Datsyuk in tears?
Pavel Datsyuk responded with a little humor when asked about Red Wings coach Mike Babcock's plan to put him and Henrik Zetterberg on separate lines this season.
"My reaction?" Datsyuk said Thursday after an informal skate at Joe Louis Arena. "I start crying. I can't sleep two days.
"But now everything is fine."
Datsyuk and Zetterberg were a dominant one-two punch when they played together last season.
"I help Hank, Hank helped me," Datsyuk said.
Datsyuk is taking a wait-and-see approach with the proposed break-up with Zetterberg.
"Every year we start like that (on different lines)," Datsyuk said. "It's not new.
"It's a long season. Nobody knows. I'm happy we're still on the same team. I hope we finish on the same team."
Instead of playing on a wing with Zetterberg, the move allows Datsyuk to play center.
"I'm more comfortable at center, more dangerous," Datsyuk said.
BABY TALK
Kirk Maltby's twins (a boy and a girl) are now about seven weeks old.
"I'm looking forward to going to camp to get some sleep," Maltby said, laughing. "I can't say I've ever said that."
The Wings' veterans leave for Traverse City on Sept. 18. A four-day training camp there begins Sept. 20.
FANFEST INFO
A few current players are expected to attend this weekend's Fanfest at Joe Louis Arena, but it's mostly going to be former Wings.
Here are some of the highlights on the schedule:
Saturday (season-ticket holders only):
10 a.m.: Recap the Cup with Mike Babcock, Steve Yzerman and Jim Nill.
3 p.m.: Recap the Cup with Yzerman and Nill.
5:15 p.m.: Fan forum with Tomas Holmstrom.
Ted Lindsay and Dino Ciccarelli begin signing autographs at 10 a.m., with Joe Kocur and Bob Probert at 11:30 a.m., and Nick Libett and Johnny Wilson at 3 p.m.
Sunday (public invited):
10 a.m.: Recap the Cup with Yzerman and Nill.
2:30 p.m.: Fan forum with Kris Draper.
Dennis Hextall, Lee Norwood, Mike Krushelnyski and Budd Lynch begin signing autographs at 10 a.m., with Brent Fedyk, John Ogrodrick and Wilson at 2 p.m.
The $5 tickets for Sunday's event are available at the Joe Louis box office, TicketMaster locations, by calling 248-645-6666 or through the Wings' website, redwings.nhl.com. For more information, call the Wings at 313-396-7575.
Vacation's over
The Wings have started their pre-camp tradition of informal practices. The summer has flown by and training camp is right around the corner.
Category: Red Wings
Posted by Dave Dye on Tue, Sep 2, 2008 at 5:28 PMThe Mac watch
The reason Darren McCarty's contract hasn't been signed yet is a little complicated, but here's at least part of the explanation:
The Wings can only afford to offer him a two-way contract - $575,000 if he's in the NHL, $100,000 if he goes to Grand Rapids to play in the minors.
McCarty would like some bonus money put into the deal.
In the past, a team could apply that bonus money to the next season's payroll and salary cap.
However, teams aren't allowed to do that this year because the players union has the option of re-opening the CBA (collective bargaining agreement) next summer.
So any bonus money has to be applied to this season's cap, according to the current cap rules.
The Wings don't have enough cap room to give McCarty - or Chris Chelios for that matter - the type of bonus offers that they might have in the past.
McCarty and his agent are working on getting some clarifications on this issue before signing the two-way deal.
With a two-way contract, a player makes no more than $100,000 in the minors.
McCarty brought up the possibility of signing strictly a minor-league contract with Grand Rapids for more than that amount if it was clear he was going to be in the minors. He used the example of "$250,000."
McCarty admitted he's no better than the 13th forward entering the Wings' training camp. The Wings will likely keep 12 or 13 forwards.
"I had fun down there," McCarty said of his time in Grand Rapids last season. "I get to score goals. It was like Junior again.
You play here (in Detroit), you have a role to play. It's pretty set in stone. Down there, you get the ice time, you get to play. It's a great community, great organization. They run it very well.
"I would not have a problem at all to play (in Grand Rapids). I just want to be compensated for it, I guess. The way the CBA is, hands are tied."
With McCarty's history of alcoholism and other off-ice troubles, staying close to home is important, more so than for the average player. This is where he has his support group, including his children.
McCarty said he has had some other offers from NHL clubs, but he didn't elaborate.
He skated with some of his Wings' teammates Tuesday during an optional workout. He said the only deadline to complete a deal is before the Wings leave for Traverse City on Sept. 18.
"This is the only place I want to play," McCarty said, referring to the Wings' organization. "I'm just trying to figure out a way to make that happen. In order to play somewhere else and leave here, it'd have to be something pretty special.
"Playing down there (Grand Rapids), I would not have a problem at all. I'm at the point of my career where I'd like to think I can help this organization in developing guys."
One way or another, it's fairly certain McCarty will be in a Wings' uniform when training camp opens.
Category: Red Wings
Posted by Dave Dye on Fri, Aug 22, 2008 at 5:10 PMGood voice, bad arm
OK, I have to admit, I was ready to use the old "Don't give up your day job" when Chris Chelios got ready to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at Wrigley Field.
But he actually sounded pretty darn good.
WGN also showed a replay of him throwing out the first pitch at today's Cubs' game.
That didn't go quite as well.
His first pitch went over the catcher's head to the backstop. Chelios found another ball and tried it again. This one was also high but was caught with a long reach.
The Cubs' broadcasters interviewed him on TV during the bottom of the seventh.
