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After reading the comments that some of you have left regarding Lidstrom re-signing for next year I'am actually embarrassed to be associated with you. Have you been so spoiled over the past 15 years that the fact that Holland signed our best player to a $1.2 mill discount is hurting the team? The way i see it the only way our team could be worse next year is if Lidstrom retired or asked for more than he made last year. He could have demanded the league max and forced Holland to tear the team apart to sign him, because he is worth the league max. He could have retired and the wings could hope that they find his replacement in the draft sometime in the next....30 years, players like him come around once every generation or so and the fact that he played for the wings his entire career is a blessing. If you guys don't want the best player of the past 20 years there are 29 other teams that will gladly take him off our hands even at 40 y/o. Had he retired could we had a shot a getting Kovi? sure, but last time i checked Kovi doesn't play 28 min/game and wont shut down the other teams best players every game. Lidstrom has the kind of impact on games that Crosby and Ovechkin have and Holland signed him for close to $3 mill less than those guys are getting. I'am thanking the Hockey gods everyday(alot today)for allowing the wings to have players like Lidstrom, Zetterberg, and Datsyuk because every other team had a shot at drafting these guy and the wings could have the success that the Florida Panthers has had. Those of you that are complaining I want you to go root for the Panthers or the Thrashers next year so you can be humbled and because you don't deserve to be associated with the Red Wings. You are the reason that every other fan base can't stand us thinks we are entitled to everything. Could he have signed for 4 or 5 million? yes, but the fact that he still want to play and still wants to play for the wings is worth 6.2 million dollars. If you want to call him up and pay him 2 million out of your own pocket so he could sign for 4 mill im sure he would take you up on it. Thank you for reading my rant and if you are very happy that Lids is just coming back and that you think Holland will work his magic and the wings will be a cup contender next year then this was not about you, i still have respect for you and if you are ever in Wyoming you are welcome to come watch a wings game at my house. <-- in 2011

YES LET'S PAY LIDSTROM A HALF-EATEN HOTDOG IN HIS (MAYBE) LAST SEASON OF HIS LEGENDARY CAREER WHEN HE'S STILL ONE OF THE TOP 5 D-MEN IN THE LEAGUE GOOD IDEA

Notre Dame hockey has forever been cursed for me because of one brett lebda. Never again guys, never again.

You know of some better, more traditional way that a hockey player could send a message to an opposing hockey player about his behavior? Pronger is oretty awesome at what he does. He is a troll on the ice, without a doubt. He's a great player and he's a dick to play against. He also makes hinmself available for ass-kicking to similarily-skilled opponents, but almost without exception they cower in fear. That's awesome, and that's how hockey players should be.

Yeah, he should definitely take a lower salary than Rafalski??? You guys really just need to take a step back and maybe re-hash this whole thing. Its Nick effing Lidstrom. He is a top 5 dman. Saying 'above average' is just startling. I have a feeling this is coming from trolls or people who just don't understand the business. He took a huge pay cut his whole career. It just can't sink in anymore than that I suppose. f***'S SAKE!!!

The implication being that Nick has no character? Well isn't that a nice thing to say about our captain and future Hall of Famer. "f*** that Lidstrom, he's a greedy prick." I love how I say I'm rooting for the Hawks to win the Stanley Cup because it would mean something to my dad and that means I'm a traitor but saying Nick Lidstrom has no character and is essentially a money-hungry ******* is the mark of a "true" fan.

One of them will have a Norris Trophy and a one of them will most likely have a Stanley Cup ring. The most recent Norris Trophy and most recent Stanley Cup, which are the most important in determining their current value. If you think that Lidstrom is still worth over 10 million dollars a year, fine. I won't ever be able to change your mind. But from where I'm sitting, the best defenseman this year and probably most years from this point forward, a 25 year old kid, just signed a contract that will take him into and throughout the prime of his career for a 5.5 million dollar cap hit. He did it because he loves the city and his team and because he wants to compete for the championship as often as is possible with the current salary cap. Duncan Keith will undoubtedly sacrifice more salary throughout his career than Lidstrom has. That's called character.

Good post, although I would caution you on taking some posters too seriously . Remember that the people that aren't happy are usually much louder then the people who are

I'd rather have Boogaard. He can take his 11 goals and shove it up his ass. The guy gets his ass kicked when he fights top heavies. He got smoked by a 42 year old Roberts a few years ago. Besides, he's a penalty machine. People here bitched that Downey would take penalties, even though he hardly ever did. Imagine what they'll be saying when this guy comes to Detroit. If we can't have Boogaard, a guy like Asham would be a better option if I had to choose.

one of the best defensemen of all time took a 1 million dollar pay cut for what will likely be his last season and it pisses me off!!!!! he's so selfish!!!

Well I was hoping for 5M but really didn't think they would ask him to play for less than Rafalski.

i want mcilraith

You guys are funny. You're letting that number (40) skew your opinions. If we had signed another defenseman with the same skill, stats, etc. for the same amount and the same length, but he was 30 years old instead of 40, you'd all be rejoicing. Age is just a number; his abilities are not that of a 40 year old. He is still better than 99% of the league and his salary is going to reflect that. Also, his signing leaves this team with 11.6 million to spend, assuming the cap goes up to 58M. We'll have five D-men signed, including all of our top four. We'll have eight forwards signed, including all of the top players up for contracts. The only player left to re-sign that will make more than a million or so will be Holmstrom, and possibly Bertuzzi. We also have two very-capable goaltenders signed. IMO, we're in a pretty good spot.

This thread is disappointing. I can't believe people are questioning Lidstrom's character? Insuating that he is greedy? Doesent make sacrifises? You are so spoiled wow. I'm happy that he is back for another year and with another discount. It's Nicklas Lidstrom.

