Found this on espn.com...
Bucci,
Miss you guys and NHL 2night -- wish it was back. Do you think that Nicklas Lidstrom will take a little less money to stay with the Red Wings? He should give them a hometown discount so they can sign a decent goaltender. Who do you see not being in a Detroit uniform next year? What would you think about trading Pavel Datsyuk and Jim Howard to Florida for Luongo? I think that would be a great trade.
John
Nicklas Lidstrom made $7.6 million last year. He turned 36 in April. I don't know how long his brain and heart are telling him he wants to play. My sense is Lidstrom doesn't have four Bentleys and six houses. He probably has plenty of money in the bank. Of course, he should retire a Red Wing, but I never believe a worker should take less from a company that is worth hundreds of millions. Zdeno Chara is going to get a five-year, $37 million contract from someone. I see Lidstrom signing a two-year, $15 million deal. He might sign a one-year deal and go one year at a time. If I were his agent, I would wait for Chara's deal to surface because he will sign quickly. Without question, I would trade Pavel Datsyuk and Jim Howard for Roberto Luongo. Datsyuk is a beautiful player to watch, but he has three goals and 12 assists in 42 career playoff games. He has zero playoff goals in the last three postseasons (21 games). I would trade for Luongo and sign Marc Savard. The Wings would be better off.
... perhaps hes right, why should lidstrom take less money? he has already won. He has 3 stanley cups, and an olympic gold medal. He is going to win his 4th norris trophy, and he was runner up 3 times for that as well. Why not secure your and your families future by signing a contract for what you deserve- which is the cap amount?
