Update (2:35 PM): Ansar Khan takes a look at some of the other possibilities for the Wings. - Matt
Well, there goes that possibility. Not that it was all that likely after the Rafalski signing, but we could still hope, right? The Wings probably could have afforded Kozzie’s new 3-year, $11 million ($3.6M a year) contract. Oh well.
In my initial reaction to Mathieu Schneider’s decision to sign with Anaheim, I wrote,
“If he wanted a lot more money than the Wings could pay, that’s one thing, but leaving at a price the team could probably afford is an insult. And the fact that he left to go to the team that eliminated the Wings from the playoffs is even worse (if you recall, Sergei Fedorov did the same thing). I thought Schneider was better than that.”
Those comments were an emotional response and came out of ignorance of the real story. That was no excuse to question Schneider’s character like I did, though, as he earned the right to the benefit of the doubt during his time here in Detroit.
Now that more details have come out, the reasons for Schneider’s decision are clearer: the Wings’ low offer, the fact that a California team is better for his family, the opportunity to help the Ducks repeat, and friction between him and Babcock. Those reasons don’t make his decision any less disappointing and hurtful, not least because there was no warning, but they are legitimate reasons and it would be unfair of me to hold it against him.
It’s a tricky thing to wish Schneider the best in Anaheim, as I view the Ducks as the new Avs, but if that’s what they are, Schneider can be a new Joe Sakic: the member of a hated rival team that can still be respected.
Yesterday I wrote that the Wings have about $8 million to use to bring back to Dominik Hasek, Todd Bertuzzi and Danny Markov. That was only partially true at the time. I forgot that Jiri Hudler is a RFA this summer, so if the Wings want him back, they’ll need to fit him in that $8 million limit too. With Todd Bertuzzi’s departure, that job has probably gotten a little easier, though Holland will no doubt look to sign a second-line forward to replace #44 and that, coupled with the team’s apparent desire to sign a “depth defenseman” will make it tough to fit everyone in. Hopefully Jiri doesn’t become the odd man out.
Update (8:35 PM): TSN has updated the article and it now says Bertuzzi will get $8 million over two years. Given that $4 million a year was s more than the Wings could offer him, it’s no surprise he left. I guess he wasn’t all that serious about wanting a longer-term contract. - Matt
Two-years, terms not disclosed. That’s another Wing packing his bags to fly to Anaheim. Screw you, Brian Burke. And Todd? You’re evil again.
Update (11:47PM): $8 million ($4 mil/yr), same as Bert’s deal. (via Snapshots) -Sarah
It’s a two-year deal, but the amount was not announced. We’ll be seeing a lot of ole’ Robert.
Ansar Khan has an update on the status of the Wings’ free agent situation.
In summary:
… Hasek should sign within a day or two, having told the Wings he’d rather wait until after the first day of free agency to make a deal
… Todd Bertuzzi is shopping himself around the market, looking for a longer-term deal than the Wings are willing to give him. So, his return may not be all that likely. The Wings are looking for a “second-tier free-agent forward,” to, I assume, replace Bertuzzi in the event he doesn’t re-sign.
… The Wings are looking to spend their remaining $8 million on “Hasek, a forward, and a depth defenseman.” Quite frankly, I don’t really understand the need for a depth defenseman when the team’s blueline corps now stands at Nick Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Niklas Kronwall, Andreas Lilja, Chris Chelios, Brett Lebda, and, likely, Derek Meech. Seems pretty solid to me.
… Danny Markov turned down the Wings’ last offer, so he’s looking less and less likely to re-sign. Not much of a surprise there.
… The Wings apparently didn’t offer Schneider the kind of money they offered Rafalski (as in up to $2 million less per year). So, it seems that all along they were more intent on pursuing the younger Rafalski than on keeping the older Schneider. That’s surprising, given how re-signing #23 was listed as a priority all along.
Update (7:23 PM): Apparently Rafalski did take a bit of a hometown discount to come to Detroit: the AP reports that one team offered him six years, $40 million ($6.7 a year) and he turned it down to become a Wing. Based on this TSN interview transcript, he sounds excited about the opportunity. (links via Snapshots) - Matt
Update (5:14 PM): Looks like my calculations below were a little off. Ansar Khan reports that the Wings have only $8 million to spend now that they’ve signed Rafalski. That $8 million will be spread rather thin between Hasek, Bertuzzi, and Markov, so thin that Holland may only be able to sign two of them and will be unable to go after a UFA like Ryan Smyth.
If I had to guess, I’d say the Wings sign Hasek and Bertuzzi while letting Markov go, leaving a million or two for down the road. While Bertuzzi is a gamble, it doesn’t seem likely that the Wings would be able to draw someone with a similar upside for around $3 million. - Matt
Update (5:00 PM): Eric McErlain has a post up on the deal over the NHL Fanhouse and Lyle Richardson has one at Foxsports.com. I’m still bummed about losing Schneider, but this Rafalski deal is sounding better and better. - Matt
Update (4:37 PM): Here’s the separate TSN piece on the signing.
The interesting thing about this deal is that Rafalski is getting, at an average of $6 million a year, more money than Schneider got from Anaheim. That shows more than anything else that Schneider left for personal reasons rather than because the Wings couldn’t meet his demands.
Rafalski is 33 now (turns 34 in September), which means the Wings will have him at least until he’s 38 (well, 39, really). That’s pretty much his prime years and that’ll give him a chance to improve on his offensive numbers, which aren’t all that far off from Schneider’s. And much like playing with Nick Lidstrom benefited Mathieu Schneider and helped boost his status, so should playing with Nick help Rafalski.
The fact that Rafalski was born in Dearborn, Michigan obviously didn’t motivate him to take a literal hometown discount, but it must be nice for him to be with his hometown team, even if he apparently has “adopted” Wisconsin.
By my loose calculations, the Wings now have a payroll of about $38.5 million with Dominik Hasek, Todd Bertuzzi and Danny Markov still yet to be signed. With the Wings having to find a way to split $12 million between probably at least two of those players, it looks like they won’t be bringing in anyone else.
Overall, I’m intrigued. I don’t know a ton about Rafalski, but his name has come up in years past and the fact that the Wings are investing five years and $30 million into him reflects their confidence in him. Given that their judgment has been right more often than not, it would seem this is a good deal. It doesn’t make up emotionally for the loss of Schneider, but it’s something. - Matt
Well, Holland didn’t waste much time signing another defenseman. Via TSN:
“Brian Rafalski agrees to a five year, $30 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings.”
More to come. (thanks Brian)