Wings to focus on Datsyuk

[13dats 1]

With the trade deadline gone, Red Wings GM Ken Holland will focus on getting deals for some of his impending unrestricted free agents, reports the Detroit Booth News.

According to the paper, Holland would like to get one or two UFAs-to-be signed by the end of the regular season, and one player would be center Pavel Datsyuk, who could make more than $5 million next season.

Datsyuk's agent, Gary Greenstin, believes they are making progress in contract talks.

"We're in the same boat as the Detroit Red Wings," Greenstin told the Booth News. "I'm very confident Pavel Datsyuk will stay in this organization."

[bringback91 2]

Great news, get it done!

[Salviaman 104]

Hell yeah!!! Bring Datsyuk back please!

[Elshupacabra 0]

Yeah, i'm sure there were alot of posts on the Edmonton fourms saying the same things about Ryan Smyth but we will just have to wait and see, I hope they bring him back.

[Offsides 21]

Good! Bring back Datsyuk!

[RyanBarnes! 293]

Ugh, how stupid would it be to sign Datsyuk BEFORE the playoffs?! I mean, what are the chances, he comes up BIG?

[bringback91 2]

Ugh, how stupid would it be to sign Datsyuk BEFORE the playoffs?! I mean, what are the chances, he comes up BIG?

From your point of view wouldn't it be stupider to sign him after the playoffs? What if he DOES come up big? More production means more money, no? Besides, I'm sure there taking more into account than just playoff performance.

[Guest Crymson]

Great news, get it done!

I'm afraid we won't be seeing Fedorov back this year if we re-sign Datsyuk.

[bringback91 2]

I'm afraid we won't be seeing Fedorov back this year if we re-sign Datsyuk.

Quite true, it's a damn shame too. He'll be a UFA after next season, come back to the Wings at a home town discount.

[Offsides 21]

Fedorov is injured, I doubt we will sign him anyway

If Pavs DOES come up big in the playoffs we will have to pay him a lot more, so let's get it done as soon as possible.

Edited March 14, 2007 by Offsides

[wingslogo19 281]

Please bring back Dats, but wait till the playoffs are over

[Viperar 16]

i really dont understand this logic of bring him back after the playoffs. There are some players where this would make sense, but with dats, he is part of the so called "best line on earth" stuff that everyone talks about, hes been nothing but fantastic this year, especially holding down the fort with the youngsters while everyone was injured, and now you only want him IF he plays well in the playoffs?

Playoffs is a team affair not a one man show. Dont blame playoff woes on one man, and while yes he struggles, someone else should be stepping up then, it isnt his fault completely that the wings havent done well the past few years. In my opinion he should be considered an untouchable for this team.

Yeah you can always give him away and go buy some forward that has a reputation in the playoffs, but theres nothign to say he will click with the team or have a good season with us. Dats is a sure bet that he clicks with our guys and our team.

Dont let this one slide by us.

[HenryMalredo 2]

Resigning Datsyuk before the playoffs is the best move the Wings could make. If the Wings resign him and he doesn't produce, than the Wings could ship him out if they feel that is the best move to make. If the Wings let him hit free agency, then they'll be forced to get into a bidding war if they want to retain him, even if he does have a poor playoffs.

[BlueMonk 102]

I'll be curious to see what happens with Datsyuk in the playoffs if Zetterberg is healthy and they play on the top line together. Datsyuk was hurt last year and he really hasn't ever played on a top line in the playoffs. This year, he will. I like his chances.

Even if he fails in the postseason again, who's going to do the regular season scoring if they let him go? They've relied on him to do the scoring that gets them to the playoffs, and his chemistry with Zetterberg seems to form some kind of synergy. If all he does is help you get 100 points in the standings every year, that's worth something. Plus, like it or not, style points count. Players like him generate excitement and fill the seats.

[Offsides 21]

Agree fullheartedly with the last 3 posters on a number of points.

1. Whether or not Dats performs in the post season, he's young, talented, and sure as heck performs in the regular season. He does bring a lot of excitement to the game, and that's not to be discounted.

2. It would be stupid to get into a bidding war whether we do well or not in the playoffs, and if we do well in the playoffs, and Dats does well it could be a nightmare.

3. I'm sick of everything being played on Pavs. He's not a one man team.

[Guest Crymson]

Quite true, it's a damn shame too. He'll be a UFA after next season, come back to the Wings at a home town discount.

I'd sign him for $1.5m.

[13dats 1]

I'd sign him for $1.5m.

You are so "smart"

[Wingsfan31 0]

Pavel has also matured into a solid two-way player. Zetterberg and he are both very responsible in their own zones. To have two dynamic offensive talents that backcheck is rare, and I think that alone merits his return, regardless of what heppens in the post season.

For those with short memories or who weren't around, there was a time when the prevailing thought was Steve Yzerman couldn't win in the playoffs, too.

[BlueMonk 102]

For those with short memories or who weren't around, there was a time when the prevailing thought was Steve Yzerman couldn't win in the playoffs, too.

This is a great point. Especially when his team was getting knocked out in the early rounds. There are a lot of hockey players who stunk in the first round but went on to have great playoff stats in later rounds. They would have been considered busts, too, except their teams had other guys step it up and give them another chance to get it done.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

For those with short memories or who weren't around, there was a time when the prevailing thought was Steve Yzerman couldn't win in the playoffs, too.

Steve never, ever struggled to score as mightily as Pavel has.

[bringback91 2]

Steve never, ever struggled to score as mightily as Pavel has.

I wouldn't expect him to though, I mean he's Stevie Y. No one is saying Dats is one of the greatest players to ever lace up the skates.

[Kp-Wings 3]

I'm totally against doing this. If Datsyuk blows in the playoffs (again) then we'll be paying top dollar for a guy that will take the rest of the season off after April.

In other words if he sucks then let him walk. That's my view on it.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

I wouldn't expect him to though, I mean he's Stevie Y. No one is saying Dats is one of the greatest players to ever lace up the skates.

Then why make the comparison at all? Steve's team as a whole had trouble in his early years, but he performed admirably. This has not been true for Pavel. They are in two fundamentally different situations.

[FinWing 26]

I'm totally against doing this. If Datsyuk blows in the playoffs (again) then we'll be paying top dollar for a guy that will take the rest of the season off after April.

In other words if he sucks then let him walk. That's my view on it.

We'll have to pay him even more if he rocks in the playoffs. I think it's better to try and sign him now, we shouldn't let him go even if the playoffs don't go his way. It's less risky to sign him now and most likely for less money.

[JayUp88 1]

I'm totally against doing this. If Datsyuk blows in the playoffs (again) then we'll be paying top dollar for a guy that will take the rest of the season off after April.

In other words if he sucks then let him walk. That's my view on it.

Not a bad point of view, if we can get a dats in the playoffs that plays like he does in the season then i don't mind, but if he is asking for top dollar when he can't put the puck in the next when it counts i say let him test the waters, it will only open up more room for us to bring on someone new.