ArchivePage 3 of 222

The shaking-out

Published
by
Matt Saler
on July 2, 2008
in 2008-2009, Aaron Downey, Andreas Lilja, Brett Lebda, Chris Osgood, Dallas Drake, Derek Meech, Jimmy Howard, Jonathan Ericsson, Justin Abdelkader, Kyle Quincey, Marian Hossa, Mikael Samuelsson, Opinion, Roster Moves, The Team, Valtteri Filppula and Ville Leino
. 4 Comments

Update (10:18 PM): Of course, as soon as I write that I’d like to see Mac take a two-way contract, the Windsor Star comes out with a report indicating he may not be willing to do so. Come on, Mac! I thought you loved GR. - Matt

Updated @ 10:00 PM - see end of post - Matt

The Lilja, Stuart, Conklin, and Hossa signings raise questions about the final makeup of the Wings’ roster. Here’s how I’m hoping it all shakes out:

To start, the Valtteri Filppula question. If anyone offers him $3+ million and he takes the offer, the Wings’ can’t stop him leaving. However, I like to think Fil would relish the thought of playing for the Cup again, particularly with a winger like Hossa. Maybe I’m naive, but I don’t see a problem there as long as he’s willing to accept $2.5 million or less from Detroit.

On the way out should be Dallas Drake, who ought to retire in order to make way for others. All indications seem to be that he’s going to hang them up while he’s on top. It’d be great to have him back, but there’s not a lot of room.

I’d love to see the Wings convince Darren McCarty to take two-way contract. It would be a move aimed at bringing in a physical presence if needed for the playoffs and would go a long way in boosting the popularity of hockey here in West Michigan. Mac can still bring it and would be valuble to have available.

I’d prefer they keep Aaron Downey around the main squad, but if it’s he who goes to GR, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. By all accounts, the guy is so good in the lockerroom that I don’t hesitate to overstate his role in the Cup win when I talk about the guy. If nothing else, I think they should make Downey Director of Team Morale or something.

Assuming Fil re-signs, Drake retires, and the enforcers split as outlined above, the Wings would end up with 12 forwards with settled statuses: Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Tomas Holmstrom, Johan Franzen, Valtteri Filppula, Marian Hossa, Dan Cleary, Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Mikael Samuelsson, Jiri Hudler and Aaron Downey/Darren McCarty (with this guy sitting out more often than not).

I’ve seen a lot of reports stating they want to carry 13 forwards, so there’s a spot up for grabs. Personally, I’d love to see Darren Helm take it over Tomas Kopecky. The kid certainly earned it during the playoffs and would make the fourth line killer once again. However, his ability to return to the AHL without having to clear waives could mean he’ll be headed back to GR, unfortunately.

Another option for this spot is Ville Leino. Apparently, they want to bring the Finn over this season and not to play for Grand Rapids. He would face the very difficult proposition of beating out a Babcock favorite (Helm) and a good, skilled grinder (Kopecky). I can’t see that happening.

I’ve seen some talk about Justin Abdelkader, but I can’t see him cracking the lineup. He should go to Grand Rapids and get acclimated to professional hockey before he makes the leap. He’s going to be really fun to watch in GR this year, if that’s where he ends up.

On the defensive side, as I stated in the Hossa post, I think Kyle Quincey’s days as a Red Wing are over. There are a lot of fond memories of the kid from the 2007 playoffs floating around, but the fact is he’s not a very good skater and is not much on the offensive side. In other words, he’s not the prototypical Red Wings defenseman. He lacks the size to make up for those skill deficiencies in the way that Andreas Lilja does. He’s also got an apparent attitude problem. He’s got to be the odd man out in this situation. If they can’t swing a trade for picks or something, waive him.

As for Chris Chelios, as I wrote before, he’s going to have to decide for himself whether or not the very reduced role he’s facing will be acceptable. I’d love for him to come back because he brings so much to this team, but he’s certainly slowly being ushered out. I have a hard time seeing him doing anything but come back, though.

