SB Nation User Blog: motownchollis

Grier "Interested" In Detroit, Still Wait and See

motownchollis — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:24:05 -0000

More photos » by Henry DiRocco - AP

Mike Grier, a Detroit native, could be an attractive target for the Red Wings.(AP Photo/Henry DiRocco)

As the speculation continues about who will fill the gaps in Detroit's roster, another name has been coming up quite a bit: Detroit native Mike Grier. Grier, a gritty forward with some scoring touch, has piqued the interest of the Red Wings community as not only a physical player who can score some goals, but also as another hometown story in the vein of Brian Rafalski. Wings40 called out last week that Grier could be a viable option, however there hasn't been alot of notable movement from either the Wings or Grier's camp that would give us any indication on if this is a real possibility.

I contacted Grier's agent, Jay Fee, today and here's what he told me about Mike's status:

Several teams have contacted me as they see Mike as a very solid asset and a plus for their organization. Detroit is a first class organization in which Mike has expressed interest. I believe the Red Wings respect Mike as a player and true professional. We’ll have to see where it goes from here.

With Jiri Hudler's arbitration hearing scheduled for the end of this week, hopefully the organization can finally wrap up that chapter and start moving forward towards the upcoming season. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see Grier in Detroit, as he provides the grit the Wings need, while adding some scoring, all with the right price tag.

The Jason Williams Debate

motownchollis — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:44:45 -0000

More photos » by Paul Vernon - AP

Could a Jason Williams return be the solution for replacing some of the Red Wings departed scoring? (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)

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As the NHL off-season continues to move forward at an agonizingly slow pace, Red Wings fans continue to sit and wait for the brain trust to go out and secure some depth for the roster. As a fan, I have to admit that it's hard to sit and watch the other teams in the league scoop up talent from the FA pool, while we are stuck waiting to go to arbitration with a player who won't even be on the roster come September. Quite frankly, it sucks. And in a fashion typical of most loyal fans, I find myself becoming more and more impatient as the days without a signing pass by. I've analyzed who is out there, I've gone over the numbers and know who we can afford and I've talked to other fans about who they would like to see in Motown this fall.

The names I've heard run the gamut: Phil Kessel. Todd Bertuzzi. Mike Grier. Robert Lang. Take your pick of the litter. Almost every forward that is still available has been mentioned as a Wings target at some point or another. That's just the nature of the beast. But one name keeps popping up amongst the fans, and automatically causes a line to be drawn in the sand between them: Jason Williams.

For those of you that may not remember, Jason Williams was a part of the Red Wings organization in one capacity or another from 2000 until he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2007. When playing well, Williams resembled a young Darren McCarty: physical play, some scoring touch and an energizer. When he was off, it was like watching Marian Hossa float through this past year's postseason. Anyways, Williams plateaued with the Wings during the '05-'06 campaign, where he posted 21 goals and 37 assists over 80 games, adding another goal and assist in the playoffs. The following season, however, Williams saw a dip in production, notching 26 points over 58 games, and was eventually traded to Chicago in a three-way deal that brought Kyle Calder to the Red Wings. Following a 36 point performance over 43 games in Chi-town, Williams would be signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Atlanta Thrashers, and was almost immediately paired up with Ilya Kovalchuk. But after only notching 18 points in 41 games, Williams was shipped to the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he tallied 29 points in 39 games, adding a lone assist in the playoff series against the Wings.

OK, now that everyone is caught up on the historical facts of Jason Williams, it's time to address the questions of the hour: does he belong back in a Wings uniform? There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of gray area on this one when it comes to fan opinions. On the surface, Williams seems to make sense. He's a guy who has been here before, who knows what to expect playing in a market like Detroit, and who can contribute offensively. Not surprisingly, many of the fans who think the Wings' roster moves should be based solely on nostalgia are clamoring for Williams to get back here. There is an inherent belief that Williams is "ahead of the curve" when it comes to learning the style of hockey the Wings play, and that his best offensive seasons are ahead of the 29 year old. Financially, Williams is close to what we can afford, but would have to take a pay cut in some form or another.

