Bob Duff: Green Staying Put? An NHL source has indicated that UFA D Mike Green is likely to sign to stay with the Detroit Red Wings prior to the opening of the July 1 UFA signing window.

Im fine with Green and Bernier.

But, mother of god at this statement!

Of interest to the Wings are center Valtteri Filppula and left wing Thomas Vanek.

Apparently its a 3 year deal for Bernier. Lets hope its at 3m per or less.

God. (frank) Vanek and Green.

This FA class blows, it’s the type Holland will dole out big term/big salary for players who are basically on life support.

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?
-Duff

The fact that you mentioned Rouse and Macoun and yet somehow managed to forget Larry Murphy is hilarious. (Also Macoun wasn't around in 1997).

The fact that you mentioned Rouse and Macoun and yet somehow managed to forget Larry Murphy is hilarious. (Also Macoun wasn't around in 1997).
- Sven22

“A” for effort?

“A” for effort?
- Pasha13

"The Wings have had a lot of success with Swedish defensemen. Remember how Fredrik Olausson helped lead them to the 2002 Stanley Cup?"

-Duff, probably

There goes Holland...spending all the cap money. Wings need to go all young but he just can't help himself.

There goes Holland...spending all the cap money. Wings need to go all young but he just can't help himself.
- houseofcards74

It's June 29th. We have no idea what the opening day roster looks like yet. No need to panic imo.

I am fine bringing Green back as long as somebody else gets moved out of the system. I'd much rather have two more years of Green then even one more year of literally anyone else on last year's blueline. Unfortunately I think the plan is to bring all of the top six guys back and then waive and demote Jensen if he gets badly outplayed by any of Hicketts / Hronek / Sulak / Cholo. Jensen might not clear, but I'd rather someone claim him anyway so he isn't plugging a roster spot in GR either.

I am indifferent toward Bernier. He is a competent NHL goalie -- a decent 1B platoon partner or very good backup. It really comes down to the contract terms with him. $3 million AAV for 3 years isn't awful, and gives the Red Wings that amount of time to find a legitimate starter with a long term future. But if the Wings find themselves tight up against the cap, again, with a key RFA or two left to sign, are we going to regret spending $3 million on a so-so 1B/2 goalie instead of settling for a replacement-level backup at league minimum?

My feelings on Filppula/Vanek are ... more complicated. To be brief, I'm theoretically open to either on a one-year deal (more so Filppula) that we can hopefully turn into a mid-round pick at the deadline. But again, there has to be space first -- cap money and roster spots. Assuming Larkin, Mantha and AA all get signed, that's 12 healthy forwards under contract, and that's before you start to add any free agents or any of Zadina, Rasmussen, Svechnikov, etc.

Now, a lot can still happen. Witkowski could very well (hopefully will) get waived and demoted or tossed into a bigger trade deal. Nike, AA, or others might get traded out. If we can clear some dead weight and/or package a couple of guys (again, probably Nike/AA) to get some help on the back end or good futures? Val Filppula on a 1-year / $2 million deal would honestly not be the worst thing in the world.

But if the assumption is just that everybody with a contract is going to be back in camp because "trades are hard," then yeah, I would rather the Wings not add anyone else in free agency and actually let their rookies compete for the spots for a change.