The best available unrestricted free agent defenseman came off the board when the Washington Capitals re-signed John Carlson, and now it would appear that the next-best UFA defenseman will also be staying put with his current team.
An NHL source told Mlive.com that defenseman Mike Green was close to signing a two-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings to stay with the team and was likely to do so before Sunday’s July 1 kickoff to the NHL’s free-agent frenzy.
The Wings tabled a two-year pact worth a reported $5 million a season to Green at the conclusion of the 2017-18 NHL season, but Green opted to wait until this week’s chance to speak to other teams leading up to the free-agent signing window opening. It would appear that he has decided there isn’t anything out there that trumps the Detroit offer.
Green made it abundantly clear during the season that he would prefer to remain a Red Wing.
“I love it in Detroit,” Green said. “It’s a great organization. I hope I stay.”
Happy Homecomings?
Ken Holland has displayed a preference for bringing back old hands to Detroit during his tenure as general manager of the team - Dominik Hasek, Igor Larionov and Kyle Quincey are just a few of many examples of this - and the Wings are planning to pursue a pair of former Detroit forwards when the free agent period begins Sunday.
Of interest to the Wings are center Valtteri Filppula and left wing Thomas Vanek.
Filppula, 34, played his first eight NHL seasons in Detroit, winning a Stanley Cup in 2007-08. He left as a free agent in 2013 for the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Wings opting for Stephen Weiss instead, a move than then coach Mike Babcock desired.
While Weiss was an unmitigated disaster in Detroit, Filppula scored a career-high 25 goals for the Lightning in 2013-14. He collected 11-22-33 totals in 80 games last season with the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Wings also liked what the got both as a player and a person from Vanek in the 48 games he played for them in 2016-17, during which he posted 15-23-38 totals. Vanek scored 24 goals last season, splitting time between Vancouver and Columbus.
Both players would add scoring and a veteran presence to Detroit’s top nine forwards and would be ideal trade bait to use at the deadline if the Wings are again destined to miss the playoffs.
Goalie News
Former Toronto Maple Leafs have also proven to work well for the Wings. Remember the mileage they got from defensemen Jamie Macoun and Bob Rouse in their back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 1996-97 and 1997-98?
Well, the Wings are looking at another ex-Leaf in free agency to fill their need for a back-up goaltender, coveting Jonathan Bernier. Just 30, Bernier posted a 2.85 goals-against average and .913 save percentage while going 19-13-3 for Colorado last season.
The Wings are also in on Carter Hutton, but it appears that Hutton is headed to the Buffalo Sabres. The Wings have shown no interest in former Sabres goalie Robin Lehner, who played for current Wings assistant coach Dan Bylsma when Bylsma coached the Sabres.
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