I know many fans can’t stand Lilja, but I’m a little more “eh” about the guy. He’s got an upside as a shot blocker and PKer. The guy is not here to carry the puck and make two-line passes. He’s not your typical Red Wing defenseman, but his size and physicality are meant to compensate. Obviously, his downside is that he has all-too-frequent and very visible gaffes. Still, I’m inclined to buy the argument of his few defenders that these mostly happen when he’s left out to dry by his more offensively-minded partners. If anything, he needs to improve his recovery skills. Anyway, unless he’s majorly beaten out in camp and the Wings look to trade him, Lilja’s one half of the third pairing, with Brett Lebda likely making up the other half.

I think Jonathan Ericsson is ready for an NHL job, but it won’t be this year unless he “pulls a Filppula” at training camp and forces his way onto the roster by being so good. The potential for him to be a hugely dominate AHL defenseman and the confidence that would arise from that makes sending him back to GR an attractive idea. I think he’s stronger mentally than Quincey in that it doesn’t seem likely he’ll have an off year as a result of coming down from the high of being a part of a long playoff run.

With Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, Stuart, Lebda, and Lilja under contract and assuming Chelios signs, the Wings would be up to seven defensemen with an apparent interest in carrying eight. Unless Ericsson tears it up in camp, that spot should go to Derek Meech. Meech is NHL-ready and is out of options. I’d hate to see him forced off the team, so I hope they make a point of keeping him around. He, like Ericsson, is the future of the Detroit blueline.

Now to goaltending. Chris Osgood is the starter at this point, there’s no question. He’s arguably playing the best hockey of his career, so it’s his job to lose. The job of back-up is a little more up in the air, though not too high. Jimmy Howard is going to have to be stellar in camp to pass Ty Conklin in the depth chart. Or Conklin will have to be awful.

Personally, I’d rather Conklin be the guy on the bench recording faceoffs while Jimmy gets actual ice time in Grand Rapids. Howard needs to have at least one strong year in the AHL before he’ll be ready for the NHL and if he can play the majority of the season with the Griffins, he should have the stability necessary to do that. Conklin is a great insurance policy, as his record this past season for Pittsburgh indicates.

So to me the 2008-2009 Wings roster would ideally look something like this:

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom
Franzen-Filppula-Hossa
Cleary-Draper-Maltby
Samuelsson-Hudler-Helm ( or, more likely, Kopecky)
Downey

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Lilja-Lebda
Chelios
Meech

Osgood
Conklin

GR:

Leino
McCarty

Ericsson

Howard

That’s my take on the situation. We’ll see how much of it happens!

One last question that obviously needs addressing at some point is who is going to replace Todd McLellan.

In any case, the Wings are poised to have another great season. Like last summer following the loss to the Ducks, I’m fully confident in their ability to go all the way. They appear to have all the tools in the right places once again.

Update (10:00 PM): I should add here that I think the chances of a Red Wings post-Cup hangover are slim. This team is too well-coached and too focused for that. They certainly aren’t counting their chickens before they’re hatched, you can bet on it.

So, my fellow fans, feel free to do some harmless counting of poultry while the team takes care of business like group of professionals they are. There’s no harm in our being excited about their chances. - Matt

I really can’t wait for hockey to start up again!

Marian Hossa now a Red Wing

Published
by
Matt Saler
on July 2, 2008
in Marian Hossa and Roster Moves
. 3 Comments

Update (5:10 PM): I’ve been sneaking reads about the deal all day, and the more I read, the more I like it, for a few reasons.

First of all, Hossa’s offensive upside is huge. The guy’s a great skater with great hands and solid hockey sense on the attack. That much was obvious from the Finals as well as the game in which he had a hat trick against the Wings while with Atlanta. He gives the Wings a real finisher like they’ve been lacking really since Brendan Shanahan left. The idea of a potential Hossa-Datsyuk-Zetterberg power play, or even strength unit, is incredible.

Second, the more I read, the more I see that my comment below about Hossa not being a defensive stalwart was uninformed at best. While the guy is not Selke material, I keep reading about his solid two-way game and that’s great. The last thing the Wings need is someone to cherry pick and shirk defensive responsibilities. As long as he’s responsible in his own end, he should be in good shape in Detroit.

