Lidstrom to return

[Da Jam Hammer]

DETROIT -- Defenceman Nicklas Lidstrom has agreed to a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings.

Sources tell TSN that Lidstrom's new contract worth just over $6M for the one year, down from the $7.4M that he made last season.

Lidstrom, who had been contemplating retirement, has spent his entire 18-season NHL career with the Red Wings. The 40-year-old Swede had nine goals and 40 assists this season, playing in all 82 games.

San Jose eliminated the Red Wings in Game 5 of their second-round series.

Lidstrom was honoured as the NHL's best defenceman two years ago for a sixth time, putting his Norris Trophy collection behind only Bobby Orr and Doug Harvey. He has 237 goals and 809 assists for 1,046 career points.

TSN

[Da Jam Hammer]

More money than I was hoping/expecting, but its great to have him back because he is irreplaceable.

[BranWingss]

I believe I predicted 6 million. Great news though.

[StealingSigns]

Awesome.

[NiTEFuRY]

I wish he would have taken less but $6 is more than fair. It's what he deserves. He took a paycut and that $1.4 could pay for a player we need.

[pidg88]

Im more than happy he is coming back, I wish he would have taken less but we all know he deserves this and more. There is no other D man I would give this 6 mil to.

So whats next? I mean im not good at the math, and obviously we dont have all the figures yet (Homer's contract Bertuzzi's helm/abby and the rest + Jiri Hudler coming back) With the salary cap believed to be around 58 mil how much room do we have and what do we do with it?

[Da Jam Hammer]

Heres my take on what the team could look like with money involved (with help from the handy capgeek.com).

I think we resign Homer for about 2 mill, and if Bert resigns it would probably be similar money, but I hope less.

FORWARDS

Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / * Tomas Holmstrom ($2.000m)
Jiri Hudler ($2.875m) / Valtteri Filppula ($3.000m) / Johan Franzen ($3.955m)
* Todd Bertuzzi ($2.000m) / * Justin Abdelkader ($0.850m) / Daniel Cleary ($2.800m)
* Patrick Eaves ($1.000m) / * Darren Helm ($1.000m) / Kris Draper ($1.583m)
Mattias Ritola ($0.517m)

DEFENSEMEN

Nicklas Lidstrom ($6.200m) / Brian Rafalski ($6.000m)
Brad Stuart ($3.750m) / Niklas Kronwall ($3.000m)
* Andreas Lilja ($1.000m) / Jonathan Ericsson ($0.900m)
Jakub Kindl ($0.883m)

GOALTENDERS

Jimmy Howard ($0.717m) / Chris Osgood ($1.417m)

ROSTER: 22; PAYROLL: $58.230m


Now, the cap is gonna go up a bit which will help, but that is still gonna be a bit over. So, either Ken Holland is gonna have to sign some of our guys for less than I did (very possible, as I was generous), or there will be some changes (bye bye Todd).

As far as the lineup, I reunited Pav and Z for old times sake (and to put Fil and Huds together while giving them Mule). As a result, Abdelkader is in the 3rd line C position. Unlikely. But I think Fil deserves to be on the second line to continue to take the next step. Abby could switch with Helm or Drapes as well, but our 3rd line C is a bit awkward no matter what. Abby, Cleary and Bert would have nice size and some offensive skill though. Our fourth line is money.

As for our defense, we have 5 guys set. Our sixth man is up in the air. I put in Lils, as I think we are more comfortable with him than Kindl, but realistically, Kindl needs to see significant time in the NHL... soon.

Ritola will be the first forward called up in the likely case that he is not in the lineup. Tatar may get a look or two as well. If Kindl is not in the lineup, he will be the first D-man called up. Smith may also get a look.


Hudler provides some really nice options as far as lines go. I reunited Pav and Z, which Babs probably wont do, but Huds really gives our second line some creativity. I think him with Fil and Mule would be good. Again, Z will probably end up on that second line though, and I assume Homer will still be with Pav no matter what.


