With the signing of Dan Cleary, next year's payroll -- and thus next year's team -- becomes easier to see.
Here's a look at the contracts already in place with cap hit salaries in millions ...
Forwards
Datsyuk $6.7
Cleary $2.8
Zetterberg $2.65
Holmstrom $2.25
Draper $1.583
Samuelsson $1.2
Hudler $1.015
Franzen $.941666
Maltby $.883333
Kopecky $.5
Defensemen
Lidstrom $7.45
Rafalski $6
Kronwall $3
Lebda $.65
Meech $.483333
Goalies
Osgood $1.416667

That all totals up to $39.523 million. The remaining holes are ... three or four forwards, two or three defensemen, and one goalie.
Of those three forwards, one will be Valtteri Filppula, a restricted free agent. Of the defensemen, one will likely be Chris Chelios (unrestricted free agent) and another Kyle Quincey (restricted). The second goalie could be Jimmy Howard (restricted).

The following are just guesses, but add on $1 million for Filppula, $.85 for Chelios, $.55 for Quincey and $.8 for Howard and the payroll is up to a total of $42.723.

And that means that the Red Wings are in a pretty good position financially for next season. For two or three forwards or maybe one defenseman like Brad Stuart, there's $7 million under the current salary cap and perhaps $12 million under next year's cap.

Of course, if Dominik Hasek comes back or ... well, there still are some things that are mysteries.