Chelios said he found himself trying to envision what it's going to be like New Year's Day to be playing the Blackhawks out on the field at Wrigley.
"It's a long ways away, but I'm excited about it," Chelios said.
Asked how much the Cup weighs, Chelios said, "37 pounds. You add liquid to it, it's another 2 or 3 pounds."
Chelios said his 17- and 19-year-old sons joined him for the first time for his well-documented workouts this summer.
As for where the Cup is headed next, Chelios said he will go across town to the old Comiskey Park for the White Sox-Rays game tonight.
Category: Red Wings
Posted by Dave Dye on Fri, Aug 22, 2008 at 2:23 PMSing it, Cheli!
Chris Chelios is at Wrigley Field today with the Stanley Cup.
He will sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch.
The game is on WGN and was scheduled to begin at 2:20 p.m.
It is being delayed by rain, but they expect to start soon.
BTW, in case you're wondering, Chelios is expected to sign soon and return to the Wings for his 24th NHL season.
He and GM Ken Holland reached a verbal agreement a while ago. There is no change despite the delay in the official signing.
They were waiting to determine exactly where the Wings stand with the salary-cap limitations.
But Chelios' signing was described by Holland Thursday as a "formality."
It will become official sometime between now and the opening of training camp on Sept. 20 in Traverse City.
McCrimmon's Back, And Free-Agent Signings
Talked with a sleepy Ken Holland this afternoon by phone. He spent the weekend celebrating with family and friends and a special guest -- the Stanley Cup -- at his home in Vernon, B.C.
But he confirmed the news that ex-Wings defenseman Brad McCrimmon is the choice to fill Todd McLellan's old assistant coaching slot. McCrimmon's a Saskatchewan boy like Mike Babcock, and his ties to the Western Hockey League run deep, so he and the Wings' head coach certainly are no strangers. Babcock made it clear he wanted a top-notch assistant who could handle the defensemen, which is exactly what McCrimmon will do. And while it's not the head coaching gig Nick Lidstrom's long-ago defense partner wanted -- McCrimmon was in the mix to replace Waddell as Atlanta's head coach -- it's certainly a good stepping stone and a comfortable fit for now.
As for the rest of the news, Jonathan Ericsson's contract is a one-way deal worth $2.7 million. He's the only D-man who can be sent down without going through waivers, but he'll get his money even if he's in Grand Rapids. Jimmy Howard won't, at least not this coming season -- his $2.15 million deal is a two-way contract for '08-09, and a one-way deal for the final two years. Further evidence he'll be in the AHL next year while Ty Conklin serves as Chris Osgood's backup.
No deal yet for Valtteri Filppula, but Holland is confident they'll get something done before Aug. 1. And it'll likely be a two-year deal if they can't find a long-term number that works for both sides. Re-signing Chris Chelios is just a formality, so that leaves only Kyle Quincey (a waiver casualty this fall?) and Darren McCarty and Aaron Downey, who got two-way contract offers from Detroit and are shopping to see if they can find better deals elsewhere.
Oh, and here's the Cup update: Chris Osgood gets it this week, before it heads to Sweden for an extended European vacation.
Wings sign Ty Conklin
The Wings signing of Ty Conklin from Pittsburgh has put Jimmy Howard on notice that the backup job isn't going to be handed to him.
In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Conklin is the backup to Chris Osgood.
Let's face it, this guy is a decent goalie.
Conklin, 32, was 18-8-5 with a 2.51 goals-against average and .923 save percentage (which was second in the league, incidentally, to Osgood).
Howard seems destined for Grand Rapids.
Stuart re-signs with Wings
TSN in Canada is reporting the Wings and Brad Stuart have agreed on a four-year contract worth $15 million.
That averages to $3.75 million. He earned $3.5 million last season.
The feeling around the NHL was the Wings wanted to keep Stuart closer to the $3 million his defensive partner Niklas Kronwall is earning.
But, at the price Stuart signed for, I say it's a fair deal for both sides.
Stuart probably could have gotten a bit more on the open market.
But, he repeatedly said in the playoffs how much he enjoyed playing here.
This shouldn't impact the Wings' other free agent plans, much.
They're likely to take a run at Mats Sundin or Flint native Brian Rolston.
They also are seeking a third-string goalie and a replacement for Dallas Drake.
Maybe, Todd Bertuzzi?
Bertuzzi cut by Ducks
Did you notice where Todd Bertuzzi became available today? The Anaheim Ducks are waiving Big Bert after a sub-par season. Bertuzzi signed there for two years and $8 million total, but the Ducks have seen enough.
Bertuzzi, 33, only scored 13 goals and hasn't been the same player since the ugly incident before the lockout when he attacked Steve Moore.
But the Wings did like certain things about Bertuzzi (size, soft hands, seemed to blend in with his teammates) when he was here two seasons ago.
Would they be interested again, at the right price? Don't rule it out.Now, why did we have that lockout a few seasons ago? The NHL just announced that the salary cap has risen to $56.7 million. That's a $6.4 million increase over last season. The lower limit for teams will rise to $40.7 million - a pretty hefty amount for the likes of Nashville, Florida, Phoenix, Los Angeles, the Islanders, Washington, well, quite a few teams. When the lockout ended, the cap was $39 million. It's risen all four years now, to this $56.7 million number. The league is doing well, no doubt about it. Revenues are going way up, which is why the salary cap has been going up so dramatically. But, isn't this a little scary? Small-market teams couldn't spend this much money before the lockout. They won't be able to now, either.