Third, I love that he came here to win. Obviously, he’s being compensated very well, but he rejected more lucrative offers in order to have the best shot at playing for the Cup. That should mean he’ll have the right attitude while he’s here, though I’m still a little unsure about his lockerroom presence. If anyone has input on that, I’d love to hear it. That remains my only qualm at this point.

As addressed briefly below, the deal does of course open the Wings up to the poaching of Valtteri Filppula by some nutso GM because their ability to match a potential offer sheet is now much more limited. However, given the fact that Fil seems to remain a well-kept secret, I doubt we’ll see any $5 million-a-year offers for the kid. So there shouldn’t be much of a problem there unless a GM gets vindictive.

Make no mistake about it, at this point, this looks like an incredible move by Ken Holland. There’s obviously a lot that can go wrong with bringing a big star into the lockerroom, but here’s hoping this becomes more of a Brett Hull/Luc Robitaille signing than a Curtis Joseph one. If it’s the former, we’re in for one heck of a season.

For a few more takes on the deal, see

Abel to Yzerman

Bruce MacLeod (here and here)

George Malik (wrap-up)

James Mirtle

- Matt

Update (1:43 PM): Okay, this really is the last thing until I get home: the effect this deal has on the Wings’ other free agents, most notably Valtteri Filppula.

The Wings have $4 million or so left now under the cap and still have Filppula, Chris Chelios, Aaron Downey, Darren McCarty, Kyle Quincey, Jimmy Howard, and Jonathan Ericsson unsigned. Aside from Fil, those players come cheap, but they do add up.

Jimmy and Ericsson can be sent to Grand Rapids next season and thus not count against the cap. Howard isn’t the AHL-dominant goalie the Wings want him to be, so that’s not a bad route. Ericsson’s development may be hurt, or he could pull a Kronwall and have an AHL-best year as a defenseman.

Downey or McCarty will have to accept a two-way contract or go elsewhere since there just isn’t space on the roster for both of them. It’s pretty obvious that Kyle Quincey’s days as a Red Wing are over. And Chelios will have to decide if he really wants to stick around now that the Wings have six seven signed NHL defensemen.

As for Filppula, he’s not going to break the bank, but any contract he signs will bring the Wings uncomfortably close to their self-imposed cap of $2 million below the League one if they bring back Chelios, Mac, or Downey as well.

As George Malik points out, the Wings will have to be quick to lock Fil up as other teams will probably try to poach him as the UFA market dries up. - Matt

Update (1:08 PM): One more thing while I’m still here at work: aside from the fact that it’s Marian Hossa, the best part about this deal is the fact that it’s just for one year. That leaves the Wings with a lot of room to deal with Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen now that they can begin contract talks as of yesterday.

On the downside, it could bring Zetterberg’s price up. No real worries there, though. Hank’s not going to drive a hard bargain and the Wings will give him the raise he deserves. - Matt

Via TSN: one year, $7.4 million.

I’m at work, so I can’t say much now, but wow. This is obviously a huge signing. I just hope Hossa can fit in the system without disrupting chemistry. He’s not exactly a stalwart two-way guy like just about all the Wings’ forwards.

On paper, though, this makes puts the Wings yet another step above the rest. The best defense in hockey with some of the most dangerous forwards in the game. Wow.

More to come.

Retaining the Defense

Published
by
Matt Saler
on July 1, 2008
in Andreas Lilja, Brad Stuart and Roster Moves
. 0 Comments

I apologize for my disappearance over the last few weeks. I’ve been busy with my new job and life. And getting a much-needed break from blogging, I suppose.

I can’t say much now, but I’m glad to see the Wings bring back Brad Stuart. The four-year deal really solidifies the defense for the coming post-Lidstrom reality. Stuart fits in well with the team and brings a nice element of physicality that goes great with Kronwall.

Of course, this, together with the Lilja signing, perpetuates the developing logjam on the blueline. It’s great that the Wings have seven NHL veterans on the blueline again, but players like Derek Meech and Jonathan Ericsson remain stuck on the outside looking in.

Meech is out of options and will have to remain as the 8th man (or be let go), but it looks like Ericsson will have to return to Grand Rapids with the experienced gained from being along for the ride on a Stanley Cup run. Hopefully he won’t go the Kyle Quincey route and have a bad year as a result of being demoted.

