Datsyuk done in NHL?

Submitted by JonnyHintz on
DetroitSportsNation is reporting that in an exclusive interview with Mitch Albom, Datsyuk stated that he thinks he is done playing in the NHL. While many people are split on whether he should stick around or stay, the obvious downside to Datsyuk leaving is the new CBA that states that if a player over 35 signs a multi-year deal, the team is responsible for the entirety of the deal. So even without Datsyuk, his cap hit is still there. LINK: http://detroitsportsnation.com/detroit-nhl/sbrophy/breaking-pavel-datsy…

1VaBlue1

April 10th, 2016 at 9:07 AM ^

This had been around for the last couple of weeks now.  The only thing different is that he finally admitted it because the (regular) season is over.  I didn't read that story because Albom, but I'll be sad to see him go.  What an awesome player he's been!  The highlights!!!

On the flip side, I'm kind of eager to see the new version of the Wings mature.  They backed in this year, but I think they'll be better next year.  One thing they do need, though - imperatively - is more grit.  More players like Abdelkader, that will go into the corners and actually fight for the puck.  You know, what Kronall and Z used to do...

JonnyHintz

April 10th, 2016 at 10:21 AM ^

It's the Kovalchuk rule. It's to prevent teams from signing a 35 year old player to an 8 year deal, which minimizes the cap hit the deal takes, front loading the cash in the first few years, and then getting out of the deal after two years when he retires.

It backfires in situations like this, but if the Red Wings had signed the deal with the knowledge that Datsyuk was leaving midway through the deal, THATS what the rule is penalizing.

s1105615

April 10th, 2016 at 9:17 AM ^

The wings are always a better team with Pavel on the ice. This is a double whammy since the Wings will be strapped against the cap without an elite player. I get that he's old and wants to go home. Happy for him, but this sucks for Wings fans.

itsbigcat

April 10th, 2016 at 9:18 AM ^

The reality is that Holland has to redeem himself here. He's made a few bad decisions lately (Franzen over Hossa), Giving Ericcson 4+ mil a year, that expensive bridge contest for Nyquist that bit him in the ass this year (Both Nyquist and Tatar have devolved into near liabilities on the ice, turnover machines).

Datsyuk leaving to go to Russia still leaves us with a 7.5mil cap hit next year with virtually nothing for it. If holland can find a way to fix this, a la trade him to a team needing to hit the cap floor, and save us that 7.5 for some depth players or a solid d man, he gets a little redeeming value. If not, he's led us to a place that between Zetterbergs decline, three or four guys playing shit hockey, and Datsyuks departure and Franzengate, leaves over 20milljon of our cap space in dead money or painfully underachieving "stars".




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Bisquiteen Trisket

April 10th, 2016 at 12:42 PM ^

That's what the Albom article seemed to suggest. That would probably be the final straw for me with regard to Holland. Trade his rights and get the cap space. I don't care about Datsyuk retiring a Wing, as much as I love him. He's going to go play in the KHL, so he won't be ending his career here anyway.




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coldnjl

April 10th, 2016 at 9:29 AM ^

I love what Datsyuk has done here, but I am happy that this mandates changes to the status quo in the Wings organization. This team needs to find a team to take that cap hit though...maybe through in someone for their trouble, but start playing the kids more.

brandanomano

April 10th, 2016 at 12:31 PM ^

Keeping Franzen over Hossa was only a mistake in hindsight. Hossa got double the money from Chicago and Franzen was in his prime (outscored Colorado in the playoffs by himself the year prior). Holland's made questionable decisions like you've highlighted, but a lot of those are only apparent looking back.

To be fair though, signing Ericsson to his contract was never a good idea. Fucking hate Ericsson.




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lilpenny1316

April 10th, 2016 at 12:56 PM ^

That was bad at the time.  Same for signing Jordin Tootoo and Carlo Colaiacovo after striking out on Weber, Suter and Parise.  Signing Daniel Cleary to one-year deals when no one else wanted him was bad at the time.  

And you're right that keeping Franzen over Hossa was not considered a bad move at the time.  But an 11-year deal with an annual cap hit of about $4mil was a risk that did not work out for us.

meechiganman14

April 10th, 2016 at 9:49 AM ^

Sad news. He may be my favorite all time Wing to watch. Detroit fans have really been spoiled with some of the amazing talent that has come through in the last 25 years - Yzerman, Fedorov, Lidstrom, Datysuk. To me, that's why keeping the playoff streak alive is so special, it keeps the connection to that era alive. Hopefully they can make some noise against Tampa . . .




