Maltby

[Gnredwing 10]

Does anyone think Maltby will be back next season with the Wings. His contract is up after this season and I am hoping the Wings will bring him back another year. He is an effective penalty killer and a great role player and it would suck not to have him on the team after all these years. Any opinions?

[Opie 308]

I will indeed have a beer or two in his honor when Malts hangs them up, but I am hoping this is his last year.

[zata40 3]

hes been great for the wings for a long time, but I think this is his last season. Even if he does still want to play it wont be with the wings, cant see him being resigned when we have so much young talent ready to fill his spot.

( then again kenny likes to keep players longer then needed )

[Statts 4]

The emergence Helm, Eaves, Miller and Abdelkader has made Maltby expendable.

[Guest lilja4mvp]

god i hope so

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

The emergence Helm, Eaves, Miller and Abdelkader has made Maltby expendable.

This.

It's time, but it'll be sad to see him go. Especially when you see him do s*** like diving to block a shot with no helmet on.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

He's played so well this season compared to those past, actually playing the body and his PK has been sensational. But there is no need to re-sign Malts, as sad as it is.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Re-sign Eaves for hopefully under 1.3 mil and dump Malts and put up a plaque in his honor for the four cups he won.

[CrossCheck24 2]

a team award for best forward on the PK as voted by the team = the Maltby Award.

either that or

most times your helmet gets knocked 1/2 of your head throughout the year.

[Stiffy 0]

I think we will miss him more than we realize.

[Z and D for the C 712]

I think we will miss him more than we realize.

Absolutely. I love Maltby, and while I think this should be his last year, it will be sad to see him go. We have to many up-and-comers to keep him, but he does bring a lot to the team.

[Datsyuk2Zetterberg 1]

Hope he stays with the team in some sort of capacity.

[InKennyWeTrust 126]

He's definitely been more committed this year, probably due to necessity, but still... his passes, especially across the ice from in the defensive zone, have looked terrible. There's no way to measure the intangibles he's given to this team over the years- just tonight with the shot block showed his guts. Hopefully he can stay on as a PK coach or something.

[bonan78 1]

I mean this as no disrespect to Maltby, but he has become redundant at this point in his career.

Basically, his only role on this team is to kill penalties and play on the 4th line, and we have guys 10+ years younger that can fill the same role and have more upside.

I think that Helm, Abdelkader, Eaves, and even Miller have to be given more consideration come contract time than Maltby. Nothing but love for the many years of 100% effort and sacrifice for the team, but everything comes to an end, and hopefully he doesn't end up taking a roster spot away from a promising young up-and-coming player (ala Chelios last season)

[Tane 17]

The emergence Helm, Eaves, Miller and Abdelkader has made Maltby expendable.

Yup. Happy about everythign he's done for us, but it's time. I have a feeling someone else is gonna want to pick him up, and maltby will move on. It'd be nice to see him retire a red wing, But he's got enough left to help out another team in need of grit, depth and veteran leadership.

[KrazyGangsta 79]

He should of retired last season.

[wingsdiehard13 33]

He should of retired last season.

We would've still had his cap hit.

It will be a sad, sad day when Maltby hangs 'em up. I think he will stick around one more year, even though his skill might not provide another year.

[Guest R2D2]

Maltby= Retirement.

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

Absolutely. I love Maltby, and while I think this should be his last year, it will be sad to see him go. We have to many up-and-comers to keep him, but he DID bring a lot to the team.

[hooon 1,089]

Its too bad too because I think he still has 1 or 2 more years of NHL play left in him... just not with this team. I don't see him playing anywhere else, so I think this year will be his last. As noted, the wings have a lot of youngsters to fill that role, and we'll also have a lot more cap space to work with to sign a few players, or one big one.

I'll miss him, he has always been one of my favorite Wings, I'd love to see him stick with the organization in some capacity. At the same time, if Kenny signed him for a one year minimum I would have no problem with it.

The Wings have a lot of decisions to make this off season, it will be interesting.

[ltgator333 3]

I would lean toward him retiring, but with his history with the team, and Holland's history with guys that have a history, I wouldn't be too surprised if he was back next year.

That said, I haven't appreciated his lack of effort in the regular season the last few years, and I really think this year is some of the best hockey I've seen him play since before the lockout. But, at 38 his upside peaked years ago. He's replaceable, redundant, and all those other things said above. I suppose I'll miss him a bit, but I hope he retires.

[mmamolo 287]

Even though I agree with what many have said in this forum I think if Maltby wants to play next year Holland will oblige him. Personalyl I see him reupping for a year at like 500k.

Younger players can fill his role and I'd hate to see us lose Miller jsut to keep Maltby but if one thing has been proven in this organization it's that loyalty always wins

[VM1138 1,921]

I think he's not a Red Wing. Early on he sat a lot, and I don't think he's willing to only play a few games next year for a healthier Wings team. He may go to another team, but I don't think so. There are enough gritty fourth liners out there that he's not a hot commodity, and he's been a Wing for a long time now. I don't want him to fade away searching for a team to belong to for one more year like so many do.

Good luck to Malts, he's been great for the Wings.

[stevkrause 1,247]

This.

It's time, but it'll be sad to see him go. Especially when you see him do s*** like diving to block a shot with no helmet on.

this 100%

He has had one hell of a career, but it's time for him to pass the torch... too much youth that can do the job more effectively than he can at his age and I can't imagine him playing anywhere else... I think he may have hung them up last year had we won the cup...