Free Press: Pavel Datsyuk to return to Russia following Playoffs

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Now in the offseason we will all get our hopes up to sign Stamkos and then he'll sign in Toronto like Babs

Well this would be the fault of people getting their hopes up for nothing. I still believe he either goes home or signs with an up and coming team like Buffalo

[The Datsyukian Deke 127]

Well this would be the fault of people getting their hopes up for nothing. I still believe he either goes home or signs with an up and coming team like Buffalo

I don't get why one would want him in the first place, at that expected price. I was suspicious with Kane (who proved me wrong by simply shredding anyone else in offense this year) for the same reason as Stamkos, not being two-way players. I always think 10m/year is too much for a single player under this kind of salary cap, but when you pay it for a guy like Toews or Kopitar , it sounds at least more reasonable to me.

[lwing 68]

I wish Pavel the best and he doesn't owe anyone a thing.

Besides, with Holland so expertly carefully planning for his (and Z's) eventual retirement (just as had with Lidtstrom), the Wings are in extremely competent hands with a strong core of proven veterans who show up every single day to play and, gosh darn it, they pay to win! But there is more. They also are doing double duty in working with coaching to entrust a strong group of youngsters to take the reins. Just think how lucky we are are! Holland could have easily ignored reality, rewarded poor performing veterans, made high stake losing gambles on free agency, lacked the guts to trade away dead weight, and delayed the development of our young players, all in the name of clinging to useless playoff streak!

Edited April 11, 2016 by lwing

[LeftWinger 4,953]

Well this would be the fault of people getting their hopes up for nothing. I still believe he either goes home or signs with an up and coming team like Buffalo

Why not Detroit?

You use the example of Buffalo as an "up and coming" team, but isn't Detroit also in that category?

I dislike Holland's (lack of) moves as much as the next guy, but with Datsyuk most likely leaving, not that he was the problem, but he is about 50% of what he once was, that makes the team younger, opens a spot up to sign someone like Stamkos and if we cut ties with our other UFA's, that leaves a spot to get a #1 defender plus bring up some more kids permanently.

Detroit is indeed an up and coming team, Nyquist and Tatar are 30 goal scorers. They had setbacks this season, as did most of our players, but I equally blame the coaching system they had to play under. They are still young. You have Mrazek, Larkin, Mantha, Anthanasiou, Dekeyser, Sheahan...still have Pulkkinen and Jurco. Like the term or not, Abby is in his prime and can still net you 20 goals. If Helm comes back for a nice price, he can and will get you 15-20 goals. You have Bertuzzi, Svechnikov, Saarijarvi, Russo and Hicketts in GR as well.

The speed on this team is unmatched, Larkin, AA and Helm alone have to be three of the fastest skaters in the NHL. This team is up and coming, there is no reason why Stamkos wouldn't at least consider coming here. He also said he enjoyed paying with Larkin at the All Star game...not that he would say something negative about it or anyone else, but it does make Detroit at least a bit more interesting for him...

Not to turn this into a Stamkos debate, but his name had been brought up as possibly coming here especially if Pav leaves and we can shed that cap hit...even if he doesn't its still possible.

[WingedWheel91 271]

Can't say I didn't see this coming...

How you feel will depend on which lens you view this situation through:

(1) - Pavel Datsyuk is a grown man who should be accountable for his actions. He asked for and signed a 3 year contract which would pay him $22,500,000 less than 2 years ago this spring. Age, Family, Health are all things that every 36 year old NHL player should/would consider before making a commitment like this, especially knowing the consequences the team will face if he decides not to honour this commitment. If he decides to leave and make us pay a massive salary cap penalty, while still playing in Russia at a high level - this is a tough pill to swallow. To use phrases such as "I overstayed" really bother me, I'd like to know when exactly he thinks (in his mind) he should have left the Detroit Red Wings? A betting man might point to the KHL's emergence, or maybe the lockout season when he played for CSKA Moscow for 31 games and NHL salaries became comparable to KHL salaries, but where was this accountability to Russia when they were not paying at the same rate? No, I'm not saying he used us, but to use his daughter as another excuse is also troubling. He had both of his children as a member of the Detroit Red Wings, and signed several long term contracts totaling over $74,000,000 USD after becoming a father - if long distance wasn't an issue at the time they were born or until they were teenagers, what changed so drastically? Also keep in mind, his current contract was front loaded so he is actually walking away from $5.5 Million real dollars, which is a salary he will easily surpass in the KHL next season.

