Wings interested in Forsberg, Selanne, Markov

[Rice 42]

Canada.com:

"We'd like to add a top-six forward, but in all honesty there's just not much left in the free agent market that would fit our needs," Wings senior vice president Jim Devellano said.

"We have about $5-million to spend, but we're not just going to whittle it away on third- or fourth-line players. We're content to wait. That's a lot of money to have available at the trade deadline."

The only two names left on the market that would intrigue the Wings are Peter Forsberg and Teemu Selanne.

Devellano confirmed the Wings' brass has given more than casual thought to approaching either player if they decide to play next season.

"They would fit our needs nicely, but only for the short term," Devellano said. "There has been some discussions about them, but no one knows for sure what they're going to do yet. But certainly either one would fit our need for a top-six forward."

The Wings have also remained in contact with defenceman Danny Markov and have made him an offer.

However, Detroit is only interested in bringing back Markov on a short-term deal at about the same money he made last season (US$2.5-million).

The Wings feel they can afford to hold the line with Markov with youngsters defencemen Derek Meech, Kyle Quin-cey, Jonathan Ericsson and Jakub Kindl all showing they're very close to being ready to play in the NHL.

There's more about Grigorenko and Filppula towards the bottom of the article. As for the top six forward, I'm not a big fan of the wait until the deadline strategy.

Edited July 21, 2007 by ARice89

[glasgowcelticwing 18]

I'm really warming up to the Idea of having Forsberg signing up with the Wings.but I guess it'll fall down to the same old story with him....IF he stays fit he'd be awsome. The team's not looking that bad just now so i'd take a chance with him, If he gets injured take a chance with the kids.

Selanne would be a pretty good pick up as well though.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Selanne or Forsberg definitely wouldn't hurt, I'm 99.9% sure they wouldn't be bought in to be "the guy" to carry the team, some kind of 2nd-line role in all likelihood.

I'm all for bringing Markov back too, but it wouldn't kill me if he left if he still stays high on his salary demand. This is just me speculating without any credible sports/journalist source, but I honestly think he's going to try to stay high with his demands, not be content intially, there will be a waiting game a little longer, then he'll re-sign with the Wings sometime next month around or just above what he made last year, somewhere in the $2.5M - $3M/year range.

Plus there is the trade deadline, but I'd much rather sign somebody before the season starts that we all know should help the team's cause. I think offense is the bigger need first, so try to ink one more 2nd/3rd line guy. If nothing happens with any of these three though, I'm fairly content with the current brass starting the season, then being patient and waiting to see what happens.

I already know what a bunch of people are going to say though...WHAT, THERE'S VERY LITTLE SIZE HERE, DAMN IT!

Edited July 21, 2007 by SouthernWingsFan

[TimeBinder 28]

I thought foppa was going to be out for 1/2 a season d/t his recent ankle surgery.

[Hank Dats 'N Homer 81]

ya know, at first i was upset that markov wasnt coming back. But now the more i think about it....id say let him walk. The biggest whole we had this offseason on the blue line was going to be matty's. Rafalski filled that gap nicely for me, and now we have one last whole with markov. The wings have said over and over that they dont want to resign him long term anyways. So i say if he doesnt take a one year deal under 3 million we should let him walk and let some of the youngins get some time on ice because they are after all going to be taking the spot eventually anyways rather it be next season or now.

Id say our biggest whole as a team is a second line forward. That and some grit. We showed that we can compete without having much grit in the playoffs so im not as worried about that as i used to be. I think we save the money that Markov rejects and give it to selanne or forsberg for a one year deal. I wouldnt give either of them anything long term because forsberg cant usually stay healthy long enough to play more than 1 season and selanne, although still phenomenal, is at the end of his career. 1 year deal for either of these guys would help the wings tremendously. I dont like the idea of waiting till the trade deadline mailny because that means we have to TRADE. As of right now i like our team and i like the youth we have in our system. I dont want to have to give anyone up for a second line forward when we can easily snag someone that is on the free agent market right now for money rather than a trade. It effects chemistry, and for the most part it takes atleast half a season for a new comer to settle into his own with a new team. Not to metnion if we were to wait till the trade deadline we would more than likely only be looking for someone for the rest of the season again. So we would be trading talent or youth for a "rent a player" that would most likely not resign with us. I say snag forsberg or selanne and fill the void now rather than trade away our talent at the deadline and take our chances.

This is just my opinion and many of you probably wont agree with me so let the bashing start now....to make it easier on you guys i will say that i was and will always be a lang supporter.....