But let's look at the other side of the coin. Yes, Williams has played in Detroit. Yes, Williams has played for Babcock. And if the red flags aren't going up for you right now, then you are more than likely one of those fans I mentioned above. The fact remains that Jason Williams wanted out of Detroit during that '06-'07 campaign, and made that apparent enough that he got his wish with a full-time trip to the Blackhawks. But it wasn't just Williams who was disappointed that year. The brain trust was reportedly none too pleased with the way Williams was developing, as he had a tendency to only show up once every three games or so. Yes, he could pop the goals in when he wanted to, but that's the problem: he didn't want to often enough. When he was traded, Williams was happy to have a "fresh start", but never really found a comfortable fit outside of the Red Wings organization, thusly bouncing down to Atlanta and ultimately winding up in Columbus. As for fitting into Babcock's mold, I'm not sure that's such a slam dunk anymore. Babcock's offensive game plan got picked apart by the Ducks and Penguins, and I wouldn't be surprised to see some changes to the game plan when the Wings hit the ice, thus putting Williams behind the curve again.

And now we have come full circle, as Williams is again front and center for the Red Wings. On paper, Williams meets the criteria as a player who could notch anywhere between 25 and 50 points. He'd be a solid third liner, adding depth and scoring without sacrificing the physical play. But what about the past? Bygones may be bygones, but there are folks in the organization that have to be hesitant about re-signing a guy who wanted out. And the fact that Williams still has trouble consistently contributing is something that hurts his stock as well. Plus, Williams made $2.2 million last season, and would have to take a sizable hit to make his way back to Detroit, which begs the question of whether or not 1)he would take such a cut or 2)is worth paying over $1 million a season for. Financially, Williams would likely make more than a Ville Leino, Darren Helm and Kirk Maltby, but less than Kris Draper. Translation: he SHOULD be able to meet the scoring demands of his paycheck, in comparison to the other players around him that are making comparable money. However, if Helm and Leino find a way to rev the engines this season and really start contributing while Williams lolly gags through the season, nobody will be happy.

The short of this is that, when you get to this level of FA, there is always going to be an increased risk that the player may not meet the expectations that are set. Guys run hot and cold, injuries are always a factor, and they may not fit the system in the way you had hoped. That's what happens when you take an up-and-down guy like Williams. You bet on his potential and hope he pans out.

If it was up to me and I was sitting in Ken Holland's seat, I'm not focusing my time or attention on Williams. I'm keeping my eye on him in case some other options fall through, but at 29 years old, I still question his maturity and commitment to showing up every night. If younger talent is what I am looking for, I'd prefer to turn my attention to someone like Patrick Eaves or Taylor Pyatt, who both need to really prove that they belong at this level and would be willing to work through camp to land an entry level type deal, a la Dan Cleary. If I can't land one of them, I think I prefer to take another run at Petr Sykora for a discount or go for Mike Grier, who should come home to Detroit for no more than $750K. The key here is maximizing every dollar I spend, which I don't do with a guy like Williams unless he's going to take a Motown discount. Given his history with the organization and a relatively productive year, I wouldn't get my hopes up about him taking a financial break to be a Red Wing.

Final move: Land Pyatt or Eaves to an entry-level deal worth between $500K and 750K, and snag Grier to a $750K contract. Leave Jason Williams' Red Wings legacy in the past.

OK folks, get after me. Can't wait to hear your thoughts.

Holland, Wings preparing to move forward without Hudler

motownchollis — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:24:25 -0000

More photos » by Carlos Osorio - AP

Jiri Hudler doesn't have to look so nervous anymore, as it appears the NHL can't stop him from heading to the KHL to play for Moscow Dynamo. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

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Red Wings general manager Ken Holland sat down with Ansar Khan/MLive.com to address the Jiri Hudler situation, and the news is good/not good depending which side of the Hudler fence your loyalties lie on.

From Khan:

Wings general manager Ken Holland said today that the club will head to salary arbitration with forward Jiri Hudler on July 30 in Toronto. Hudler's agent, Petr Svoboda, told Holland the 25-year-old left wing intends on playing in Russia next season.

"They have no intention of negotiating a settlement, they want the case heard before an arbitrator,'' Holland said.

The NHL apparently will not be able to prevent Hudler from playing for Moscow Dynamo. Hudler signed a two-year, $10 million (tax-free) deal with the Kontinental Hockey League club on July 8. The NHL has tried to void the deal, claiming Hudler is obligated to the Wings because he filed for salary arbitration on July 5.

