring grit and physical play, as well as leadership, whether he suits up in Detroit or in Grand Rapids.

George Malik has a nice round-up post here.

*The Wings now have Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Holmstrom, Samuelsson, Filppula, Franzen, Maltby, Draper, Cleary, Hudler, Kopecky, Ellis, Grigorenko, and Drake under contract. That’s 14 forwards, with the first nine (italics) all set regulars. We could see any combination of the other five (bold).

Hasek finally re-signs

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Update (4:30 PM): Now it’s official, with the terms, as reported yesterday, confirmed. - Matt

Update (06. Jul, 7:11 AM): Looks like this isn’t official yet, as Hasek has not actually signed the contract. He’s agreed to it, however, and is expected to make it official today, though Holland still sounds somewhat tentative.

Also, if Winter’s comment below is a joke, it’s a bad one, as all media reports on the topic of the negotiations with the Wings’ UFAs (such as this one) had Holland bemoaning the fact that they all were making demands for higher salaries than the team was prepared to pay. That includes Hasek. So, excuse me if I don’t find Winter’s “joke” funny. - Matt

The Detroit News reports that Dominik Hasek has finally signed a contract extension: one-year, with a base salary in the $2 million range, with around another $2 million in playoff-related bonuses. How about this quote by Dom’s agent, Ritch Winter:

“We’ve settled. Dominik wanted to give the team room to have money under the salary cap. Let’s face it, he’s a $5 million-a-year goalie. We all know that. But I managed to talk them down to $2 million. It was a unique negotiation.”

So that’s how it when, eh? The Wings wanted to use up most of their remaining cap space on Dom rather than on filling another need, but Winter, out of the goodness of his heart, managed to dissuade them from that course of action by dragging negotiations out until they agreed to pay less? And here all this time I and everyone else in Hockeytown thought it was the other way around. Thanks for setting the record straight, Mr. Winter. Too bad you couldn’t convince the Wings to agree to these terms before the best options for a top-six forward signed with other teams. Ugh.

Welcome back, Dom, but that whole “I expect a raise” thing was not cool. You should have just taken a contract like last year’s right off the bat and given the team the cap space to go after a solid top-sixer. I’d think that you’d be bigger on winning than on money at this stage of your career.

(thanks Brian)

Ellis re-signs; team confirms Ference, Berkhoel signings

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Jason Kasiorek of Griffins Central reports that Grand Rapids Griffins captain Matt Ellis has signed a one-year contract extension with the Wings. I haven’t seen him play all that often, but among Griffins fans, Ellis has a reputation as one of the hardest-working players in the organization and that will no doubt endear him to Mike Babcock come training camp.

According to Kasiorek, Ellis would have to clear waivers to return to the AHL, which means the team will have to come to a decision on his status. Given that they re-signed him, it seems they’re looking to carry him as a 12th or 13th forward, pending his camp performance. Ellis’ history indicates that he’s unlikely to disappoint. I expect to see him in the Winged Wheel next year, perhaps on a line with Hudler and Kopecky, at least to start off.

Matthew Wuest* of Red Wings Central says a team source has confirmed the signings of defenseman Brad Ference and goalie Adam Berkhoel to one-year contracts. Both are for depth (read: for the Griffins), though Ference could conceivably earn an NHL spot. RWC has Berkhoel in the fourth spot in the Wings’ goaltending depth chart, behind #3 Jimmy Howard and ahead of #5 Stefan Liv, whose RFA status and sub-par performance last season obviously knocked him down a spot.

*Who, by the way, says Ellis signed a two-year deal. I’m going with the Griffins expert on this one, though, until shown otherwise by an official source.

Jiri Hudler re-signs

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Update (8:45 PM): Word has come down from the front office that Hudler just has to work on getting “a half-step quicker” and he’ll be second power play material. - Matt

Two years, $2.03 million. He’ll make $880,000 this season and $1.15 the second year. I wonder if that contract includes a clause that will force Babcock to give him half-decent ice time. It’s not like he hasn’t proven he deserves it over and over again. (thanks Tim)