[ProfessorLidstrom5 0]

Does Anyone know what Forsberg and Selanne made last year in terms of salary??

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Forsberg!!

MAKE IT HAPPEN, KENNY!

[Guest jaytan]

Wings interested in Forsberg, Selanne, Markov, per Jim Devellano

I'm interested in puking, soiling myself and being hit by a truck, per me.

Markov, whatever. He's trying to get more money than he deserves to get, and we don't need to re-sign him. Selanne, the only reason I'd like this is that it would be a small dose of vengeance against the Ducks.... The other guy, I won't even get into that one.

Edited July 21, 2007 by jaytan

[Flip-check 6]

Fors's career is over. Foppa may play again, but he's so injury-riddled it makes Hasek look like a 20 year old Olympic athlete in his PRIME.

I actually forget their salaries though, but Selanne's '06-'07 doesn't matter because it was a one yr $1mill deal. But you can bet on one thing, Selanne definitely isn't what the Wings -need-... but a 37 year old guy who puts up 90+ points and 40+ goals (last 2 seasons, at least), yeah I'll take that.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I hate Forsberg. Too many injuries and as a Wings fan there's too much water under the bridge for me to ever actually cheer for him. I'd love to have either Markov or Selanne, especially since Selanne has that right handed shot that we desperately need on the team right now. However, I have a hard time seeing Selanne going anywhere else besides Anaheim if he does indeed decide to come back.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Let Markov go. Give the kids a shot.

Forsberg. Talk about gambles. I'd take a healthy Forsberg on the team. But I think I can say that without gagging because there's no such thing as a healthy Forsberg.

Teemu for a year would be cool. He put up 96 points, was +26, and is bigger and grittier than half the Wings' roster.

But I'd think he'd retire or go back to Anaheim. Though I'm not sure they have the cash anymore.

Edited July 21, 2007 by haroldsnepsts

[Elshupacabra 0]

I'd take Selanne but I think Forsberg is too much of a risk, IMO I think they should just wait until the Trade deadline.

[datsyukiandeke 0]

selanne would be incredible

[J-Swift 0]

As for the top six forward, I'm not a big fan of the wait until the deadline strategy.

I'm with you. I think it's unreasonable to expect some hired gun to be able to get comfortable in our lineup if we bring him in well into the season. Furthermore, as last season has shown, the price tag for a solid scoring winger at the deadline is usually a first round pick and a little more.

[Flip-check 6]

Just think of a 2nd line (maybe our 1st line) with Hank @ center, & Selanne, & Filppula on the wings.....

If we had a mobile big guy, I'd put him out there with Selanne and Zetts... and you can just imagine the goal-scoring carnage that'd result.

But alas, we have no such big guy. Actually, he'd probably be better with a set-up guy like Pavel, but I share the same opinion as harold--Teemu will retire or work his way in at Anaheim.

And I sure was hoping to retire that #8 of his between Lindsay and Howe, too.

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Furthermore, as last season has shown, the price tag for a solid scoring winger at the deadline is usually a first round pick and a little more.

Yep, exactly what ive said in other threads. Saving 4 or 5 million in cap space can be a good strategy if you actually are willing to give up high picks and prospects. But when you're only willing to go so high with your offers, as we've seen with the WIngs, its not only an unproductive strategy but also doesnt make sense.

[Elshupacabra 0]

I'm with you. I think it's unreasonable to expect some hired gun to be able to get comfortable in our lineup if we bring him in well into the season. Furthermore, as last season has shown, the price tag for a solid scoring winger at the deadline is usually a first round pick and a little more.

But I rather pay some "hired gun" for less than half a season than pay Peter Forsberg for a full season which he will most likely be spending most of that time on a Carnival Cruise Ship tending to his feet/ankles.

[T-Ruff 47]

I would love to get Selanne just to stick it to the Ducks .... however unlikely it may be.....

[Flip-check 6]

I would love to get Selanne just to stick it to the Ducks .... however unlikely it may be.....

If he wants to go to Anaheim, he will.

I don't know how much cap space they have left, but we definitely wouldn't be "robbing the ducks" if we got him. They already would have shot themselves.

I guess I don't have the ill will toward Anaheim either, all they did was take Schneider and Bertuzzi. As much as I loved the idea of Bert, those two deals didn't really make me feel much one way or the other (after a couple days for Tuzzi though, because dammit, that was the closest we'd come to size for years... in the form of an injured power forward =P.

