Barrie

Good move, and for only 2 years!

Commodore could become a crowd favorite with a couple big hits.

I heard on Rogers Sportsnet Hockey Central that the Red Wings drove up the price for Wisniewski. Columbus thought they could get him for 4 years at $16, but heard the Red Wings were interested and they upped the price.

I think it's a good move, and for only $1 Million. Plus I think it's better than getting Jovo and/or Jagr.

The players will be fine, they understand the market and probably congratulate each other in the locker room. They know, and their agents will tell them, when it's their turn to be a UFA, they can cash in too. FYI, Kronwall is going to make $3,750,000 in 2011-12, so Ericsson is making less. http://www.capgeek.com/players/display.php?id=300 This deal with Ericsson, guarantees Kronwall another $2-3 million per season in his next contract, Kronwall probably likes it.

Another good move

Good move Shows you the different in the market for forwards and blue liners.

So it begins. Hate to say I told you so, but the Ericsson deal makes sense now right? There's no way Wisniewski is worth that kind of money, and for 6 years!? The guy has played 6 years in the League and has only played 70+ games in a season once. http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/w/wisnija01.html The next contracts given to the UFA defencemen will be more. Agreed, horrible deal, but that's what the market's like this year.

It's cool, I got your back, +1 for you. And yes, the poor crop of this year's free agents raised Ericsson's value, and we'll see it starting today. These loooong term deals has over inflated the FA market, and it may get worse every year.

Thanks for posting that article. I don't think people realize that's what the market is for players like Ericsson. I think it's to high, but that's just how it is. Ericsson with his career 45 post seasons games would have got more money, and a longer term if he hit the open market. If Holland would have waited until today at noon to try and sign a UFA defenceman, he would have had to pay a lot more and for a longer term for someone with similar skills as Ericsson. Holland made the right move, and people will realize it in a few weeks. That's just how the market is right now.

That's why players have agents. I'm sure Ericsson's agent told him to wait until the end of the year to sign, and he'd make more money. Trust me, give it 2 weeks, and this will look like a good deal.

I think you and I are the only ones who realize this is the market value for these kind of defencemen. It's high, yes, but wait and see what everyone else gets. Holland made the right move.

Yea but it's 10 years, and he's already 29 next year. That's a bad contract, it's Wade Redden all over again.

Just wait and see what the other UFA's defencemen get, and this will look like a good deal. I guarantee they'll all make more than Ericsson, and for a longer term. They'll start at 4 Million a year minimum and for 5 years minimum. Give it a couple weeks, and it'll look ok. Edit: Remember what Jeff Finger got a few years ago? It'll be the same thing with these guys. With that in mind, I'll take Ericsson at 3 years.

Ericsson probably leveraged himself against what other UFA's are making. The poor free agent class probably upped his value. I know I'm in the huge minority here, but considering what the other blueliners are going to be getting, I don't mind the signing.

I like that Ericsson's new deal is only 3 years.

I don't think it takes to much sense to see drafting and developing players is the way to go in this era of the looooong term contracts. Why would we want to sign Ehrhoff for 10 years? It's Wade Redden all over again! Even Richards wants 7 years, it's insane! This year's free agent class is very poor. I'm glad Holland isn't getting the team into some of there horrible contracts other teams are getting themselves into.

Ah Bettman will step in and everything will be ok, Nashville is one of his babies.

Yup, both cities would burn either way, and Montreal would burn 4 times, once after each series. Right, all Chara or his lawyer has to do is mention the glass that sticks out, and how arenas are different, and there's no case. Also, I think this was the reason why there was no suspension.

I still think this is an arena issue. Why is there glass sticking out like that in Montreal and not in other arenas? Players have only a split second to make a decision, so all arenas playing surfaces should be the same.

Move the team to Seattle, they have no Basketball team. Once the NFL season is done, they have no sports until the Mariners start up in April. Seattle and Phoenix are about the same size, and they'll probably get better tv ratings in a northern US city, which will be better for Bettman's pipe dream of a huge tv deal.

KENNY! SIGN HIM!!

I've been reading that the East may have 16 teams and the West 14. http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2011/06/red_wings_would_benefit_from_n.html If the playoffs are 8 teams per conference, I really don't think that's fair. Unless there's wild cards for the final few spots, because there will be times when teams in the West, with more points than team in the East, don't make the playoffs. Just put Nashville in the Southeast and move a few teams around in the Western Conference. That's what I appreciate about the other Commissioners, you know who they are but don't see them much. Bettman's ugly mug is everywhere .

So Lapointe was a Grind Liner in 96-97? That's when we re-signed Kocur... What line was Maltby playing on then?