At this point, the Wings are doing everything right: bring back the Cup-winning team. If a favorable opportunity arises to bring in new talent, I’m not opposed to the idea, but the last thing I want to see is a disruption of team chemistry in an effort to sign an unnecessary big name. They can do it again with the same group of guys.

Wings re-sign Babcock

Published
by
Matt Saler
on June 10, 2008
in Mike Babcock
. 0 Comments

Great news: Helene St. James reports that the team will hold a press conference tomorrow (Wednesday) to announce the signing of head coach Mike Babcock to a three-year contract extension. Apparently, Babs will earn $1.5 million a year.

Dominik Hasek retires

Published
by
Matt Saler
on June 9, 2008
in Chris Osgood, Dominik Hasek and Jimmy Howard
. 0 Comments

Dominik Hasek announced his retirement from the NHL today. It’s the second time he has done so, having stepped away from the game following the Wings’ 2002 Stanley Cup win. However, this time it’s for real. His Hall of Fame career is over.

Dom’s career in Detroit was mostly an “up” one, with just a couple “down” points. He looked good this past season, but his age was beginning to show at times. His less-than-stellar performance in the playoffs led to his demotion to the bench in favor of Chris Osgood, who in turn earned the starting job in 2008-2009 with his own performance.

Hasek leaves the League a winner, if not quite on top (as the backup goaltender).

Good luck in the future, Dom, and thanks for your time here in Detroit. You played major roles in two of the best seasons the Wings have ever had.

As for the Wings, they are in a position to move on. With Chris Osgood’s renaissance and Jimmy Howard on deck, they are looking pretty solid in net next season. That said, it may not be a bad idea to bring in a veteran who could provide some stability in case Howard is still not quite ready to make the leap.

An explanation of Johan Franzen’s injury

Published
by
Matt Saler
on June 7, 2008
in Injuries and Johan Franzen
. 1 Comment

Helene St. James reports that Johan Franzen had what is called subdural hematoma, or what amounts to a bruise on the brain. He had to wait until the “collection of blood” went away before he could do any physical activity.

Thank God that’s over and done with. I was a little concerned when I a Ken Holland comment after Game 6 that Franzen did not have a concussion. The question obviously was, “What was it, then?” It was still a serious problem, but fortunately it’s not something long-term.

End of Season Thoughts

Published
by
Matt Saler
on June 7, 2008
in 2007-2008, Stanley Cup and The Team
. 3 Comments

I don’t know about you guys, but that was one of the most enjoyable seasons I’ve had as a Red Wings fan. The only year that comes close in the years since I’ve followed the team is 2001-2002. Impeccably assembled, expertly coached, and exemplarily lead, this year’s squad was certainly the best we’ve seen since that year and one of the best in team history.

I had confidence in the Wings’ ability to go all the way this season ever since their elimination at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks last year. I felt then that they were just a bounce or two (or injury or two) away from the Finals at that time and that with much the same roster this season together with another year’s worth of experience, they could do it. It was my expectation going into this season that they would learn from their mistakes and finish the deal.

Throughout the regular season, all the signs were good. Though there were obviously concerns about their troubles with the Central Division, they easily handled most of the Western Conference. Throughout this, they were doing such unprecedented things as sweeping California or Western Canada road trips. They also handled the Eastern teams theyt faced relatively easy, with a couple road bumps in Ottawa and against Atlanta.

The February skid was definitely cause for concern, but the obvious explanation for that was injuries. It became obvious that the Wings had a great chance to suceed if they just remained healthy. Injuries threw a definite wrench in the works because they were playing a team system to a degree I don’t think they ever have. The system could overcome small numbers of injuries to players of varying positions, but losing 2/3 of the blueline over that skid really threw things off. Fortunately, they seemed to meet their seasonal injury quota in that month alone and did not have that kind of trouble again.

Going into the playoffs, my expectations and hopes were as high as ever. I thought they’d easily handle the Predators and the shock of their eventual troubles in the first round was enough to make me more cautious. Looking back, I’m now glad they faced that adversity. The Preds gave the Wings a scare when they made the series 2-2 and exposed something of a composure weakness. Fortunately for Detroit, Nashville didn’t have the firepower to really bring the hammer down and the Wings were able to learn their lesson from a position of relative safety. Another first round opponent may have been able to turn a dream season into a nightmare.