Edited July 21, 2007 by Flip-check

[LeftWinger 4,958]

...your deadline aquistion is going to be Fedorov. I wouldn't mind adding Selanne at this point for some added scoring. That wold definately give us 3 above average scoring lines and then this years version of the grind line (Drake probably with Draper and Maltby.)

Fillpula Dats Holmstrom

Selanne Zetts Sammy

Franzen Hudler(Fedorov @ deadline) Grigs

Maltby Draper Drake

(Kopecky)

[Ashenden 0]

ya know, at first i was upset that markov wasnt coming back. But now the more i think about it....id say let him walk. The biggest whole we had this offseason on the blue line was going to be matty's. Rafalski filled that gap nicely for me, and now we have one last whole with markov. The wings have said over and over that they dont want to resign him long term anyways. So i say if he doesnt take a one year deal under 3 million we should let him walk and let some of the youngins get some time on ice because they are after all going to be taking the spot eventually anyways rather it be next season or now.

Id say our biggest whole as a team is a second line forward. That and some grit. We showed that we can compete without having much grit in the playoffs so im not as worried about that as i used to be. I think we save the money that Markov rejects and give it to selanne or forsberg for a one year deal. I wouldnt give either of them anything long term because forsberg cant usually stay healthy long enough to play more than 1 season and selanne, although still phenomenal, is at the end of his career. 1 year deal for either of these guys would help the wings tremendously. I dont like the idea of waiting till the trade deadline mailny because that means we have to TRADE. As of right now i like our team and i like the youth we have in our system. I dont want to have to give anyone up for a second line forward when we can easily snag someone that is on the free agent market right now for money rather than a trade. It effects chemistry, and for the most part it takes atleast half a season for a new comer to settle into his own with a new team. Not to metnion if we were to wait till the trade deadline we would more than likely only be looking for someone for the rest of the season again. So we would be trading talent or youth for a "rent a player" that would most likely not resign with us. I say snag forsberg or selanne and fill the void now rather than trade away our talent at the deadline and take our chances.

This is just my opinion and many of you probably wont agree with me so let the bashing start now....to make it easier on you guys i will say that i was and will always be a lang supporter.....

The Wings showed they have plenty of the elusive grit last year. What they don't have is big, lumbering oafs that give big body checks and not much else. I'm really not trying to start an argument on the definition of grit, but the Wings were not pushed around by anyone, and you could argue that they showed more tenacity and sandpaper than all of the teams we played in the playoffs (who were all supposedly grittier than the Wings). So you're rightnot to be worried about it--because we already have it.

[detroitdan 0]

someone posted above that Selanne got $1 million last season...he got that two seasons ago...I'm almost certain he got in the $4 million range last year, I think he signed two 1 year contracts

[chrisdetroit 189]

Fors's career is over. Foppa may play again, but he's so injury-riddled it makes Hasek look like a 20 year old Olympic athlete in his PRIME.

I actually forget their salaries though, but Selanne's '06-'07 doesn't matter because it was a one yr $1mill deal. But you can bet on one thing, Selanne definitely isn't what the Wings -need-... but a 37 year old guy who puts up 90+ points and 40+ goals (last 2 seasons, at least), yeah I'll take that.

They are both going to retire. Why would Selanne play another season. He won the cup last year for the first and only time. He has nothing left to play for and wants to go out on top. Foresburg had ankle surgery again this summer. He's done. Now let's move. I'm ok with the lineup we have.

[Bannedforlife 403]

...your deadline aquistion is going to be Fedorov. I wouldn't mind adding Selanne at this point for some added scoring. That wold definately give us 3 above average scoring lines and then this years version of the grind line (Drake probably with Draper and Maltby.)

Fillpula Dats Holmstrom

Selanne Zetts Sammy

Franzen Hudler(Fedorov @ deadline) Grigs

Maltby Draper Drake

(Kopecky)

What about Cleary???

[ProfessorLidstrom5 0]

...your deadline aquistion is going to be Fedorov. I wouldn't mind adding Selanne at this point for some added scoring. That wold definately give us 3 above average scoring lines and then this years version of the grind line (Drake probably with Draper and Maltby.)

Fillpula Dats Holmstrom

Selanne Zetts Sammy

Franzen Hudler(Fedorov @ deadline) Grigs

Maltby Draper Drake

(Kopecky)

So who are we giving up to eat the $6M that Feds comes with and what money do we have to acquire Selanne after that??? Not a likely outcome my friend