This is a huge get! Biggest signing in years for the Wings.
http://www.tsn.ca/red-wings-sign-richards-to-one-year-deal-1.323241
Looks like T.J. Hensick signed a one year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. Not sure if it is a two way deal. It is for 600k.
Sucks for the wings that he shows up small time all the time in big games.
Should I just make this the NHL Free Agency Thread?
Manageable term and duckets
Interesting to see who gets jettisoned from the Wings' defense
I think he will be a huge asset for the team. His speed and puck moving abilities are major boosts to the Wings system.
Plus he's only 29. The Caps haven't exactly torn it up in the Playoffs so he really doesn't have that many miles on him.
Think he will be a great addition. With how defensively responsible the Detroit forwards are (and assuming he skates with Quincey or Dekeyser) he could be a great add in Blashill's system, which uses point defenseman much more than Babcock does.
Matt Hunwick also signed with Toronto for 2yrs 1.2mil cap hit per year.
Nice to see them actually make a move instead of kicking the tires for once.
Kevin Porter signs with Pitt for 1year 575k.
According to Pierre LeBrun the Wings are making a run at Brad Richards. Not sure how I feel about that move. There are too many good players in GR to take a spot from one of them. The only way I would be happy is if maybe they package one or two of the kids with a draft pick for another D-man.
Will like Richards. As a Blackhawks fan, he had a hit/miss regular season but was very good in the playoffs (14 points in 23 games). You will want that veteran leadership around when you bring up several of these young kids.
He will be cheap too... thanks Rangers for his buyout money!
Great aquisition by the Wings'. Been a while since they made a big move.
Green can move the puck, right-handed shot, and he can man the point on the power-play.
They can blame whoever they want but I don't think anyone wins the cup there with Ovie. Of course I said the same about Pittsburgh and Fleury in 2008 so what do I know.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
None of you guys have clearly ever visited a caps message board. He gets more flak than he deserves but I don't know a single Caps fan who thinks he is worth the money you guys just paid.
Of course knowing Caps history he will probably end up in the hof.
$6M AAV is higher than everyone but Datsyuk & Zetterberg. Green is 29--I like the 3 year term, gives us a solid player without getting stuck with a terrible contract years down the road.
Who knows what Blash will do, but here's a wild guess at D pairings:
Kronwall-Ericsson
Green-Dekeyser
Quincey-Smith (just resigned for 2.75M so he's obviously still in the plans)
The rest: Kindl, Ouelette, Marchenko - I hope we can dump Kindl somehow and possibly trade XO or Alexey for an upgrade elsewhere. It would not serve to have them both stuck in GR all year behind the top 6.
I doubt they do anything with Marchenko. He has the coveted RH shot.
D-man with ridiculous offensive skills. Once scored 31 goals in a season. How does that even happen?
He's been injured a lot lately but has been healthy the last 2 years. Was +15 during the regular season last year so he can't be COMPLETELY useless on defense like ESPN is insinuating.
He's expensive, no doubt. But his offensive skills should work well with the Wings fast, skilled forwards.
You don't get +/- points for the power play or penalty kill. Just even strength if my memory serves me correct.
Shorties count...
But yeah, you're right in responding to that poster; clearly clueless.
That's what I thought, but I didn't want to make it look like I was talking out of my ass in case I was wrong.
Special teams has no effect on +/-. ESPN has no jurisdiction here.
Well we can't do shit about Ericsson. Green is a great signing, 3 years in his prime/late prime before he gets old. I'm meh on Richards, but I'll take him over Semin any day. Ward probably wants too much for us.
I was a Caps season ticket holder and can honestly say there is no one I am happier to see leave Washington. I hope he proves me wrong and does well for the Wings, but I suspect they will end up hating that contract just like the Caps did.
completely agree with your assessment. as a die-hard Rangers fan, I loved it when Green was on the ice. his offensive skills are still there but he is beyond a liability in his own zone. no physical presence and has been injured a ton lately. he is an old 29.
The thing is.. 2-3 of these D-Men the Wings have been playing the last couple years fit your assessment but without the offensive skills. There is a reason most Wings fans are happy about this signing. We've seen Green play and realize he has limitations. But our defense has been so bad recently that Green and what he brings are a welcome addition. Top to bottom the Wings feature very responsible defensive forwards so that will help mitigate some of the problems as well.
I don't think it's that bad. We're not going to expect him to be a shutdown defenseman. We want his offensive production because we are lacking in defensemen that can move the puck. It's alot of money. But it's also for only 3 years. So when he's 32, he's gone. It's not going to be a huge weight around the Wings' neck.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
i mean, obviously if we're paying him $6MM/yr he's a hoss, but i don't know anything about him. anyone care to fill in, kind of like an informal 'hello mike green' post?
thanks.
all i remember about rafalski was that he was so bald at a young age. but he had a few good years in detroit.
BREAKING: The #RedWings signed free agent forward Brad Richards to a one-year contract. pic.twitter.com/IH8swUSr6z
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 1, 2015