Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Detroit Red Wings & the NHL

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • July 6, 2012 at 1:00 am
    Best bet for the Red Wings: Play waiting game

    • Gregg Krupa

    Accustomed to a bumper crop almost every season, it may be difficult for fans of the Red Wings to get used to a fallow field.
    But, having lost in the grand scheme to secure the two players who would have instantly restored an increasingly depleted roster, the wisest thing for the Red Wings might well be standing pat.
    It could be the most direct path to the partial reconstruction they require.
    After a third consecutive early-round exit from the playoffs, the Red Wings lost veteran superstar Nicklas Lidstrom to retirement and Brad Stuart to the Sharks ? their top two defensive defensemen ? and one of their four 20-goal scorers, Jiri Hudler. The packaged, free-agent acquisition of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter would have fixed things in a hurry, supplying the scoring punch and physicality the Red Wings sometimes lack from their current crop of forwards, and shoring up the back end.
    What the Red Wings could have accomplished in one move may now take a couple of seasons or more to realize: Assembling a bona fide contender for the Stanley Cup.
    With Parise and Suter going to the Wild for more money than the Red Wings offered, Detroit is unlikely to rank as prime contenders, regardless of what it does this summer. The players likely are not available now, even through a few trades.
    Worth the wait

    But next summer will bring another crop of free agents, who ? like Parise and Suter ? could provide a couple of essential ingredients to create, once again, a big-time contender.
    When team-changing free agents like Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Shea Weber and Jarome Iginla become available, perhaps a year from now, the Red Wings need to position themselves precisely as they did this summer: With ample cash available for shopping and owner Mike Ilitch's plane idling at the airport.
    It took tons of money to sign Parise and Suter, and the Red Wings fell a bit short. For all of the talk about their desire to play at home and play for a perennial winner, Parise and Suter also took the best money.
    Considered as a package, which they were, Parise and Suter reportedly landed a total of $196 million. The Red Wings likely offered something in the neighborhood of about $170 million-$180 million.
    Regardless, the Wild outbid the Red Wings.
    Did the additional money seal the deal? It is unclear.
    But, by Tuesday evening, it appeared Parise took the Red Wings off his list.
    And if the Red Wings were not going to get Parise, the likelihood of signing Suter decreased, drastically. In fact, it probably vanished.
    The point? If the Red Wings want the shortest path to their next Cup, they must have ample money available next summer and be willing to patiently play the bidding and courting game ? and, yes, risking losing, again ? in the hope of signing two players who are among the cream of the crop.
    Hoarding cash, continuing to develop their younger players and hoping the veterans step up is probably the best to which the Red Wings can aspire in 2012-13.
    Pickings slim, price high

    It is spare solace, especially for fans so used to perennially having the Red Wings among the few prime contenders for the Stanley Cup.
    But there are only four potential difference makers out there right now:
    Keith Yandle of the Coyotes, who rivals Suter, Weber and Drew Doughty as the best, complete young defenseman in the game.
    Weber, whom the Predators might trade eventually if they cannot sign him to a long-term deal.
    Rick Nash, for whom the Blue Jackets are asking the sun and sky.
    Bobby Ryan, the sniper-of-a-forward with whom the Ducks will not part easily.
    Shane Doan, the admirable captain of the Coyotes, who is showing signs of growing tired with the instability in Arizona, but may realize in the next several days ownership has, at long last, stabilized.
    Doan is the only free agent in the group. Yandle, Weber, Nash and Ryan are available only through trade, and any of the deals could cost the Red Wings a lot.
    Right now, the Red Wings are not among the NHL franchises that can part with one or two of its big pieces, along with some smaller ones, to acquire the last part of a puzzle. I do not perceive a good reason, for example, to lose Valtteri Filppula, a top-four defenseman, a legitimate prospect and a draft choice or two for Nash, when they clearly need more than just Nash.
    Time to practice patience

    The blame for these circumstances does not lie with the Red Wings brain trust. Viewed objectively, the prime cause is, in fact, all of the success the Red Wings have enjoyed for so long that, if only by course of nature, the team now requires refurbishing.
    The partial reconstruction must be done under a salary cap, amid a trend of at least two years of players often garnering more money than their worth and the prospect of a new collective bargaining agreement.
    Like it or not, the Red Wings must patiently play that game.
    Does it mean they will not win the Stanley Cup in 2013? Having just observed the Kings and the Devils play in the Finals, never say never. But it is likely to be a longer shot than it has been in at least 17 seasons.
    Regardless, it all argues for Detroit lying fallow, for now.
    There may be some slack nights for attendance and television viewers this season, while $17 million in cap space is unspent. But the discerning fan base must come to understand it is a means to an end.
    And then, the best front office in the game must again prove its worth, amid some of the most strained circumstances for the Red Wings in two decades.
    Benny Blades~"If you break down this team man for man, we have talent to compare with any team."