Basically, it looks like the Wings are ready to move on and start looking for a free agent or two to replace some of the scoring they lost to defections earlier in this off season. Now that the handcuffs of a potential Hudler contract are off, look for Holland to try and land some low priced, value forwards who can contribute anywhere between 15-20 goals a season. Mike Grier's name immediately jumps to the forefront as a potential contender, and if the Wings could negotiate the right price, Petr Sykora would be another interesting option.

In the end though, this is the best thing for both sides. The Wings don't want a player on their roster that wants to be playing somewhere else, especially if they have to go over the cap to do so. Hudler wants to make his money and have a shot at being a leader for Moscow Dynamo. One way or the other, it's time to put this all to bed and get to work on winning back the Stanley Cup. The train is pulling out at some point and it's doing so with or without Hudler.

Hossa, Kopecky to Hawks. Conklin to Blues.

motownchollis — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:38:45 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

So long, Hoss! See you across the lake! (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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"Free agent frenzy" kicked off with a huge bang today, and no announcement was bigger than Marian Hossa's. Hoss agreed to a heavily front loaded, 12 year contract with the division rival Chicago Blackhawks, for an average of $5.2 million a season. He takes with him free agent center Tomas Kopecky, who signed a two year deal with 'Hawks, for an average of $1.2 million a season.

Additionally, free agent goaltender Ty Conklin signed a two year deal with another division rival: the St. Louis Blues. Conks will make an average of $1.3 million a season.

As for the Wings, we have yet to see any moves from Ken Holland and the front office, but that is as expected. Stay with WIM throughout the rest of the day, as we will be updating this post as news breaks.

UPDATE1: Hossa? Nossa.

motownchollis — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:46:19 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

Marian Hossa is likely done as a Red Wing. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Multiple sources are reporting that Marian Hossa has turned down a 10 year offer from the Red Wings.

From Sportsnet.ca:

Sportsnet has learned Marion Hossa has turned down a contract offer from the Red Wings that would have kept the all-star with the Red Wings for the next 10 years.

A source compared the length of the deal to the deals Johan Franzen and Henrik Zetterberg signed. It's believed the deal-breaker was the average salary which fell between $3.75 million and $4 million.

The Detroit News confirms, and also offers up some information on Darren McCarty and Aaron Downey:

General manager Ken Holland and Hossa's agent Ritch Winter talked again Tuesday but came to no agreement.

"It certainly appears that way," Holland said. "As I've said all along, we only have so much cap room. We have players that I'm not interested in losing."

Holland also said he'll talk again with the representative for Mikael Samuelsson Wednesday morning in an effort to retain Samuelsson, who is an unrestricted free agent.

Tomas Kopecky, the Wings other unrestricted free agent, will test the market and likely won't return to the Wings.

Holland also said the organization will not re-sign veteran forwards Darren McCarty and Aaron Downey.

**UPDATE (12:57 AM ET)

Craig Custance/Sporting News reports that, even though Hossa reportedly rejected the deal, negotiations will still continue:

The chances of Marian Hossa signing with the Red Wings aren't great, but it still could happen. Despite reports on the eve of free agency that Hossa had turned down an offer from the Red Wings, the possibility of a deal still exists.

An NHL source told SportingNews.com late Tuesday night that discussions between the two sides will continue.

It's not an issue of either side wanting to get a deal completed, it's a matter of finding common ground. The Red Wings would like to keep Hossa at a annual salary cap number in the $4 million range, which would be considerably less than he'd earn on the open market.

Not all that encouraging, but at this point, it's better than nothing. If you want Hossa to stick around, that is.

Conklin will not be offered, Holland "not optimistic" about Hossa

motownchollis — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 03:43:36 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

Will Marian Hossa be fist pumping with another team next year? (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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On the heels of a great draft for the Detroit Red Wings, some news that is a bit less encouraging.

From Ansar Khan/MLive:

"If there's a (salary) cap number we think can fit in, we'll sign him. We're prepared to do a long-term deal," Holland said. "(Hossa's agent) Ritch Winter is hoping for a bigger cap number, more than what we're offering.

"He's talking to Marian. We'll talk in the next couple of days. I'm not optimistic, but we'll see."

Holland also said the team will not offer backup goaltender Ty Conklin a contract. That means Jimmy Howard will back up Chris Osgood next season.

It shouldn't be a big surprise to see Conklin head out, based on Ken Holland and Jim Nill's recent comments in support of Howard. However, Conklin was a hard-working, "everyman" kind of player that was a fan favorite in Detroit, so there will be more than a few fans that are sad to see him go.