Well, on the bright side, that Yzerman guy didn't sign him first.

Gongshow you are a gongshow. Seriously, not competitive? We're gonna be fine next year. Stop being stupid.

This is unfathomable to me. One of the greatest players the Red Wings have EVER had, just signs a one-year contract to stay with the team rather than retire, which we all feared........and people are pissed? Jesus, no wonder people think we're spoiled. Maybe Nick should have retired. Then you people really would have something to ***** about.

I think NeverForgetMac has brought a lot of proper perspective to this duscussion. Allow me to expanded upon his original retorts. What is honestly fueling this argument? The fans that are upset regarding the terms of Lidstrom's contract prescribe primarily into 1 of 3 possible ideologies - or some combination thereof. 1) "He should have taken less for the betterment of the team" - The Hometown Discount Clause Okay, certainly there has been some precedence of this. However, lets shape this argument in a more appropriate context. Lets say you are a factory line worker for General Motors. You've worked and dedicated the prime years of your life to the betterment of the company at the sacrifice of your physical health and meaningful time with your family. You are the most senior member of your assembly team and have the added responsibility of leadership which is rightfully deserved and are considered one of the finest, if not the very best at what you do. You are the receipient of countless company commendations and your pension is securly set for retirement. At this point in your career, you have nothing left to prove and look forward to a life of leisure that is well deserved. Now, you have worked yourself to the point where you gross $70,000.00 a year. You plan to retire but the company and management at General Motors has asked you to return because they respect you and the quality of the work that you produce. And ask you to come back for another year at $60,0000 - or roughly a 14% pay cut. A person of your quality is not easily replaced, and you are rewarded for you years of dedicated, unfallable service by taking a reduced salary to do everything that you were asked to do for the last 40 years. Basic Labor Economics states - The Marginal Utility of Free Time Expontentially Increases the Less You Have Time you Have. That is, as each additional hour you work - your free time becomes more valuable because you have less of it - and thus more money is needed to incentivize you to sacrifice your free time. Hence, the concept of Overtime. If you only have 10 hours of free time a week - you protect those hours pretty fiercly and it would take an increase in rate to convince you to work. So, if you were this Assembly line worker - would you take a 14% pay cut when the value of your free time (your retirement) dictates that an increase in salary is needed for you to sacrifice an additional year? The obvious response is "Well, it's different for the every day worker because he's a Millionaire! He doesn't need the money!" Yes, it's true - he is not hurting financially. But he also doesn't have any additional skills besides hockey. He had no trade or schooling to speak of - so what we does now is the money that he receives for the rest of his life unless he takes some type of organizational position in hockey. Assuming he lives to the mid 80's - that means he must live for the next 45 years off the money that he has accumulated - that is a massively long retirement horizon. As your retirement horizon increases - so does uncertainty. Take for instance the crisis of 2007 - Sergei Federov lost over $43M to fraudlent investment and market fluctuations. Or the average American who had their savings and pensions crushed by overextending debt by the financials or the liquidity crunch that followed? What's Lidstrom going to do? Car commercials? Puck Signings? Lidstrom's decision to take a couple of million more may seem "greedy" to someone who doesn't have a net worth of $10M - but he is also doing his best to secure his and his family's financial future for the next four decades and every cent counts. Like NeverForgetMac says - It's easy to tell someone else to take less money when it's not you. Lidstrom's decision - and I don't believe it was monetarily motivated (even though he would be very justified in doing so) - is because he loves Detroit and respects the organization. Concurrently, the Detroit Red Wings value his contribution and all that he had done for them and rewarded him with his salary request - because of all that he has done for them and not insult him with petty contract negotiations. What is tragic, is that despite all this man has done for this organization and how much he has contributed to the joy for being a Red Wing fans - there are those who question his motivations and unfairly accuse him of being selfish for not "sacrficing" more. To be continued...

Term Term Term

Difference being Nick is easily still the best player on the team...

I just jizzed in my pants. Thank you Captain!

You guys do realize that Bertuzzi was probably the best value on the entire team last year except for Howard right? I don't think we got as much production for cap hit out of any other skater on the roster, yet Bertuzzi is the one that needs to go? You are right signing Adrew Ladd for 2.5 million makes so much more sense than Bertuzzi for 1.5. I would much rather have the player who makes 2.5 and had less goals and less assists during the season than the guy who makes 1.5. As an added bonus Ladd is a big time playoff performer as evidenced by his 3 points in 16 playoff games this year! Not like that choke artist Bertuzzi and his mere 11 points in 12 playoff games. Oh but Bertuzzi is too old which was clear by all the injuries he suffered this year...oh wait no he was one of only 3 players to actually play in every game.

Joe Louis Arena is uncomfortable, cramped, falling apart, lacks sufficient bathroom numbers (and the bathrooms they do have are disgusting and small), and when I walk into the Joe I feel like I'm walking into a concrete sarcophagus, not a historic arena. The Joe hardly has the charm that Fenway or Wrigley have. Implying otherwise is a bit laughable. Even though I'm a fan of the Wings I can't pretend that JLA is some wonderful historic landmark that needs to be preserved.

A couple folks have mentioned they like the Joe due to its old school charm. Unfortunately all I see when I go there is "old".

I completely understand the situation, but the Joe has got to go... it is easily one of the most dilapidated and over-crammed venues in professional sports - It was built to hold WAY less people and the bathrooms, concessions, etc can't handle the load, not to mention the seats are uncomfortable, the "luxury" boxes are above the nose bleed section and it's in a pretty crap area in the city (not necessarily crime, but location in relation to local bars, etc) I love tradition and don't want a corporate name either, but if it means getting them in a new venue, team up with a major corporation and give them naming rights for a chunk of change to build it...