    Comment


    • Wow, it is clear Shea Weber wants out of Nashville, the RFA has an offersheet of $110 million over 14 years from Philly! In the end, the NHL salary cap is an illusion, the "haves" will continue to pillage from the budget-market franchises, the Nashville "have-nots".

      The Flyers in 2011 posted revenues of $111 million and an operating income (earnings prior to interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, that is, before the accountants work on the figures) of $14 million, in contrast, Nashville posted $ - 7.5 million dollar loss.

      In the end, Nashville has lost Suter & Weber, it's two best defensemen and received NOTHING in return. Forbes listed 18 teams that had a negative operating pre-tax income in 2010-11, making it impossible to match or even keep premier talent.

      Rumor: Wings took a hard swing at getting Rick Nash, offer NHL-ready Franzen & Filppula, Babcock wants Nash but it makes little sense to Columbus to trade him to a Division rival for fear of paybacks.

      Sather & the Rangers making a big push for Doan & Nash too, someone pull the trigger already.
      Last edited by Optimus Prime; July 23, 2012, 09:00 PM.
      ?I don?t take vacations. I don?t get sick. I don?t observe major holidays. I?m a jackhammer.?

      Comment


      • Nash to the Rangers! What a steal!

        After months of speculation, the Columbus Blue Jackets have finally parted ways with Rick Nash, trading the winger to the New York Rangers in a multi-player deal that has centres Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky, defenceman Tim Erixon and a first-round pick in 2013 going to Columbus.

        [youtube]s12q-TgwAfc[/youtube]
        Last edited by Optimus Prime; July 23, 2012, 04:08 PM.
        ?I don?t take vacations. I don?t get sick. I don?t observe major holidays. I?m a jackhammer.?

        Comment


        • What a fleecing.

          Comment


          • And they wouldn't take Franzen+Filppula instead?

            Comment


            • I listened to radio segments from NASH & Sather, it's clear Rick was heading to Manhattan, he was pretty high on the franchise, thinks they may be the best team in the league and looks forward to playing for serious cup contender.

              Sather spoke almost daily with Hawson over the last five months, grinding him, there was no way Nash would return to Columbus, their GM clearly bumbled this from the beginning.

              Detroit's offer was better in terms of players but it seems Nash wanted to play in NYC and obviously had the final say.

              I am glad he is in a proper hockey market now, surrounded with talent, something he never had in C-Bus.


              Get ready for more of this especially playing with NYR Brad Richards.
              [youtube]9wk_wuWmJRs[/youtube]
              Last edited by Optimus Prime; July 24, 2012, 12:19 PM.
              ?I don?t take vacations. I don?t get sick. I don?t observe major holidays. I?m a jackhammer.?

              Comment


              • Yea, he didn't want to come here, its ok hes in NY and the east.

                Comment


                • Unreal, Weber gets 14M a year for the first 4 years. That means budget-market Nashville will lose at least -15M or more each year, insane! That's -60M or more in losses over the next 4 years?!?

                  PREDATORS MATCH FLYERS' 14-YEAR, $110M SHEET FOR WEBER

                  The Nashville Predators announced Tuesday that they have matched the Philadelphia Flyers' 14-year, $110 million offer sheet for defenceman Shea Weber.

                  The Flyers signed Weber to to the offer sheet - which includes $68 million in bonus money in the first six years - last week. In total, Weber will make $14 million in each of the first four years; $12 million in years five and six; $6 million in each of the next four seasons; $3 million in year 11; and $1 million in each of the remaining years.

                  The 26-year-old remained a restricted free agent after failing to come to an agreement with the Predators when his one-year, $7.5 million contract - awarded through arbitration - expired after the season.

                  The native of Sicamous, BC is coming off back-to-back first team NHL All-Star selections. He finished the 2011-12 season with 19 goals and 49 points. The captain of the Predators has spent seven seasons in Nashville, recording 99 goals and 263 points in 480 career NHL games.