Thats just my take as of now. I did not leave the organization for FA's at all, so theres still that, which would be exciting, but is much harder to predict.

[BranWingss]

Heres my take on what the team could look like with money involved (with help from the handy capgeek.com).

I think we resign Homer for about 2 mill, and if Bert resigns it would probably be similar money, but I hope less.

FORWARDS

Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / * Tomas Holmstrom ($2.000m)
Jiri Hudler ($2.875m) / Valtteri Filppula ($3.000m) / Johan Franzen ($3.955m)
* Todd Bertuzzi ($2.000m) / * Justin Abdelkader ($0.850m) / Daniel Cleary ($2.800m)
* Patrick Eaves ($1.000m) / * Darren Helm ($1.000m) / Kris Draper ($1.583m)
Mattias Ritola ($0.517m)

DEFENSEMEN

Nicklas Lidstrom ($6.200m) / Brian Rafalski ($6.000m)
Brad Stuart ($3.750m) / Niklas Kronwall ($3.000m)
* Andreas Lilja ($1.000m) / Jonathan Ericsson ($0.900m)
Jakub Kindl ($0.883m)

GOALTENDERS

Jimmy Howard ($0.717m) / Chris Osgood ($1.417m)

ROSTER: 22; PAYROLL: $58.230m


Now, the cap is gonna go up a bit which will help, but that is still gonna be a bit over. So, either Ken Holland is gonna have to sign some of our guys for less than I did (very possible, as I was generous), or there will be some changes (bye bye Todd).

As far as the lineup, I reunited Pav and Z for old times sake (and to put Fil and Huds together while giving them Mule). As a result, Abdelkader is in the 3rd line C position. Unlikely. But I think Fil deserves to be on the second line to continue to take the next step. Abby could switch with Helm or Drapes as well, but our 3rd line C is a bit awkward no matter what. Abby, Cleary and Bert would have nice size and some offensive skill though. Our fourth line is money.

As for our defense, we have 5 guys set. Our sixth man is up in the air. I put in Lils, as I think we are more comfortable with him than Kindl, but realistically, Kindl needs to see significant time in the NHL... soon.

Ritola will be the first forward called up in the likely case that he is not in the lineup. Tatar may get a look or two as well. If Kindl is not in the lineup, he will be the first D-man called up. Smith may also get a look.


Hudler provides some really nice options as far as lines go. I reunited Pav and Z, which Babs probably wont do, but Huds really gives our second line some creativity. I think him with Fil and Mule would be good. Again, Z will probably end up on that second line though, and I assume Homer will still be with Pav no matter what.


Thats just my take as of now. I did not leave the organization for FA's at all, so theres still that, which would be exciting, but is much harder to predict.

Looks great. I only have one problem though, and that's Bertuzzi on the team. I liked him this season, but there's no room for him and Hudler. Both suck as a bottom 6 forward. Why not resign Miller for a million less, a player that can play more than just in the offensive zone, and is lazy and takes too many penalties. Replace Bertuzzi with Miller and it's set.

[Da Jam Hammer]

Yep, I agree. I have no problem with letting Bert go and replacing him with either Miller, Ritola or someone from the outside.

[NiTEFuRY]

I thought Ritola was NOT a 2 way contract? I thought he had to stay with the bigs or clear waivers...

its time to let the kids play in GR, like this year was supposed to be but somehow wasnt. Id let Bert go if he wont take a pay cut and invest in another D man.

[Indi23]

I hope helm doesn't play anything lower than 3rd line this coming year unless of course we get another 50 plus point center.

[Da Jam Hammer]

I thought Ritola was NOT a 2 way contract? I thought he had to stay with the bigs or clear waivers...

its time to let the kids play in GR, like this year was supposed to be but somehow wasnt. Id let Bert go if he wont take a pay cut and invest in another D man.

The first year of Ritola's contract is two-way. He would have to clear waivers however.