Red Wings prepared to make contract offers
MLIVE’s Ansar Khan provides an update on the contract situation for a number of players. Here are some of the key passages, along with my take.
Contract offers:
Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland will work on filling some of the remaining spots this weekend at the NHL entry draft in Ottawa.
…Of the team’s three unrestricted free-agent defensemen, only Chris Chelios is certain to be back. He likely must accept a reduced role as the seventh or eight defenseman, something he already has indicated would not be a problem.
“I’ll talk to him in the next few days,” Holland said. “We have to have some serious conversations about where he fits in.”
Chelios has said he’ll be back for a fact but that sounds like a bit of hedging by Holland, doesn’t it? So it will be interesting to see how that plays out. If they both agree he’d be the 7th or 8th defensemen then what is there to discuss? Holland has said that he has 10 defensemen so that might be the key piece of info regarding where he stands with bringing Chelios back.
Lots of people assumed Cheli was a lock to play during the playoffs but he was a scratch during the Stanley Cup finals. So I’m not sure Cheli coming back is as much of a slam dunk as has been suggested. Perhaps Holland’s willing to sign Cheli but not guarantee him a spot unless he earns one in training camp? This development will certainly be interesting to follow.
The other UFA D-men:
Holland’s top priority is signing No. 4 defenseman Brad Stuart. He earned $3.5 million this past season and could get more money on the open market. But to remain in Detroit, he undoubtedly would have to take less. Andreas Lilja is another defenseman who must decide whether it is best to take less to stay or get a better deal elsewhere.
I put Brad Stuart right behind Valtteri Filppula as the most important signings for Detroit. I guessed Detroit would pay their #4 D-man somewhere close to $3 million per season. If the Red Wings cannot sign Stuart then they need to secure the services of a legit #4 D-man. I think Andreas Lilja could return but it would ideally be as a third pairing/healthy scratch guy. His greatest value to Detroit is as a PK’er.
Signing Val Filppula:
Holland has made qualifying offers to five restricted free agents: forwards Valtteri Filppula and Ryan Oulahen, defensemen Kyle Quincey and Jonathan Ericsson, and goaltender Jimmy Howard. Filppula, who turned down an offer of a long-term deal earlier this season, could be a prime candidate to receive an offer sheet from another club after July 1, which the Red Wings more than likely would match.
Holland commented that he has plenty of cap space to get a deal done for Filppula. The one real concern is it sounds like Fil could remain unsigned past July 1st and that would make him eligible to receive offer sheets from other teams. My guess was he’d sign for close to $2.75 million but that number could go up if he’s intent on testing the market. Holland said they’d almost certainly match any offer sheet he signs but it’s cause for concern as the second line center is a key member of Detroit’s lineup.
In an ideal world Ken Holland would have both Brad Stuart and Valtteri Filppula signed to new deals this weekend or sometime before July 1. That would go a long way towards putting the franchise in good position to defend their championship next season.
Andreas Lilja Brad Stuart Chris Chelios Red Wings Valtteri FilppulaNo Comments
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