(2) Pavel Datsyuk is (soon to be) 38 years old and has given his all to the Detroit Red Wings for 14 seasons. He is certainly not the same player he was 10 years ago, and would have retired at the end of next season anyway. If his NHL career is indeed finished, it is still possible to trade his $7,500,000 cap penalty to a team that needs to reach the cap floor - which could actually benefit us in the long run. If this season is any indication, we wouldn't be getting great value out of Datsyuk next year (at $7,500,000) so if that money becomes available - we probably take a real run at Steven Stamkos. Say what you want about Stamkos, but he is a 26 year old Center who averages close to 40 goals a season... And the Detroit Red Wings desperately need an elite goal scorer.

All in all, I believe he should honour the contract he (more than likely) pushed for - and if he doesn't, we better find a way to get rid of that contract without hesitation. If it becomes harder than anticipated, I have no doubts that his reputation will be tarnished (as it should be). At the end of the day, even if Arizona agrees to take on his final season - it will still absolutely cost us draft picks/prospects/bad contract in return.

[Jersey Wing 1,521]

I wish Pavel the best and he doesn't owe anyone a thing.

Besides, with Holland so expertly carefully planning for his (and Z's) eventual retirement (just as had with Lidtstrom), the Wings are in extremely competent hands with a strong core of proven veterans who show up every single day to play and, gosh darn it, they pay to win! But there is more. They also are doing double duty in working with coaching to entrust a strong group of youngsters to take the reins. Just think how lucky we are are! Holland could have easily ignored reality, rewarded poor performing veterans, made high stake losing gambles on free agency, lacked the guts to trade away dead weight, and delayed the development of our young players, all in the name of clinging to useless playoff streak!

I agree BUT we must apply the dead weight rule to the kids as well. We can't fall in love because they're cheap if they're not fully contributing.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Jersey Wing

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

To be fair in the cap world that is the proper way to do it.

He's gonna keep waiting along time for draft picks to emerge into stars if he keeps sending the kids down to Grand Rapids and plays the ones he has up 5-6 minutes a game

[LeftWinger 4,953]

absolutely agree about the contract. Holland must, MUST trade that contract if Pav decides to retire. I understand a bit not being able to rid yourself of Ericsson's contract or even Z's, but to just let a player retire and NOT dump that contract...not even TRY to? That is completely unacceptable. GM's do it throughout the league, swap dead contracts around in order to free up or take up cap.

Just imagine this sceanrio....Holland trades Pav's $7.5M, trades Smith ($2.75M) Franzen on LTIR ($3.9M) and is able to dump Howards $5.25M....add all that to the projected $17M in cap space we have already for next season...WOW! Thats nearly $37M in cap space before we re-sign our RFA's....that's a s*** ton of money to spend on pursuing what we need.

If Holland doesn't trade that contract, he should be fired. Someone will take it for cap floor issues, absolutely.

[RedWingsRox 614]

I sincerely hope Holland tries to trade Dat's contract to a team that's in need to meet the floor of the cap.

If he has to sweeten the deal with a later round draft pick - so be it.

That would be the Detroit Red Wings ... in this new and improved Holland Illitch era.

[The Datsyukian Deke 127]

We'll see - if I'm reading correctly between the lines of what his agent said, it's still possible for the Ilitches and Holland to convince him to stay for the final year.

[Jedi 1,865]

It's still early to say which way he'll go for sure. If ANYONE can convince him to stay for the final year, it'd be Holland and the Ilitch's. We all know the profound respect that Pavel has for them.

If he does leave, it'll be a tough pill to swallow (cap wise). Tougher still to see a fan favorite career Red Wing ride off into the sunset.

[RedWingsRox 614]

If team really needs the cap space, can we buy him out ... what would cap hit in that scenario?

