528 replies to this topic

[HankthaTank]

big news for a guy like Smith too... potentially earning a spot on the top 4 come TC...

Ehh, let's not get crazy here man. All signs point to Smith not being quite ready for the NHL yet and a top 4? Maybe in 2-3 years or so. We have to make a move somewhere here.

[Greatness=PavelDatsyuk]

We now have alot of cap space on ours hands.. trade Hudler for a bag of pucks, get a big bottle of whiskey and come on July 1st

Also, anyone think this increases Smiths chances of playing next season?

I doubt it, he will probably be called up a few times if needed, but I think they will want him getting 1st pair minutes in Grand Rapids

[kook_10]

I don't like this one bit.

[HankthaTank]

How do you spell Erhoff?

You actually spell it Ehrhoff but yeah, maybe he's a possibility.

[Jesusberg]

I don't like this one bit.

Agreed. 6 million in cap space is good and all, but the FA market is kind of dry and he's not going to be as easily replaced as some people think.

[e_prime]

I'll still be surprised if Holland goes after Weber.



Brewer, Kaberle, Pitkanen, Bieksa, or Wisniewski.
Have your pick... all affordable.

[edicius]

Wow. This is...unexpected. Must really be banged up to be retiring. This is shaping up to be an interesting offseason for us on the defensive front.

[HankthaTank]

Wow. This is...unexpected. Must really be banged up to be retiring. This is shaping up to be an interesting offseason for us on the defensive front.

As it had to be. Defensively this was one of the worst seasons in memory and still finished 3rd in the conference. Oh, what might have been. Regardless, this is a sign of moving forward and getting some fresher faces. Sad but a necessary move to make things happen.

[hockey23]

I'll still be surprised if Holland goes after Weber.



Brewer, Kaberle, Pitkanen, Bieksa, or Wisniewski.
Have your pick... all affordable.

I'm thinking Holland will have to go after a higher end player. Maybe someone like Andrei Markov or go crazy and try for Doughty.

[10 Minute Misconduct]

# Erhoff

[LeftWinger]

Please OH please DO NOT give in to Ericsson's demands! Just go and try to land Bieska or Wisniewski or Brewer....

But now is the time to convince me Ken, that you ARE the All Powerfull Wizard of GM's... If you really have magic, it is now time to weave it!

As of now, here is our confirmed D:

Stuart - Kronwall
Kindl - ???????
??????? - ???????

Yikes!

Edited by LeftWinger, 23 May 2011 - 04:50 PM.

[Hockey13Playa]

Wow... I can't believe it. Before I opened the thread to read the posts I assumed it would be injury related considering he's not really "that old" to retire from the game. If infact true I'm totally curious what's going to happen this off season. We will need some defensive help bigtime. Any chance Brendan Smith ends up on the 3rd parking as a 5/6th d-man. Or maybe some occasional play as the 7th man.

[10 Minute Misconduct]

You know Holland will look for a puck moving defenseman with solid defense so realistically Erhoff fits that bill over other guys mentionned above. Rafalski is really under-rated around here tho, just happy for the cap relief.

Too bad Weber/Suter arn't UFA's this year or else i'd be doing back flips right now.

[e_prime]

I'm thinking Holland will have to go after a higher end player. Maybe someone like Andrei Markov or go crazy and try for Doughty.

by higher end player in Markov you mean, more expensive?

Markov hasn't played a full season in two years.
Why would we replacing a broken-down aging defenseman (no offense Raffi) with someone who's breaking down and is five years younger?

[HankthaTank]

# Erhoff

http://en.wikipedia....ristian_Ehrhoff

[Petrafire]

anybody know if we are stuck paying a penalty towards the cap since his contract was not finished?

[CaliWingsNut]

anybody know if we are stuck paying a penalty towards the cap since his contract was not finished?

no, he wasn't yet 35 when his latest contract was made.

[e_prime]

EDIT: Thanks Cali.

Edited by e_prime, 23 May 2011 - 04:51 PM.

[CAredwingsfan91]

WHAT THE HELL is the world coming to an end a few days late or what? this is unexpected if true.

[HankthaTank]

Wow, tricky is right! Not only do we need to get better than Salei and Ericsson, so we need to find a top 4 d-man? Well, at least it opens up $6M more! OF course now Lidstrom can sign a contract for about $5M, since he will STILL be the highest paid d-man on the Wings!

Lidstrom - Stuart
Kronwall - ??????
Kindl - ?????????
??????

Yikes!

Lots of $ to spend. Fear not, we will make it work. Take your boy Hudler's 2.875 off the books and we are sitting beautifully.