In terms of Marian Hossa: It honestly sounds less and less likely that he will be with the Wings next season. The Wings will obviously continue to pursue him, but Holland is also preparing to listen to offers for Hossa's negotiating rights. While Hossa is one of the top prospects in this year's fee agent class, there is other talent to be had around the league, and Hossa could become one very large bargaining chip for the Wings. That said, nothing is done yet, so let's see what Holland, Nill and company have up their sleeve over the next couple of days.

Wings Free Agency Roundup - 6.24

motownchollis — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:03:54 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

Niklas Kronwall (left) and Henrik Zetterberg will be on the ice for the Wings next season. Who's going to join them?(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Now that we know Steve Yzerman is headed to Toronto as the newest member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, along with former teammates Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille, we can finally settle in and get back to the business at hand: who's going to be suiting up for the Wings next season?

The picture looks to be clearing up a bit, but is still incredibly hazy. Here's what we know so far:

Multiple sources have confirmed that Chris Chelios will not be offered a playing contract for the Red Wings this upcoming season. Cheli is scheduled to meet with the media today to discuss his own future, and he still believes he can contribute big minutes for someone in the league. In terms of immediate impact: everyone knew this was coming. The blue-line is pretty much set for next season with Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Niklas Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson, Brad Stuart, Andreas Lilja and Derek Meech. Obviously, Lilja's health is still a VERY big question, so a move to shore up the blue line even more may not be out of the question.

With every passing day, it looks more and more like Ty Conklin will probably find his way out of Detroit in favor of giving Jimmy Howard a shot at being Chris Osgood's backup. From Rachel Lenzi/Portland (Maine) Press-Herald:

"Jimmy's earned a chance to get to the top," said Jim Nill, the assistant general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. "We have full confidence that Jimmy Howard's going to come in and be a goalie for the Red Wings, but he has to come in and earn that, and there's an opportunity for him to do that. It's up to him. Is there a job for him? He has to earn that."

Lenzi also talked with Howard about his situation:

"The Red Wings like how I've progressed," said Howard, the 64th selection in the 2003 NHL Draft. "They like how I've gotten rid of the inconsistency bug, and this season, I was a lot more consistent. Next year, I"m going to get my shot and I have to take full advantage of it."

Ken Holland and Jim Nill seem pretty confident in Howard, and now is as good of time as any to give him a shot at competing. The Wings have some good prospects behind Howard, so that should provide motivation for the kid to step it up. This also (theoretically) frees up some additional money for the Wings, as they won't have to shell out to keep Conklin on the roster.

As many folks pointed out this week, Eklund from over at HockeyBuzz laid out a claim that Detroit had all but locked up Marian Hossa for the long term. That's a bit difficult to believe right now, especially considering that, as Ken Holland has repeatedly said, he won't know what he can offer until he gets a solid salary cap figure for the upcoming season. Does this mean Hossa isn't staying? Absolutely not. Ted Kulfan/Detroit News makes a great point:

Hossa is expected to receive an offer in the range of $4 million to $5 million from the Wings, but for anywhere from 8-10 years. Many teams, especially teams contending for the Stanley Cup, won't be able to offer similar lengthy deals.

So what does it come down to? The same thing it has from the beginning: is Hossa serious about putting a long-term deal over making more money. If yes, he's back. If not, he's not. Holland has already said he will meet with Hossa's agent, Ritch Winter, during the draft this weekend, so we should have a better idea of where things stand early next week.

Take this one for what it's worth, but according to Kulfan, Mikael Samuelsson has put his house up for sale.

Samuelsson, incidentally, has put his house up for sale according to several residents in his Novi neighborhood.

No surprise here, as it's been pretty much assumed from the get-go that Samuelsson would be odd man out after this season was over. Barring a major surprise, Sammy's services will be with another NHL franchise next season.

Finally, we know that Holland has made qualifying offers to both Jiri Hudler and Ville Leino, both restricted free agents, in an attempt to keep their rights. Holland has also said that he is currently undecided on offering two-way contracts to veterans Darren McCarty and Aaron Downey. Leino will stick around, as his role should increase this season with the Wings. I would also expect Holland to offer both McCarty and Downey deals, as long as he has the money to do so. As far as Hudler goes, his presence in Detroit is an incredible long shot for next season. Even if he re-signs, he will be one of Detroit's biggest trade pieces, and will likely get moved.

