Lidstrom Signs 1-Year Contract Extension

[dat's sick 1,002]

I wouldn't go that far.

You think Green, Keith or Doughty is as important to their team as Lidstrom is to the Wings? The only one that is even arguable is Doughty, the other two aren't close.

I'm not too optimistic about next year right now. We don't have close to the depth up front that we had in 2008, and 2009. Zetterberg and Datysuk are both getting older, and it may have showed last year. Franzen blew a knee, who knows how he plays next year....

This team with Lidstrom playing for 6+ million will not be a cup contender next year. I can guarantee. Hudler will not be the difference.

We didn't have better depth up front in 2008 than we will have next season. In 2009? Yeah, but that was a lucky 1-year thing where we had many underpaid players on the last year of their contract.

[Guest mindfly]

In 07/08 Lidstrom won the norris trophy and scored 70pts and a +40

in 09/10 he wasn't even nominated for the norris and scored just 49pts +22

Edited June 1, 2010 by mindfly

[WingsNick5 0]

Great original point!

[Electrophile 3,554]

Ultimately, you'd love to see it in the 5.5-6.25 range - but it's hard to fault any number thrown his way.

Apparently it's a "touch" over $6 million, which could be anywhere from $6.05 million to $6.2 million.

[Echolalia 2,961]

In 07/08 Lidstrom won the norris trophy and scored 70pts and a +40

in 09/10 he wasn't even nominated for the norris and scored just 49pts +22

not bad for playing on the Detroit Griffins

[egroen 384]

In 07/08 Lidstrom won the norris trophy and scored 70pts and a +40

in 09/10 he wasn't even nominated for the norris and scored just 49pts +22

True -- in '08 Lidstrom was a Top 4 player in the league and should have charged Crosby/Ovechkin dollars for more of his services. He gave a discount.

In '10 he was a Top 20 player in the league and a Top 5 defenseman (even assuming you would have preferred Green instead of Lidstrom) -- I'd say coming down a relative $2m in salary -- from an already heavily discounted salary -- is more than fair.

[dat's sick 1,002]

What if LGW split hairs over $6 million instead of $6.2? History will be made. [/dramatic music]

We could have signed Kovalchuk for those extra $0.2 million *cries*

[HankthaTank 1,100]

No one replaces Nick and anyone who thinks as much...is beyond insane. They are posting with limited restraints on and typing with their thumbs. It's crazy talk!!!! Welcome back Perfect Human!

[GONGSHOW HOCKEY 35]

You think Green, Keith or Doughty is as important to their team as Lidstrom is to the Wings? The only one that is even arguable is Doughty, the other two aren't close.

We didn't have better depth up front in 2008 than we will have next season. In 2009? Yeah, but that was a lucky 1-year thing where we had many underpaid players on the last year of their contract.

Keith should win the Norris this year... how is he not important to the Hawks?

As for the 2008 comment, that's completely wrong. In 2008 we didn't have to give Filpulla top 6 minutes. In 2008 we thought that Filpulla would be good as soon as he got more minutes. In 2008 we still had Sammy, Hudler, Cleary was playing way better, Drake was a force in the playoffs, Draper and Maltby could still play, Helm was playing on the 4th line.

In 2010 we don't have Sammy, Cleary is coming off pretty bad injuries the last 2 years, Helm is now on the 3rd line out of necissity, Abdelkader hasn't taken Drake's spot yet, and Draper and Maltby are both pretty much done.

So I'd say it's like this in terms of depth:

2009>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2008>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2010

[egroen 384]

Keith should win the Norris this year... how is he not important to the Hawks?

As for the 2008 comment, that's completely wrong. In 2008 we didn't have to give Filpulla top 6 minutes. In 2008 we thought that Filpulla would be good as soon as he got more minutes. In 2008 we still had Sammy, Hudler, Cleary was playing way better, Drake was a force in the playoffs, Draper and Maltby could still play, Helm was playing on the 4th line.

In 2010 we don't have Sammy, Cleary is coming off pretty bad injuries the last 2 years, Helm is now on the 3rd line out of necissity, Abdelkader hasn't taken Drake's spot yet, and Draper and Maltby are both pretty much done.

So I'd say it's like this in terms of depth:

2009>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2008>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2010

In '08 and '09 you had Zetterberg playing like a $7m player still on an a contract for something like $2m. Franzen was in the same boat.

That made all the difference right there, in terms of fielding depth.

[jeff48109 474]

We could have signed Kovalchuk for those extra $0.2 million *cries*

if anyone thinks we can sign a top end free agent and get Lids back needs to think again.

we can get a decent player with this extra cap space, and that will be Hudler

[Guest Crymson]

Don't assume that this will Lidstrom's last season. He, like many other players around his age, is going to be signing one-year contracts from here on out so that he has the option to retire after any season without any extra years counting against his team's salary cap (recall that a chunk of a player's salary stays on the cap if he retires after having been signed past a certain age).

Keith should win the Norris this year... how is he not important to the Hawks?

As for the 2008 comment, that's completely wrong. In 2008 we didn't have to give Filpulla top 6 minutes. In 2008 we thought that Filpulla would be good as soon as he got more minutes. In 2008 we still had Sammy, Hudler, Cleary was playing way better, Drake was a force in the playoffs, Draper and Maltby could still play, Helm was playing on the 4th line.