Consider it a golden watch retirement gift.

Edited April 11, 2016 by RedWingsRox

[amato 3,210]

I think since Pav signed after he turned 35, we'd still have the full cap hit next season regardless of a buyout....

[The Datsyukian Deke 127]

Buyout won't work, we'd have to trade the contract and still get a cap hit penalty of 2 mil because it was frontloaded. Which wouldn't suck as much as the full (dead) cap hit of 7.5, if he leaves and we won't manage to trade it...but still..better prevent it rather than take it.

[paulwoodsfan 52]

LGW is going to go nuts when it is determined that in order to trade the cap hit, the Wings will have to give something of value up to the other team. We're not getting an AHLer for this; we would likely need to trade a decent draft choice or a decent prospect.

[marcaractac 3,963]

LGW is going to go nuts when it is determined that in order to trade the cap hit, the Wings will have to give something of value up to the other team. We're not getting an AHLer for this; we would likely need to trade a decent draft choice or a decent prospect.

A cap hit with no salary owed holds huge value to some teams. We wouldn't have to give up a thing. If anything we would get a late pick or low end prospect.

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

[lwing 68]

I agree BUT we must apply the dead weight rule to the kids as well. We can't fall in love because they're cheap if they're not fully contributing.

We are in 100% agreement. Weight, dead or not, can be found in any age!

[DRW Dominance 255]

Datsyuk himself now saying that nothing is set in stone?? this is becoming a distracting mess....

[amato 3,210]

Maybe Pav is just trying to motivate the team to go all out? wishful thinking

[NerveDamage 4,176]

Pavel Datsyuk not 100% certain about leaving Red Wings

http://detroitsportsnation.com/detroit-nhl/ddrysdale/pavel-datsyuk-not-100-certain-about-leaving-red-wings/67518/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=detsportsnation&utm_content=Pavel%20Datsyuk%20not%20100%25%20certain%20about%20leaving%20Red%20Wings

so you're saying there's a chance?

Edited April 11, 2016 by NerveDamage

[frankgrimes 1,836]

never heard of the guy before so i guess he is another one of those annoying wannabe experts.

[RedWingsRox 614]

I still say let 13 year old daughter come to US for a one year immersion study ... of English and American history.

[lwing 68]

Why not Detroit?

You use the example of Buffalo as an "up and coming" team, but isn't Detroit also in that category?

I dislike Holland's (lack of) moves as much as the next guy, but with Datsyuk most likely leaving, not that he was the problem, but he is about 50% of what he once was, that makes the team younger, opens a spot up to sign someone like Stamkos and if we cut ties with our other UFA's, that leaves a spot to get a #1 defender plus bring up some more kids permanently.

Detroit is indeed an up and coming team, Nyquist and Tatar are 30 goal scorers. They had setbacks this season, as did most of our players, but I equally blame the coaching system they had to play under. They are still young. You have Mrazek, Larkin, Mantha, Anthanasiou, Dekeyser, Sheahan...still have Pulkkinen and Jurco. Like the term or not, Abby is in his prime and can still net you 20 goals. If Helm comes back for a nice price, he can and will get you 15-20 goals. You have Bertuzzi, Svechnikov, Saarijarvi, Russo and Hicketts in GR as well.

The speed on this team is unmatched, Larkin, AA and Helm alone have to be three of the fastest skaters in the NHL. This team is up and coming, there is no reason why Stamkos wouldn't at least consider coming here. He also said he enjoyed paying with Larkin at the All Star game...not that he would say something negative about it or anyone else, but it does make Detroit at least a bit more interesting for him...

Not to turn this into a Stamkos debate, but his name had been brought up as possibly coming here especially if Pav leaves and we can shed that cap hit...even if he doesn't its still possible.

I wish I wasn't such a pessimist. You have a great attitude. I'm afraid I am too much on the Dark Side here, but I appreciate your outlook!

[The Datsyukian Deke 127]

You could present the best private school education the Detroit area has to offer, that's not the point. The problem with that is, her mother (Pavels divorced first wife..) most likely won't let her go. Just because that's how these things usually happen.