Red Wings Making Play for Modano

[Opie 308]

This isn't a team with no prospects in the system.

Eaves is not a long term Wing, Tatar will be ready next season and Mursak just to name a few, what do you do then.

Eaves and Miller, and Modano for that matter, are not going to be long term wings. Nothing says Ritola is gone but if he is how is he any less of a gamble than Modano on the third line.

Because Ritola has proven what in the NHL?

Modano is still a .5 ppg player.

Forward depth is a good thing, very good thing in today's NHL.

I agree 1.5 is a lot for Modano, but what are the odds he produces more than or the same as Bert?

[Guest mindfly]

They will have capspace to sign a Mckee type player so chill out will ya

[uk_redwing 495]

They will have capspace to sign a Mckee type player so chill out will ya

Im more bothered about the gaping hole in our defense than a 4th liner.

[Guest mindfly]

Jay Mckee is a shotblocking defender

[Opie 308]

Im more bothered about the gaping hole in our defense than a 4th liner.

Umm then Jay McKee should be the guy that would actually make you feel more confident in that gaping hole.

I still would prefer Hnidy over McKee but either would be better than Janik or Kindl IMO.

OH BTW I say that because McKee is a d-man.

[VM1138 1,921]

But we get a bit more 3rd line scoring! Because everyones always said "those Wings lack a bit of SCORING"...

No one has ever said that. Lets ignore our problems and defense and on the 4th line...what we need is more scoring even though Hudler's back

Scoring was the biggest problem for the team last year. We need mroe than an occasional goal from Helm, Abdelkader, Eaves, Miller, etc. Modano can help boost everyone.

And I don't get this whole thing about losing young players. As much as I like Eaves and Miller, they've already peaked. True, they could provide solid roleplaying, but Modano can, too, and then some. He gives us a shot we don't have, veteran experience on the bottom lines now that Draper is on the way out, and a guy who will be hungry to win one more time before he retires. Most people accepted that we would lose one of Eaves or Miller anyway, even before the Modano drama, so I don't see the problem with adding a Hall of Famer. It's not like we're going to miss out on the next Datsyuk by adding him.

[uk_redwing 495]

Umm then Jay McKee should be the guy that would actually make you feel more confident in that gaping hole.

I still would prefer Hnidy over McKee but either would be better than Janik or Kindl IMO.

OH BTW I say that because McKee is a d-man.

My bad

Scoring was the biggest problem for the team last year. We need mroe than an occasional goal from Helm, Abdelkader, Eaves, Miller, etc. Modano can help boost everyone.

We have Hudler back and no cancer called Williams. I don't see the need for further scoring.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

But we get a bit more 3rd line scoring! Because everyones always said "those Wings lack a bit of SCORING"...

They did last season in the playoffs, specifically on the bottom lines. Miller and Abdelkader each scored once and that was it.

No one has ever said that. Lets ignore our problems and defense and on the 4th line...what we need is more scoring even though Hudler's back

Bottom pairing Dmen and 4th liners inherently contribute the least to a team's success. I haven't really crunched the numbers but there are still shot-blocking Dmen out there, and a guy that can help make another scoring line like Modano would have more impact than a plugger on the 4th line.

[Guest mindfly]

All this talk about losing players... dont they only need to lose ritola and meech? i wouldnt say those are big "losses"

[Hockey Convert 55]

Eaves is not a long term Wing... Nothing says Ritola is gone but if he is how is he any less of a gamble than Modano on the third line.

Both Eaves AND Ritola are "longer term Wings" than Modano, who has never played for them. And how is "less of a gamble" really an endorsement for possibly three times the price? Why can't we use some of that cash to address the actual shortcomings that Holland himself said the Wings have?

I understand some people love Modano as a player, but I'll say it again: He's not even sure he wants to play another season. How can we be in any way confident of his mindset/dedication if we do sign him?

[shoe 165]

Looks like chicago is interested in him as well I was reading various articles on Probert and my www travels took me over to the tribune I ran across an article on Modano over there

http://www.chicagotr...,5135755.column

one of the things they note is him and Kane are close.

Id really like to see Modano here and I'd be pissed if Chicago signed him. I dont care about his age I think he brings something that a kid cant to a team going for a cup run.

Edited July 7, 2010 by shoe

[Echolalia 2,961]

Looks like chicago is interested in him as well I was reading various articles on Probert and my www travels took me over to the tribune I ran across an article on Modano over there

http://www.chicagotr...,5135755.column

one of the things they note is him and Kane are close.