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gobluedave

April 10th, 2016 at 9:54 AM ^

is he a hall of famer? he had a 2 year stretch where I felt he was the best player in the league. too bad he didn't win a hart one of those years. defensive players get undervalued in that voting.

s1105615

April 10th, 2016 at 2:06 PM ^

If he's not a hall of famer, I don't know who is. The guy won 4 consecutive Selke (best defensive) & Lady Bing (most gentlemanly) trophies, 2 Stanley Cups and was a leader on a team that never missed the playoffs during his career. Add in his incredible puck handling, passing and even his sneaky good shot and he was he most complete player in the league for a good 7-8 stretch. I'm rioting in the streets if he's not in on the first ballot.

flashOverride

April 10th, 2016 at 9:59 AM ^

Holland was due to finally be bitten on the ass. I feel like "the streak" has become a curse because he seems like he believes all he has to do now is keep it alive and that in and of itself is good enough. This team was probably going to need a light rebuild to get back to truly competing for Cups, but that's never happening as long as they still manage to do just well enough to squeak into the bottom rung of playoff teams every year. 

Bando Calrissian

April 10th, 2016 at 11:00 AM ^

Don't care, will link to the Freep article, because it's actually really quite good.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/mitch-albom/2016/04/10/alb…

It's like Mitch Albom threw out all the awful writing conventions and hokey aphorisms he's relied upon for the last 20 years and actually decided to be a sports writer for a minute. I didn't even realize it was an Albom piece at first.

Hotel Putingrad

April 10th, 2016 at 11:27 AM ^

Contract should have been year by year once he hit 35 to avoid this possibility. I will miss watching Pavel play; here's hoping he goes out with at least one series win.

Ty Butterfield

April 10th, 2016 at 11:31 AM ^

Terrible that the Wings will take a cap hit next year. Holland had to have an idea this was coming. Not good.

Durham Blue

April 10th, 2016 at 12:04 PM ^

This sucks.  Pavel is amazing with the puck and the ultimate pick pocket.  If you watch him on the power play you'll notice the other team always gives him space when he has the puck.  It's out of respect for his ability.  I never worry when he is controlling the puck.

GoBlueBill

April 10th, 2016 at 12:54 PM ^

The Red Wings have been going downhill for awhile. This just helps get to the bottom faster . There is too much talent in the Wings organization to be stuck with contracts that pay too much and for too long ( Abdelkader, Erickson, Kronwall, Howard , Zetterberg). Trade some of that talent to fix the areas that need fixing . Toronto just did it ,  so it can be done .

Play the damned youngsters!! No reason to bring Mantha here and sit him. Play AA more,  he has done alot with the limited time he has seen . You bring Anderson up for one game and he plays 1 minute?? And in that minute he gets a goal( even though it didnt count). You broke Jurco and Pulkinnen .

Blashill has been a terrible coach . Part of that is due to the players he is stuck with though .

Holland has made some very bad choices , and remained too loyal to players ( CLEARY!!!) He was right when he said having Nick Lidstrom made him look like a better GM.

It pains me that the streak looks to be ending soon. It pains me because I care about the stupid thing . The Wings would have been better to miss the Playoffs this year . The only good thing about it is getting to see Pav play for 4 more games.

I get what he said and how he regrets signing the deal, but still you signed it Honor it . Suck it up for one more year .

I will miss him though . An amazing player .

Go Wings!

Blue Ballin'

April 10th, 2016 at 3:09 PM ^

Admittedly, don't know how these contracts work, but it would have been nice if the Wings could have sold his rights to a team in the KHL, even if only to recoup some of the lost money. Always a joy to watch him. Everytime his skates hit the ice you expected something to happen. He, Stevie, Lidstrom, and Gordie are my all-time Wings, a notch above some other greats we've had over the years.

Zoltanrules

April 10th, 2016 at 8:28 PM ^

Losing Pavel and the cap money is really bad. I have a Zetterberg fat head on my wall and love what the guy has done during his Wings' career, but he is close to the end. In two years we'll have about $15 million to buy some players.

We were one Boston cluster fu$% second period away from this season being a failure. Hard to feel more optimistic about next season though.