Like I said, it's still hazy, but it should really start to clear up next week once the draft is over with and the free agent market opens up.

Babcock Will Coach Canada in 2010

motownchollis — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:01:07 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

Mike Babcock is expected to be named the head coach for Team Canada. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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In another move that won't surprise too many people, Tim Wharnsby/Globe and Mail is reporting that Steve Yzerman is expected to name Red Wings coach Mike Babcock as the man who will steer Canada's 2010 Olympic hockey ship.

From Wharnsby:

Mike Babcock will be sworn in as the coach of the 2010 Canadian Olympic men's hockey team in Montreal this week.

...

Hockey Canada and everyone involved has been tight-lipped about the appointment, but a source confirmed last night that Yzerman will announce Babcock as the coach most likely on Thursday in a press conference to take place a few blocks from Montreal's McGill University, where Babcock played defence.

Can't say this is a big surprise, as Yzerman has been high on Babcock from the get-go. I'm guessing Babcock's ties to the Wings organization didn't hurt him much either.

However, there is still some speculation as to who his assistant coaches will be:

The only part of Yzerman's announcement that will be a surprise will be the assistant coaches. Babcock's assistants are expected to come from a group that includes Ken Hitchcock (Columbus Blue Jackets), Claude Julien (Boston Bruins), Lindy Ruff (Buffalo Sabres), Barry Trotz (Nashville Predators) and Randy Carlyle (Ducks).

Congratulations to Coach Babcock!

Yzerman, Hull Heading to the Hall

motownchollis — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:56:13 -0000

With rumors swirling for over a week now, WIM has learned that the news will finally be made official: Steve Yzerman and Brett Hull are heading into hockey immortality as two of the newest members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

"The Captain" will go into the Hall as a three-time Stanley Cup winner as a player, along with a gold medal winner in the 2002 Olympics. His individual awards include a Lester B. Pearson Award, Conn Smythe Trophy, Selke Trophy and Masterton Trophy. Yzerman has the sixth highest point total in NHL history (1,755), trailing only Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Gordie Howe, Ron Francis and Marcel Dionne, all of who are already enshrined in the HOF.

As for Hull, he enters the Hall as a two time Cup winner (Dallas, Detroit) and will join his father, Bobby (1983) in the Hall. ~~as the~~ ~~first father/son duo to be enshrined.~~ {Correction, see below} Hull enters the Hall with 741 regular season goals, third on the all-time regular season scoring list.

The induction ceremony will take place on November 9 in Toronto. Congratulations to both Steve and Brett!

*UPDATE(11:08 AM): Expect the official announcement to come down at about 3:30 PM today.

Correction: Stu Hackel from over at the New York Times correctly pointed out that Brett/Bobby Hull are NOT the first father/son player duo to be enshrined in the Hall, as Lester and Lynn Patrick, 1947 and 1980 respectively, were both inducted as players. From the man himself:

"Lester Patrick and Lynn Patrick were both inducted as players. Lynn's son Craig was inducted as a builder, so that's three generations. Foster Hewitt and his father Wiliam A. Hewitt were both inducted as builders and Foster's son (W.A.'s grandson) Bill was inducted as a broadcaster, which is also three generations. Dick Irvin Sr.is in as a player and his son Dick Jr. is in as a broadcaster. Arthur Wirtz and his son Bill WIrtz are both in as builders, as are George Brown and Walter Brown and Charles Adams and Weston Adams."

Circle takes the square on this one. Thanks for the correction, Stu. I owe you a beer.

Oddsmaker: Wings Early Favorite for '09-'10 Cup.

motownchollis — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:42:58 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

Can the Wings bring the Cup back to Detroit next year? One odds-maker thinks so. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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It's never too early to start looking ahead, right? Even though free agency is just getting underway and the puck doesn't drop for another three months, one online odds-maker has already released predictions for who will hoist the Stanley Cup next season. Leading the way at 4.5/1? Your Detroit Red Wings. Following closely behind at 6/1 are the current champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

Obviously, this means very little in terms of what will actually happen during the season, but it's still fun to speculate.

And for those who are curious: It's a four-way tie for longshot between Atlanta, Phoenix, Tampa Bay and the New York Islanders at 75/1.

See all of the odds at The Spread.