Id really like to see Modano here and I'd be pissed if Chicago signed him. I dont care about his age I think he brings something that a kid cant to a team going for a cup run.

I thought I read somewhere yesterday that he said its Red Wings or retirement.

Edit: Bam! http://www.detnews.com/article/20100707/SPORTS0103/7070368/Modano--It-s-Wings-or-retirement

Edited July 7, 2010 by Echolalia

[rick zombo 3,739]

Looks like chicago is interested in him as well I was reading various articles on Probert and my www travels took me over to the tribune I ran across an article on Modano over there

http://www.chicagotr...,5135755.column

one of the things they note is him and Kane are close.

Id really like to see Modano here and I'd be pissed if Chicago signed him. I dont care about his age I think he brings something that a kid cant to a team going for a cup run.

Chicago is not in the running.

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2010/07/mccosky_if_mike_modano_continu.html

"There isn't any other team," said Modano, standing outside Tigers and Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch's suite at Comerica Park Tuesday night. "It will be here or I'm not playing. I think it's narrowed to that."

[Opie 308]

Both Eaves AND Ritola are "longer term Wings" than Modano, who has never played for them. And how is "less of a gamble" really an endorsement for possibly three times the price? Why can't we use some of that cash to address the actual shortcomings that Holland himself said the Wings have?

I understand some people love Modano as a player, but I'll say it again: He's not even sure he wants to play another season. How can we be in any way confident of his mindset/dedication if we do sign him?

Way to look at only one part of my post and focus on it, I also said that Modano is a .5 ppg player, my point in the less of a gamble statement is that what has Ritola proven he can do?

Nothing, absolutely nothing.

Modano is a proven defensively responsible forward who at his advanced age is still a .5 ppg.

He is a pro athlete, did any question if Neidermayer would have the mindset to play, or Lids the numerous years he has supposedly thought about retiring. Lids was either retiring or signing with the Wings, because he was unsure do you question his dedication to this team?

Eaves wasn't even a wing for a whole season, yeah lets sign him for a long term deal for his loyalty? /sarcasm!

Please quote Holland where he said what the Wings shortcomings were, not what he said he would look into, or try to address. A quote where he said the Wings need X, or the Wings have a shortcoming at X.

Everyone keeps saying Holland himself said the Wings need an enforcer, and all I saw was that he said he would like to get tougher, the same thing he says each and every offseason.

EDIT:

And they could still add a Shane Hnidy to the team whom made 750k last season if I am not mistaken.

Edited July 7, 2010 by Opie

[Frozen-Man 144]

Modano had ONE Stanley Cup ring TWELVE years ago this year!

I wouldn't exactly call that winning over and over again like some of the Wings players or Colorado players or New Jersey players. LOL

Modano never consistently had the caliber of teams that any of the three you mentioned had.

And the Williams signing last year was also a brilliant move I suppose. Obviously, not all the moves Holland makes turn out for the best. I repeat.... this an "emotional sentimental" signing not a logical one to win a championship. I also am inclined to believe that because Wings preseason ticket sales is probably way down they see the signing of Modano as a boost for ticket sales.

There may be emotionally based bias approving of signing Modano by some on the forums here but Kenny and Co. who are the ones actually pursuing the dealare not going after Modano for "emotional sentimental" reasons. They are some of the best in the business and to suggest that somehow the fact that a few fans would like Modano here based upon sentimentality is no way relevant to the sound and logical reasoning that Kenny, Babs, Ilich, and the rest of the Wings brass want to bring him here.

If Dallas felt Modano could get them back into the playoffs they would have kept him. Obviously they thought differently. I wonder how many Modano relatives and friends are on this forum???? They wouldn't make any intelligent posts.... they just attack.

If he is STILL so good why has Dallas sunk the last two years and why have they let him go????

Now you are just being silly. The Dallas Stars and the Detroit Red Wings are NOT the same team. Dallas is a young team who is trying to build up their infrastructure to become a relevant contender again, Detroit is already a relevant contender who just need tweaks to improve on an already elite product. I guess by your rationale Niklas Backstrom is not good because the Wild had a worse record than Dallas and "if [backstrom] is STILL so good why has [Minnesota]" been so bad? (The same could be said for Kessel, Tavares, Lecavalier, St. Louis, Malone, Stamkos, Eric Staal, Horcoff, Penner, Souray, Nash, and several others who are on teams that did worse than the Stars). One player can't make a team championship caliber.

