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Guest DatsyukianDeke13

Defensemen Available at the End of the Season?

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Guest DatsyukianDeke13

Anyone know of some UFA D-Men that will be available in the summer? I'm looking ahead to IF Lidstrom retires...I don't think Meech will take his place (that's just me though)

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http://nhlnumbers.com/freeagents.php?team=...e&type=none

The only names that look appealing to me on there are Gonchar and Niedermayer, that is of course from an offensive standpoint. There are some other names on there that can provide grittiness, leadership, and defensive needs... Kubina, Mitchell, Sutton, Exelby, Ward, Hamuis, and Volchenkov are all some names I wouldn't mind seeing in a Red Wing sweater, again obviously not as Nick's replacement, but just some defensive depth and help on the PK.

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Personally I don't think the Wings need another D-man if Lidstrom retires. Stuart-Kronwall is a good enough top D-pair. Ericcson, Lilja (if he gets better :(), Rafalski and Kindl (should get bottom 6 duty).

Assuming Howard keeps playing well, Detroit should spend every cent of it's cap space on a top 6 forward (5-6 million/yr), getting Bertuzzi locked up (2 million/yr?), Homer (1.5 million/yr?) and Helm/Aby re-signed.

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Personally I don't think the Wings need another D-man if Lidstrom retires. Stuart-Kronwall is a good enough top D-pair. Ericcson, Lilja (if he gets better :(), Rafalski and Kindl (should get bottom 6 duty).

Assuming Howard keeps playing well, Detroit should spend every cent of it's cap space on a top 6 forward (5-6 million/yr), getting Bertuzzi locked up (2 million/yr?), Homer (1.5 million/yr?) and Helm/Aby re-signed.

God, I hope you're right about that. Because I get cold chills when I think about the potential of the end of a close Game 7 next year and Lidstrom isn't on the ice.

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God, I hope you're right about that. Because I get cold chills when I think about the potential of the end of a close Game 7 next year and Lidstrom isn't on the ice.

I get chills thinking about the end of a close game 7 last year when Lidstrom WAS on the ice. Kidding aside though, I'd want him on the ice over any defenseman in the league. And while he will likely take a discount in the $5m range, the Wings should do whatever it takes to retain him.

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The answer is simple, the only player in the league I feel truly capable of filling Lidstrom's shoes at least halfway: Niklas Kronwall. Well, he's getting there at least, I think by next season (the season after that for sure) he should be officially one of the premier defensemen in the league.

EDIT: Stuart is capable of being a top pairing D-man. People are so hard on him but he's really been solid as a rock for us most nights. But if you don't want him on the top pairing:

Kronwall-Rafalski

Ericsson-Stuart

Meech-Janik

Kindl

Edited by VM1138

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Holland is too classy to do so, but I wouldn't mind him throwing an offer sheet at Erik Johnson in STL or Kris Letang from PIT(be an extra nice jab to take one of their young players)I F the unthinkable happens(don't want to actually say it, but it involves a very talented Swede with a big cap hit and retirement)

Of the UFA's, the only ones I'd want to take a flier on would be Volchenkov or Seidenberg

Otherwise, I'd stand pat - no reason to take up more cap space with a bottom 3 pairing D - just re-sign and bring up Janik fulltime, let Lebda walk and re-sign/keep Meech as the number 7 for league min...

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Kronwall will one day be our number #1 guy on the back end. In my opinion that's one reason that we will likely see Lidstrom return next year - to continue to mold Kronwall. I think we'll see Lidstrom pass the torch to Kronwall in a year and a half's time.

If it weren't for Kronwall's injury I think he would have emerged, already, as essentially our top guy.

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Why on earth would we get another top six forward we already have to many forwards to handle them all. Are defense is strong but not as strong as I would like there still some hole on the third pairing that need to be addressed. You can't just presume that if we ignore the need on defense and Howard plays as good then and he is now and we have a sniper next year that we don't this year that we will be an elite team. Cause in the end the choice of picking a sniper over a solide 6th d-man is going to come back and bite you. Especially with the injuries that seem to be increasing every year in the NHL. We might not be getting much goals from the top line yet but they are playing well a dominating the opposition when they are on the ice. It won't be long until they start scoring very shortly there will be a break out game for the wings top line either Saturday against the Kings or the game after that. I think if we get a 6th d-man at the deadline for William and another player we will have a very well rounded team with a nice mix of skill and role players that can make a nice run at the playoffs.

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:lol: Yeah right dude. Stuart is not top d-man material. Other than crushing body checks, he's FAR from impressive. He has a weak ass shot and is almost a defensive liability. No way he's on our top unit. Not a chance.

Stuart has far from a "weak ass shot"! In fact, he has a great shot. Before he was a Red Wing he played the point on the PP regularly. While he does make a defensive mistake occasionally (Backstrom)....He has been very very good since we got him. I'm not saying he is top pair material but he could fill that void until another one surfaces....he's definitely top 4 on every team in the league.

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:lol: Yeah right dude. Stuart is not top d-man material. Other than crushing body checks, he's FAR from impressive. He has a weak ass shot and is almost a defensive liability. No way he's on our top unit. Not a chance.

Are you high?

There is nothing of merit to ANY of your points...

Stuart has far from a "weak ass shot"! In fact, he has a great shot. Before he was a Red Wing he played the point on the PP regularly. While he does make a defensive mistake occasionally (Backstrom)....He has been very very good since we got him. I'm not saying he is top pair material but he could fill that void until another one surfaces....he's definitely top 4 on every team in the league.

you're spot on with most of this, except I think he could easily be top 2... Stuart with Kronwall is a LOT different than Stuart with Meech...

Edited by stevkrause

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:lol: Yeah right dude. Stuart is not top d-man material. Other than crushing body checks, he's FAR from impressive. He has a weak ass shot and is almost a defensive liability. No way he's on our top unit. Not a chance.

What? Stuart has been the Red Wings best d-man this season and there are plenty of people that would say he has been the MVP to this point. Not to mention, Stuart has been terrific in the past two playoff runs with the Red Wings.

Defensive liability? Are you sure you aren't looking at 22 instead of 23?

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There is no one in the league who comes close to Lidstrom. He's the closest thing to the perfect defenseman to ever play hockey. Replacing him is IMPOSSIBLE, we just have to find someone who can play great defense.

no one's saying replace, rather fill a hole... as well as possible...

I think Lidstrom is the best defenseman to ever play the game and I think that's above Orr, Potvin, Bourque, Coffey, etc... he played the most overall complete game and there has never been a smarter player to lace them up...

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