Hello and Welcome to Red Wings and Things

First off, I love Red Wings hockey.  I'm a bit of a homer, but at the same time I try to step back and look at things objectively.  This blog will focus mostly on all things Red Wings, but if something else comes up, I'm sure I'll address it too.  If I'm not blogging, I'm usually posting on www.redwingscentral.com, THE site for info on Wings prospects run by capgeek creator Mathew Wuest, along with contributions from Sarah "Lindy" Lindeau, or on an offshoot forum, www.therealworldforum.com where we talk about non-sports related stuff.  And with that out of the way, let's look at the Wings off season so far.

A few people have been complaining a lot about the contract Jonathan Ericsson got.  I don't think anyone really believes that he's worth $3.25 million this year, but if he he improves he will be worth it by the end of the deal.  The signing also allowed the Wings to focus on finding a solid player in free agency without knowing that they HAVE TO get someone and overpaying for someone like Kaberle.  His contract isn't that much of an over payment, not as bad as a journeyman defenseman who has a career season in a contract year getting $5.5 mil a year for 6 years or a winger with known motivational issues getting $4.5 a yer for 6 years, for example.  Last season he was only 7 seconds a game behind Niklas Kronwall and 4 seconds behind Brad Stuart in even strength time on ice per game, playing more at even strength than Nick Lidstrom and Brian Raflski both.  Even if he doesn't get better, a defenseman capable of eating minutes like that is worth at least close to $3.25 million a year.

Jiri Hudler is another lightning rod for criticism from Wings fans.  Yes he's small.  Yes, he's slow.  But he also put up 57 points while playing a little more than 13:30 a game in the 08-09 season and the skill is still there.  If his confidence and conditioning improves, he could easily approach 60 points this season.  Even with the size and speed limitations, that's good value for $2.875 million.  Ville Leino took a season similar to Hudler's big year and turned that into a 6 year deal worth $4.5 million a season, despite the fact that his NHL career prior to that was 20 points in 68 games over 2 seasons.  Think about it this way, Hudler managed 10 goals and 37 points in a season where he played abysmally.  If he plays better at all, those numbers will increase.  He might be traded, as some people are calling for, but if it happens it's going to be for a better forward as part of a package leaving the Wings.

Buffalo's Tomas Vanek and Washington's Alexander Semin might be possible targets on that front.  Both teams need to clear cap space, and both payers eat a large chunk of salary cap.  It would likely take Hudler, possibly young defenseman Jakub Kindl, plus draft picks or some of the Wings better prospects to make either trade possible.  In order to take Hudler's contract, a team trading for him that needs cap space would have to be sending a high salary forward like Vanek or Semin to Detroit.  Derek Roy, for example, wouldn't save Buffalo enough money to make it worth making the trade.  Ken Holland also won't be trading Hudler for a draft pick or the mid level prospect he would bring in return unless a trade not including Hudler is made.  Since neither Washington nor Buffalo need a defenseman, that's not likely to happen.

Mike Commodore was signed on the opening day of free agency.  At the time, he was likely going to compete with Brendan Smith for a regular spot in the lineup and provide a big body and physical play to the 3rd pairing and the penalty kill.  Now, it's likely he'll be fighting with Kindl for ice time when everyone is healthy.  This was a solid signing.  Commodore has to redeem himself after a disastrous stint in Columbus to prove he's still a good NHL player.  He plays a simple, solid game that will help steady Ericsson or Kindl, whover is playing with him, and will help on the Wings penalty kill when he's in the lineup.

Ian White was another good signing, and it could be a great one.  He took a pay cut to leave San Jose to some to the Wings.  After bouncing around for most of his career, playing for three teams last year alone, the Wings will provide stability for a puck moving defenseman who plays with snarl and seems like a perfect fit for the Wings puck possession system.  Look for his numbers improve as he gets comfortable and settle in, firing shots from the point on the power play and being a pain in the ass for opposing forwards in the defensive zone.

Look for Jan Mursak and Cory Emmerton to make a mark on the team with fresh legs and speed when they're in the lineup.  The two rookies will likely be replacing vets Mike Modano and Kris Draper in the lineup, although a final decision on Draper has yet to be made.  He could still be brought back to compete for the final forward spot and push the youngsters.  He played well last year, and showed that he still has some gas left in the tank, but at some point young players have to replace veterans, and as long as Emmerton and Mursak show NHL skills in camp, this is likely time for Draper to step aside.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the Wings offseason so far is the re-signing of Drew Miller.  Contract talks had apparently stalled between the Wings and his agent, former Wings Jason Woolley, and it was speculated that Miller would be moving to another team where he would have a better chance at more ice time after being a healthy scratch several times last season.  Miller doesn't do anything great, but he can play either wing, on virtually any line as a fill in, and is a solid penalty killer.

The only question that remains is who is going to backup Jimmy Howard?  Speculation is centering around former Wings backup Ty Conklin, who has been in St. Louis the last two seasons.  His numbers were sub-par last season, but that could have been more of a product of the Blues less than stellar play than Conklin's declining ability. Personally, I would prefer someone else.  A 35 year old career backup goalie coming off a bad season is a risky signing.  Evgeni Nabokov and one of the Flyers goalies, Bobrovsky or Leighton, will likely be available through trade and could be better options.  The other option is Chris Osgood, assuming he can convince Holland that his groin troubles are in the past.  Regardless, a decision will not be announced until this weekend when Osgood comes back from a golf trip to Europe.  Holland is scheduled to meet with him, either to discuss a possible contract or to break the news that they're going in another direction.  It's classy moves like that that pull players not named James Wizniewski to the Wings.