Yeh ....in 2008-2009 Modano had some real good wheels and a great shot..... that great shot got him a fantastic 15 goals and those great wheels made him a fantastic two-way player..... he was MINUS 13 !!!!! Give me a break!!! Any player on the Wings who is minus 13 does not get any kudos from the fans... that is for damn sure.

Way to cherry pick. You go back two years rather than using last year's stats you go back to the year before because they help your arguement. His latest stats he was a -6 on a team full of minus players. You can't compare his +/- to another teams. Look at Dallas over all and they are a minus team, they had two guys total that were above a +3 the Wings had seven. The Wings were a +13 in goal differential and the Stars were a -17, it makes a huge difference to play on a team that scores 13 more goals than its opponents rather than one that gives up 17 more goals than its opponents. I guess Brad Stuart gets no "kudos from the fans" since he was a -12 last year. Oh yeah and those 15 goals still helped Modano be a .58 ppg player that year.

[Z and D for the C 712]

But we get a bit more 3rd line scoring! Because everyones always said "those Wings lack a bit of SCORING"...

We lack(ed) third line scoring. Do you know anything about hockey or how important it is to have secondary scoring or depth? We didn't win the cup in 08 because Downey played 40 games for us during the regular season, we won because we had incredible depth.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Way to look at only one part of my post and focus on it, I also said that Modano is a .5 ppg player, my point in the less of a gamble statement is that what has Ritola proven he can do?

Nothing, absolutely nothing.

Modano is a proven defensively responsible forward who at his advanced age is still a .5 ppg.

He is a pro athlete, did any question if Neidermayer would have the mindset to play, or Lids the numerous years he has supposedly thought about retiring. Lids was either retiring or signing with the Wings, because he was unsure do you question his dedication to this team?

Eaves wasn't even a wing for a whole season, yeah lets sign him for a long term deal for his loyalty? /sarcasm!

Please quote Holland where he said what the Wings shortcomings were, not what he said he would look into, or try to address. A quote where he said the Wings need X, or the Wings have a shortcoming at X.

Everyone keeps saying Holland himself said the Wings need an enforcer, and all I saw was that he said he would like to get tougher, the same thing he says each and every offseason.

EDIT:

And they could still add a Shane Hnidy to the team whom made 750k last season if I am not mistaken.

And how does he go about proving if he's NHL quality unless he gets a shot?

I think it's safe to say that a 40 year old Modano is better offensively than mid 20 somethings by the names of Eaves/Miller, and that whoever rides shotgun on Modano's line will see their numbers increase as well.

Fortunately for us there are quite a few 5/6 defensive minded Dmen who are available via UFA, and as of yet not many have been signed so chances are Holland will focus on that need next when the whole Modano issue is through.

Modano 1 year, vs countless years of Eaves/Ritola?

I struggle to see how that's great management, especially considering this one year of Modano won't even be anything remotely special.

[Opie 308]

And how does he go about proving if he's NHL quality unless he gets a shot?

The same way Quincey or Meech did, be the scratch, play here or there and prove you can make it. OR Find a roster you are good enough to crack now!

I don't see him getting claimed off of waivers, or getting an offer sheet any time soon.

When people talk about Wings' prospect Ritola is not the first name they say, he not only has to be better than Modano (IF he is signed) he would have to be better than Mursak next year and potentially better than Tatar (different role I know).

This isn't the St. Louis Blues where just because you were decent at the AHL level you get a shot, this is the Red Wings where prospects (unless extremely gifted) over ripen in the AHL, and if they are lucky crack the roster.

If given the chance to sign a proven commodity or promote and unknown, I take the known commodity every day of the week.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

The same way Quincey or Meech did, be the scratch, play here or there and prove you can make it. OR Find a roster you are good enough to crack now!

I don't see him getting claimed off of waivers, or getting an offer sheet any time soon.

When people talk about Wings' prospect Ritola is not the first name they say, he not only has to be better than Modano (IF he is signed) he would have to be better than Mursak next year and potentially better than Tatar (different role I know).

This isn't the St. Louis Blues where just because you were decent at the AHL level you get a shot, this is the Red Wings where prospects (unless extremely gifted) over ripen in the AHL, and if they are lucky crack the roster.

If given the chance to sign a proven commodity or promote and unknown, I take the known commodity every day of the week.

He'll be traded before opening night! We're not going to carry 15 forwards. And yes, he would be claimed off waivers. Young, hard working skillful forward, on a dirt cheap THREE year contract.

Laughable that you'd want one year of Modano over say, 5+ years of Ritola. He's hardly an unknown btw, we did sign him for 3 years, obviously rate him. Taking that known commodity in Chelios over Quincey worked a treat didn't it.