                  The Predators, who had 104 points last season and finished fourth in the Western Conference, already lost free agent defenceman Ryan Suter to the Minnesota Wild this month.

                  Speculation was that Weber would have filled the void left by defenceman Chris Pronger, who has been battling concussion problems and could retire. The Flyers also lost defenceman Matt Carle via free agency. He signed a six-year, $33 million deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
                  ?I don?t take vacations. I don?t get sick. I don?t observe major holidays. I?m a jackhammer.?

                  Comment


                  • This is the silver lining for the Wings. If other teams want to over spend to a damaging degree, let them. I really wanted Detroit to get one/some of Suter/Parise/Nash/Weber/etc. but the prices they went for were ridiculous (outside of Nash who simply didn't want to play in Detroit coupled with an idiot for a GM). We might take a run a Bobby Ryan. Who knows...

                    Comment


                    • Minnesota improved no doubt and should make the playoffs next year but SC contender, hardly. They wasted so much money on good but not great talent IMO.

                      Nash was the steal, Sather gave up 7.5M in players salary to acquire his 7.5M salary so it was a wash and Nash has 4 years left on his deal. Although a fan of neither club, I do prefer the Wings to the Rangers and would like to have seen Nash play in Detroit but there was no way Howson was going to trade him to a Division rival unless the deal was too good but then Nash's agent & Rick both had to signoff on the deal.

                      Getzlaf & 50-goal scorer Perry are UFA's next year doubt Anaheim can afford both, Holland stands a good chance at one of them IMO. Doan is still at the top of his game but at 35 years, how much longer? I'd pass.

                      Departure of Lidstrom & Stuart leaves 1/3 D. Corps in shambles, why no deal there is beyond me?
                      ?I don?t take vacations. I don?t get sick. I don?t observe major holidays. I?m a jackhammer.?

                      Comment


                      • Departure of Lidstrom & Stuart leaves 1/3 D. Corps in shambles, why no deal there is beyond me?

                        This baffles me, too. Seems like all the players Detroit had high hopes of attracting have gone elsewhere, and quickly! Now where will they turn?

                        Comment


                        • We're saving our cap space for -- nothing right now, apparently.

                          We should have made Weber an offer sheet. He was worth that much.

                          Comment


                          • The CAP jumps from 58M to 70.4M next season, most teams will have plenty to spend.

                            With their defensive unit as it is will not be enough to carry them to the Stanley Cup next year, why Holland didn't sign Keith Yandle is a mystery?

                            Niklas Kronwall, Ian White, and Kyle Quincey—d-men who are at least top-four players elsewhere need Yandle and Pheonix is still shopping him?

                            Weber may be the best Dman in the game but the cost is staggering.
                            ?I don?t take vacations. I don?t get sick. I don?t observe major holidays. I?m a jackhammer.?

                            Comment


                            • Slightly under $8MM per year. Acceptable price for a long term franchise player with a $70MM cap and the current market. The Wings could have signed both Weber and Suter under the cap. Why they didn't even try to go after Weber is absolutely baffling.
                              Last edited by Hannibal; July 24, 2012, 03:50 PM.

                              Comment


                              • No Hanni, it's not amortized over 14 years. The Predators lost 8 million in 2011 & lost 10 million in 2010, now Nashville now must pay 13 million immediately, & 13 million more July 1st, 2013, that is 68 Million in bonus money the first six years . Over the next 11 months, Nashville must pay Weber 26 million compared to the entire team payroll of 53M last season.

                                Weber's Payout:
                                years 1-4, 14 Million/year
                                years 5-6, 12 Million/year
                                years 7-10, 6 Million/year
                                year 11, 3 Million/year
                                year 12-14, 1 million/year



                                The latest CBA owners' offer included players' hockey-related revenues get slashed from 57 per cent to 46 per cent. It also was reported that players would be forced to wait 10 years instead of 7, before becoming unrestricted free agents and that contracts would be limited to five years.

                                No more sweetheart 14 year deals that circumvent the CAP, essentially having the owners save themselves at the expense of the players?!?
                                Last edited by Optimus Prime; July 25, 2012, 06:47 AM.
                                ?I don?t take vacations. I don?t get sick. I don?t observe major holidays. I?m a jackhammer.?

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X