With Colorado, I thought we had a potential classic series coming. Prior to the series, Colorado looked formidable and memories from the regular season games in which the Avs played the Wings very closely seemed to indicate we’d see some great hockey on both sides. In the end, the Wings had an easy time of it as the Avs’ got the injury bug with a vengeance. If anything, it was a cautionary tale to Wings fans as they same thing very much could have happened to the Wings.

The Stars series was worrisome going in. Dallas had pulled off two big upsets on their way to the Conference Final so it was obvious that underestimating them would be a mistake. Fortunately, they came out flat for the first three games and the Wings were able to take a stranglehold going into Game 4. A couple Stars wins later and something of the fears stirred up in the first round by the Predators returned. Winning four games in a row against the Wings proved to be too much for the Stars, however, and we got to see what we were denied last season: Detroit with a Stanley Cup Finals berth.

By this series, my confidence in the Wings was complete. I knew the Penguins presented a major challenge with their skill and style, but I also knew that the Wings were the better team. I couldn’t see the Pens beating them over the course of seven games, though I did expect things to be close. That confidence was bourne out by the Wings’ shutting the Pens out in the first two games. Pittsburgh’s Game 3 win started to make things interesting, but the Wings appeared to shut the door on that with a Game 4 win.

Going into the potential Game 5 Cup clincher, I was attempting to remain cautiously optimistic. I certainly didn’t want to take anything for granted. The game was midly disappointing until the third period when it looked like the Wings’ defensive effort was going to seal the deal. The Pens’ game-tying goal in the final minute was a soul-crusher. Overtime was miserable. Every time the Wings had a glorious scoring chance, they seemed to be on the cusp of joy only to be denied by some freak bounce or a Marc-Andre Fleury save. Then the Pens ended it and I started to have visions of the series going to Game 7 and ending on a freak pro-Pittsburgh bounce.

I didn’t think Game 6 would be fun and, to be honest, it wasn’t. No doubt this was due to the fact that the two teams had technically already played it with nearly three full extra periods tacked on the end of Game 5. Both sides looked tired and the game lacked the raw excitement and heart-stopping power of Monday’s meeting. Game 5 also influenced my comfort level during Game 6. Despite the fact that the Wings were capably holding down a 3-1 lead going down the stretch, I found myself unable to relax. Fortunately, this prepared me for the Pens inevitable second goal and with the stress of the final minutes.

As the clock wound down to the final seconds, my thought process was something like this, “Hey, there are 10 seconds left. I can relax a little. Hey, there are five seconds left, I can be happy now. WAITNOICANTHOLYCRAPTHATWASCLOSE! Is it over? Is it over? YES!”

At the moment, it was hard to believe. As I said, I had hoped for and expected it all season, but when they finally did it, it seemed surreal. Then that pride that comes with this kind of thing came over me along with the usual giddy kind of joy.

Watching Nick take the Cup and then start the hand-offs with Drake, I noticed that I felt closer to this team than those of the past.

Don’t get me wrong, like any hardcore Wings fan, I’d claimed ownership over all previous Red Wings teams and had the one-sided familiarity that comes with watching certain players for years. With this group, however, I think my sense of closeness and familiarity comes from watching guys like Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Valtteri Filppula, and Jiri Hudler begin their careers and grow into the players they are today. It comes from watching guys like Dan Cleary and Chris Osgood redefine themselves and it comes from seeing the rest of the veterans buy wholly into Mike Babcock’s mentality. Make no mistake, a change has come over the Red Wings organization since Babs arrived and in many ways it’s like watching a whole new career develop for some of the older players.

With some of the old legends of the past, I arrived as a fan after they had already defined their place in the League, after they were already legends. I did not get to see that development. I learned to appreciate players like Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan as they already were. With regard to fans that had seen that development, I was a newcomer and always at a slight disadvantage relative to their experience. With this crop of Red Wings, I’ve gotten to watch them develop to where they are now and I’ll be there to see them go wherever they are headed from this time on. I have a real feeling of having been there at the beginning.