Edited July 7, 2010 by Aussie_Wing

[Opie 308]

Modano 1 year, vs countless years of Eaves/Ritola?

I struggle to see how that's great management, especially considering this one year of Modano won't even be anything remotely special.

Eaves is yet to sign his offer, which was given to him long before Modano was anywhere near a reality, he has his offer, if he wanted to be here he would be. This is not a case of Holland leaving Eaves out in the wind, Eaves knows what the Wings offer is and if he had signed it, the Wings would have less cap space to throw at Modano.

Eaves was a Wing for less than a year, what makes you think he will stay here for years, or even be able to crack the roster in years to come?

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Eaves is yet to sign his offer, which was given to him long before Modano was anywhere near a reality, he has his offer, if he wanted to be here he would be. This is not a case of Holland leaving Eaves out in the wind, Eaves knows what the Wings offer is and if he had signed it, the Wings would have less cap space to throw at Modano.

Eaves was a Wing for less than a year, what makes you think he will stay here for years, or even be able to crack the roster in years to come?

Sure as heck got a better chance than Modano does.

[Opie 308]

He'll be traded before opening night! We're not going to carry 15 forwards. And yes, he would be claimed off waivers. Young, hard working skillful forward, on a dirt cheap THREE year contract.

Laughable that you'd want one year of Modano over say, 5+ years of Ritola. He's hardly an unknown btw, we did sign him for 3 years, obviously rate him. Taking that known commodity in Chelios over Quincey worked a treat didn't it.

I am sorry how many cups did Quincey help the Wings win?

Cheli was a mentor as well as D-man.

And what exactly did the Wings lose in Quincey?

The Wings top 4 is solid, Quincey breaking into it would have taken an act of congress or a complete falling apart by Stuart or Kronwall.

Then look at his salary, how would the Wings have kept him with out sacrificing depth.

In order to keep Quincey the Wings would have to lose Kronwall or Flip.

Besides IF Modano is signed the Wings could easily trade the very affordable contract that they just gave Miller. Ritola could be the scratch, as Meech could also be traded.

And how do you know it is 5+ years of Ritola, bigger names have hit the NHL and busted, lesser names have hit the NHL and been huge stars, the odds are Ritola is some where in between and is an ok to decent 3rd liner, which in a year the Wings will have an abundance of that.

So Modano this year, Mursak next year, Tatar the year after, still with Abby, and Helm and you also want to keep Eaves and Miller, Plus Cleary, Bert, that is an awful lot of 3rd 4th line guys for him to compete with.

Maybe just maybe the Wings front office knows more about the situation than either or I, maybe just maybe.

And it is not that I want 1 year of Modano over 5 years of Ritola, it is that I want the proven over the crapshoot. Ritola may not even be in the league in 5 years.

[Guest Hatethedrake!]

I still think it will be Miller who is the odd man out if Modano signs here. It will likely not happen until training camp though. If Ritola has a good camp and plays well in the exhibition games then he will be on the team IMO. He has to be given a chance to see what he can do at the NHL level. The Wings will not want another Leino to get away. I know Leino played like crap last year as a Red Wing. But he sure made up for it with his excellent play for the Flyers during their playoff run. Ritola is not the same type of player Leino is. I liked how Ritola was willing to hit in the brief time I saw him play. But I need to see more to develop a proper evaluation on him. I think the Wings do as well. Ideally Draper should be the odd man out then we could keep Miller. But that is not happening. I like Miller but he is still the odd man out IMO IF Kenny signs Modano.

[Opie 308]

Sure as heck got a better chance than Modano does.

You're right, but what about next years UFA class, does he have a better shot than any one in that class, better shot than Mursak?

You continue to ignore the prospects behind him that I keep bringing up and instead focus on Modano, this year it is Modano he is competing with, next year it is some one else.

If the Wings brass thought he was as valuable as you did they would not be looking to add Modano at the expense of him, if it is even him they lose!

[VM1138 1,921]

You're right, but what about next years UFA class, does he have a better shot than any one in that class, better shot than Mursak?

You continue to ignore the prospects behind him that I keep bringing up and instead focus on Modano, this year it is Modano he is competing with, next year it is some one else.

If the Wings brass thought he was as valuable as you did they would not be looking to add Modano at the expense of him, if it is even him they lose!

Exactly. As much as I like Eaves, Miller, etc., the fact is we have prospects with higher end projections. We bring Modano up for a year to replace Eaves or Miller, and then when Modano retires we have Mursak or Tatar or someone ready to make the jump.