Free Agency Previews

[Pat 44]

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/06/red_wings_free_agency_previews.html

DETROIT RED WINGS

Cap Space - $5.6 million

UFAs - Marian Hossa, RW; Mikael Samuelsson, RW; Chris Chelios, D; Ty Conklin, G; Tomas Kopecky, RW.

RFAs - Jiri Hudler, C; Ville Leino, LW.

Needs - Cap space. Seriously, though, Detroit has a fantastic roster with great players waiting in the wings, but GM Ken Holland would love to keep Hossa in the fold. That will be impossible without shedding some other contracts via trade; what remains to be seen is what sort of money and term Hossa will take. If the talented Slovak doesn't come back, Hudler would be the first option for re-signing. Leino (who should be sticking around), Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader are more than qualified to join the vaunted forward corps should there be significant attrition. Chelios and Conklin definitely won't return.

Ready for big time - Jimmy Howard slides in behind Chris Osgood on the goaltending depth chart with the departure of Conklin. Howard had one of his best seasons yet with AHL Grand Rapids this season, posting career-bests in goals-against average (2.54) and save percentage (.916). The 25-year-old has been waiting for this opportunity for several years now.

IS IT TRUE THE WINGS HAVE 5.6M IN CAP SPACE?

Edited June 30, 2009 by Pat

[uk_redwing 495]

How dare they ignore superstar Aaron Downey.

[skyphoenix 153]

I think that number is without Ericsson, Helm, and Leino hitting the salary. According the nhlnumbers, our cap hit is at $51.25 without any of the free agents and without Helm, Abdelkader, Ericsson, and Leino counting against the cap (since last season they were in GR). This season Helm, Ericsson, and Leino will be up with the Wings full time and their numbers will impact the Cap. At least, that is how I am reading it on there. lol

[Pat 44]

I think that number is without Ericsson, Helm, and Leino hitting the salary. According the nhlnumbers, our cap hit is at $51.25 without any of the free agents and without Helm, Abdelkader, Ericsson, and Leino counting against the cap (since last season they were in GR). This season Helm, Ericsson, and Leino will be up with the Wings full time and their numbers will impact the Cap. At least, that is how I am reading it on there. lol

That makes sense now, I was thinking how the hell can we not sign hossa with that much room >.<

[Glubki 17]

I think that number is without Ericsson, Helm, and Leino hitting the salary. According the nhlnumbers, our cap hit is at $51.25 without any of the free agents and without Helm, Abdelkader, Ericsson, and Leino counting against the cap (since last season they were in GR). This season Helm, Ericsson, and Leino will be up with the Wings full time and their numbers will impact the Cap. At least, that is how I am reading it on there. lol

That is the correct assessment - if you include Helm, E, Leino and Howard they have about 2.5M to bring up, sign or re-sign two forwards. This is assuming Lilja will be active on the roster and Meech is the 13th forward and eighth d-man.

[zaxx 0]

The link you posted does not work. Here is a working one:

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/06/re...y_previews.html

[Frozen-Man 144]

How dare they ignore superstar Aaron Downey.

They talked about him farther down in the article, the posted part was just a snippet. Here is what they said about Downey:

Aaron Downey and Darren McCarty will probably decide whether to re-sign with Detroit within the first two weeks of July, and the Wings will have to re-sign Ville Leino sooner than later lest somebody throw an offer sheet his way

Not really much info except they make it sound like he has already been offered a contract and just has to decide whether or not to take it.

[uk_redwing 495]

They talked about him farther down in the article, the posted part was just a snippet. Here is what they said about Downey:

Not really much info except they make it sound like he has already been offered a contract and just has to decide whether or not to take it.

Me thinks if Hudler, Samuelsson and Kopecky all leave they should be replaced by Leino, Helm and Downey respectively But thats just me

[rage 24]

Me thinks if Hudler, Samuelsson and Kopecky all leave they should be replaced by Leino, Helm and Downey respectively But thats just me

Yeah, I agree except with Downey. I don't think he should be an everyday player. But that's just me!

Also, yeah they really do need to get Leino taken care of. I'd hate to lose him to an offer sheet, I really like him. It shouldn't take more than $1,000,000 to keep him, so let's hope that is taken care of sooner than later like the article mentioned.

[uk_redwing 495]

Yeah, I agree except with Downey. I don't think he should be an everyday player. But that's just me!

Also, yeah they really do need to get Leino taken care of. I'd hate to lose him to an offer sheet, I really like him. It shouldn't take more than $1,000,000 to keep him, so let's hope that is taken care of sooner than later like the article mentioned.

Hmm...I was thinking Downey would be rotated along with Draper, Maltby and whoever else is on the 4th line...Helm maybe...

[corvette80 1]

If we sign Hudler, Leino, Howard and Ericsson to the same contract as last year, we will have only $1.9 million cap space left

[bonan78 1]

If we sign Hudler, Leino, Howard and Ericsson to the same contract as last year, we will have only $1.9 million cap space left

Ericsson and Howard are already under contract for this year, their salary did not count against the cap last year because they were in GR most of the year, this year they are both out of minor league options so they will be with the Wings full time, and they will be part of the cap hit.

I think it will be pretty easy to sign Leino if Hossa goes, he said he would only go back to Finland if he wasn't going to be on the regular roster, and with Hossa, Samuelsson, Kopecky and possibly Hudler leaving, he would almost be guaranteed a roster spot. I see him getting a modest raise, possibly as much as 1 million per year.

Hudler may be a sticky situation. He should get a decent qualifying offer, but his agent could easily push for a contract similar to the one Filppula got last year, based on his breakout numbers this season. I hope this doesn't happen, because that would almost guarantee that he signs elsewhere, because we wouldn't be able to give him that and still have a full roster with the amount of cap space that would take. Hopefully he likes playing here enough that he foregoes the big bucks and takes the discount.