It’s a subtle distinction because as I said above, I’ve always claimed the Wings as my own, but this team really is mine, as much as any sports team can be. It may not have the big name Hall of Famers like the teams of the 90s and early 2000s did, but as a younger fan willing to accept this, I feel more attached to this team than ever before.

I don’t mean to imply that I don’t miss the days of The Captain, Shanny, and the others, because I do miss them. However, I’m not going to be one to excessively mourn the passing of those days. The Red Wings team we have now is the next generation and will be the stuff of legends soon enough. This Cup was just the first step.

Do you claim these Red Wings as your own?

Stanley Cup Champions!

Published
by
Matt Saler
on June 5, 2008
in 2007-2008, Penguins, Playoffs and Stanley Cup
. 9 Comments

Update (7:25 AM): Unfortunately, “More to come” is probably going to mean Saturday. Life has gotten very busy at my end, with my new job and stuff I’d had to take care of when I get home. It’s killing me not to be able to comment more on this yet.

Thanks for your comments, everyone. If you’re going to the parade, enjoy! - Matt

They’ve done it!

What a season and what a finish.

Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins on a great year!

More to come.

Game 6: @ Pittsburgh, 8:00 ET

Published
by
Matt Saler
on June 4, 2008
in 2007-2008, GameDay, Penguins and Playoffs
. 3 Comments

Tonight is the sixth game of the Stanley Cup Finals. Detroit leads the series 3-2 with wins in Game 1 (4-0), Game 2 (3-0), and Game 4 (????????2-1). Pittsburgh won Game 3(3-2) and Game 5 (4-3 3OT).

Pittsburgh is on the brink of elimination once again and must find a way to force a Game 7. Some keys to the game for the Pens:

Build off Game 5. The Pens were widely outplayed for the bulk of Game 5. They did, however, have their moments that night. They need to build on those tonight and find a way to control things more.

Evgeni Malkin. I thought that Malkin, as obvious as it is that he’s enormously fatigued, looked better as the night went on in Game 5. The Pens need him to be strong tonight.

Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury showed himself capable of stealing games and possibly the series Monday night. The Wings dominated Pittsburgh in every space on the ice except for the crease because Fleury was stellar. If he’s that way again tonight, good things will happen for Pittsburgh. Remember, he shut the Wings out for a full three periods Monday night.

I don’t anticipate any lineup changes for Pittsburgh tonight. Sergei Gonchar (back spasms) said he would play, though if he’s hurt, his effectiveness will be curtailed somewhat.

For the Wings, the only way this game could be more important is if it were being played on Saturday instead of Wednesday. In my mind, they face a must-win situation here because Game 7 will be a crapshoot at best. Some keys to the game for the Wings:

Be the storm. As I said before Game 5, the Wings need to start better. They didn’t do that Monday night and in the end it killed them. They have to bring the hammer down on the Pens early and then keep it there until that final buzzer.

Depth. I thought Jiri Hudler and Darren Helm were among the Wings’ best players Monday night. That has to be true again tonight. The Eurotwins will be getting a lot of attention in Mellon Arena and it will be the task of the depth players to do what they can to alleviate that pressure by peforming offensively.

Chris Osgood. I’m not going to follow the herd and call Osgood’s performance Monday night his worst of the playoffs. I thought he looked solid. He certainly gave the Wings the chance to win. He will need to be at his best tonight, however. He’ll need to match Fleury save-for-save and more.

The only lineup change I can foresee is a possible switching in of Chris Chelios for Andreas Lilja.

Tonight is not going to be a fun game, folks. It will take a gritty, gutsy effort from the Wings to pull a win out in the Igloo. It’s something they are fully capable of doing.

Quote of the Day

Published
by
Matt Saler
on June 3, 2008
in Penguins, Playoffs and Quotes
. 0 Comments

Babs finally breaks his code of silence:

“We talk about scoring more goals in the National Hockey League. We want more goals. No, they don’t. Don’t tell me that. I’ve never seen anything like that in my whole life.”

- Mike Babcock on two goaltender interference calls in overtime in Game 5

Via.