In 2010 we don't have Sammy, Cleary is coming off pretty bad injuries the last 2 years, Helm is now on the 3rd line out of necissity, Abdelkader hasn't taken Drake's spot yet, and Draper and Maltby are both pretty much done.

So I'd say it's like this in terms of depth:

2009>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2008>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2010

Bitching, bitching... spoiled bitching.

[Paolino99 5]

Like who?

Which free agent is going to replace Lidstrom's 25 minutes/gm 50+ pts and literally being the #1 shut-down defenseman in the league?

Ok,i repeat,IMO Lidstrom is the best defenseman all-time...but is 40yrs old & next year we must to pose the same question (who replace him?)

the answer is nobody can replace Nick...but the free agent "market" has some good name,some ideas for the future,not just defensemen...

FORWARDS

Ilya Kovalchuk 26 NJ $7,500,000

Alexander Frolov 27 LA $4,000,000

Alexei Ponikarovsky 29 PIT $2,500,000

Patrick Marleau 29 SJ $6,300,000

Tomas Plekanec 26 MON $2,750,000

Matthew Lombardi 27 PHO $2,350,000

Lee Stempniak 26 PHO $3,500,000

Marek Svatos 27 COL $2,350,000

D-MEN

Scott Niedermayer 35 ANA $6,000,000

Sergei Gonchar 35 PIT $5,500,000

Derek Morris 30 PHO $3,300,000

Anton Volchenkov 27 OTT $3,200,000

Milan Jurcina 26 WAS $1,375,000

GOALIES

Marty Turco 33 DAL $5,400,000

Jose Theodore 32 WASH $4,500,000

Vesa Toskala 32 CAL $4,000,000

Chris Mason 33 STL $3,000,000

Dan Ellis 29 NASH $2,000,000

Ray Emery 26 PHI $1,500,000

Michael Leighton 28 CAR $600,000

[egroen 384]

It's actually a real crappy year for free agents - and half those guys will be signed by their respective teams. Those that are left will end up most likely over-paid because they are in such limited numbers this year.

There is no-one there I would consider an upgrade to Lidstrom at his salary, regardless of position.

[redwings1914 18]

Ok,i repeat,IMO Lidstrom is the best defenseman all-time...but is 40yrs old & next year we must to pose the same question (who replace him?)

the answer is nobody can replace Nick...but the free agent "market" has some good name,some ideas for the future,not just defensemen...

GOALIES

Marty Turco 33 DAL $5,400,000

Jose Theodore 32 WASH $4,500,000

Vesa Toskala 32 CAL $4,000,000

Chris Mason 33 STL $3,000,000

Dan Ellis 29 NASH $2,000,000

Ray Emery 26 PHI $1,500,000

Michael Leighton 28 CAR $600,000

We don't need another goalie. Period.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

so much for that discount.......

Huh? Lidstrom took a $1,500,000 haircut and he's only slipped from being the #1 d-man on Earth to one of the top 5 d-men in the league. His performance in the second half of the season was a point per game and he was excellent (although not as amazing as he was in his prime) in the playoffs.

He's still the best shut-down guy in the league as well. I forget where the stats were but he was the best (if I remember correctly) d-man on the PK in the league based on goals scored against while he was on the ice.

I was hoping for 5.5 million but 6 million is fine too.

We should just be happy Lidstrom is back for another year.

[GoalieManPat 1,007]

Havnt read all the replies but from what I saw lots of complaining about not enough of a discount. Quit your bitching. He could have easily asked for 7. Its easy to say someone should have taken a pay cut when its not your money to lose.

[ChitownWingsfan 54]

While I wish the discount was greater, I'm not sure how this is a bad thing, even at 6.2 mil. The points have already been made but its not like he got a raise or even kept his old salary. No character? Greedy? I don't see it.

[GONGSHOW HOCKEY 35]

Ok,i repeat,IMO Lidstrom is the best defenseman all-time

Lidstrom is top 5 no doubt, but not close to Shore, Orr, or Harvey.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

So how much money will the Wings approximately have to spend this offseason?

[softshoes 83]

One of them will have a Norris Trophy and a one of them will most likely have a Stanley Cup ring. The most recent Norris Trophy and most recent Stanley Cup, which are the most important in determining their current value.

If you think that Lidstrom is still worth over 10 million dollars a year, fine. I won't ever be able to change your mind. But from where I'm sitting, the best defenseman this year and probably most years from this point forward, a 25 year old kid, just signed a contract that will take him into and throughout the prime of his career for a 5.5 million dollar cap hit. He did it because he loves the city and his team and because he wants to compete for the championship as often as is possible with the current salary cap. Duncan Keith will undoubtedly sacrifice more salary throughout his career than Lidstrom has. That's called character.

Can't argue with your name there chief, for once the shoe fits.

[GONGSHOW HOCKEY 35]

So how much money will the Wings approximately have to spend this offseason?

Not enough to be competitive anymore.

[Electrophile 3,554]

Not enough to be competitive anymore.

Thank you Chicken Little.

[newfy 695]

Not enough to be competitive anymore.

Gongshow you are a gongshow. Seriously, not competitive? We're gonna be fine next year. Stop being stupid.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Well, on the bright side, that Yzerman guy didn't sign him first.