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One more deal before July
General Manager Ken Holland just said in the press conference to announce Henrik Zetterberg's 12-year deal that he can probably sign one more player before July 1. Some of that has to do with league rules on contract "tagging" and not knowing what next year's salary cap is for certain. Holland said that he's operating under the scenario that the cap will remain about the same ($56.7 million) or "a little less" or "a little more". If the cap max goes up, then the Red Wings are very happy. If the cap max goes down, then Zetterberg's deal still leaves them room with which to work.
The one player that will be signed appears to be either Johan Franzen or Marian Hossa. Holland specifically named those two players and their agents as being in current negotiations with the club. Which one will be signed comes down to the best hockey value, according to Holland. That doesn't mean cheapest price. A $6 million Hossa could be deemed a better value than a $4 million Franzen.
Holland gave a time frame of four-six weeks for the next possible signing with negotiations being shut down after that through the end of the playoffs.
Hossa said today that he's not at all interested in a one-year deal, which is expected. I assume that Franzen feels the same.
Agents might factor into this equation. Franzen's last deal didn't come quickly and there was a point when the player thought that he was going to have to find a spot in Europe. Hossa's deal came easily. In fact, Hossa and his agent handed it to Holland on a silver platter. But that was likely a one-time scenario. Hossa can't keep playing on one-year deals and leaving tens of millions of dollars on the table for his own sanity's sake.
Everything right now is speculation. We'll get a good indication what the team will look like next season in the next month and a half. I'd be inclined to think that if Hossa doesn't sign before then, he would be open to other teams' offers in the summer. I feel for Hossa, who is just as deserving as Zetterberg of a long-term deal in Detroit, but fate placed him behind Zetterberg in line for that payday.
As Holland said at the press conference, this team can't stay together because of the salary cap. But with Zetterberg's signing, we know one key piece will be back.
The one player that will be signed appears to be either Johan Franzen or Marian Hossa. Holland specifically named those two players and their agents as being in current negotiations with the club. Which one will be signed comes down to the best hockey value, according to Holland. That doesn't mean cheapest price. A $6 million Hossa could be deemed a better value than a $4 million Franzen.
Holland gave a time frame of four-six weeks for the next possible signing with negotiations being shut down after that through the end of the playoffs.
Hossa said today that he's not at all interested in a one-year deal, which is expected. I assume that Franzen feels the same.
Agents might factor into this equation. Franzen's last deal didn't come quickly and there was a point when the player thought that he was going to have to find a spot in Europe. Hossa's deal came easily. In fact, Hossa and his agent handed it to Holland on a silver platter. But that was likely a one-time scenario. Hossa can't keep playing on one-year deals and leaving tens of millions of dollars on the table for his own sanity's sake.
Everything right now is speculation. We'll get a good indication what the team will look like next season in the next month and a half. I'd be inclined to think that if Hossa doesn't sign before then, he would be open to other teams' offers in the summer. I feel for Hossa, who is just as deserving as Zetterberg of a long-term deal in Detroit, but fate placed him behind Zetterberg in line for that payday.
As Holland said at the press conference, this team can't stay together because of the salary cap. But with Zetterberg's signing, we know one key piece will be back.
posted by Chuck Pleiness at
2:40 PM
3 Comments:
Nice to have you back, Bruce. It's been a long trip for the Wings and we sure miss your updates to your blog.
Thanx God you back, Bruce!!! I had really strange feelings without updates form you )))
What about contracts - I think that sign another one expensive player - not the best dicision 'cause Wings will have no cap space again for any movement, like this year.
So, the better option i think is to sign Mule for LT contract (4 years for example). It will let us sign Huds and other guys like Mac/Downey/Chelios.
So, we'll have to say "Bye" to Hossa and to (yeah!!!!) Sam and Kopecky.
P.S. Bruce, check out your MacomDaeliy e-mail please
If it comes down to Franzen and Hossa, I'd rather have Franzen so that money can be spent for some good depth on the fourth line. We could use some good defensive forwards to improve our penalty killing and occasionally deliver some punishment.
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