According to Aftonbladet, Niklas Lidstrom is close to signing a two-year extension with the Detroit Red Wings. The Norris Trophy winner has been in negotiations with the Red Wings and a deal could be struck soon. "I can a lot well intend myself to extend and to continue after this season. I know myself still fresh in the body and is motivated," said Lidström to the Swedish News Agency. Lidstrom's contract ends after this season.
Good thing if true, specially since our youngsters are not ready yet, this move helps.
In 2 years from now when Chelios is gone and Lidstrom retires we'll have Rafalski, Kronwall, and hopefully guys like Quincey, Kindl, Meech, and Ericsson are ready to be up and make an impact.
He is friggin' Norris Nick. I'm dreading the day he's no longer on the ice. That will be the day we fully appreciate what he's brought to this team. Injury free for most of his career too. The question is... does he get a bit of a raise? He has a strangle hold on the Norris Trophy, and the silly Flyers are paying Timonen $8 MM/yr (albeit the average over the life of the contract is $6.33 MM; Chara gets $7.5 MM for 5 yrs). Hmmm.
He is friggin' Norris Nick. I'm dreading the day he's no longer on the ice. That will be the day we fully appreciate what he's brought to this team. Injury free for most of his career too. The question is... does he get a bit of a raise? He has a strangle hold on the Norris Trophy, and the silly Flyers are paying Timonen $8 MM/yr (albeit the average over the life of the contract is $6.33 MM; Chara gets $7.5 MM for 5 yrs). Hmmm.
The thing with Lids is, he could easily command the league maximum salary and Detroit would probably give it to him. But the guy has honor and integrity in everything he does, and realizes that if he does command the maximum, that could mean not icing the best possible team we can. I think Nick will be happy with $7.5-$8M. Not too little for what he brings to the team, and ensuring that he'll be the highest paid player on the team, but not too much to cripple us.
With Zets, i'd go for a 4+yr extension...no way should the wings put themselves in a position to lose the guy. Lock him up LONG term, not Wang long term, sane long term.
With Zets, i'd go for a 4+yr extension...no way should the wings put themselves in a position to lose the guy. Lock him up LONG term, not Wang long term, sane long term.
I'm expecting the deal to be at least as long as Datsyuk's contract. Those two are the franchise players on this team. Along with Datsyuk, Z is the other guy we are building our team around. The core of this team is going to be Datsyuk and Zetterberg on offense, Kronwall and Kindl on defense, and obviously Howard in net, although Larsson is playing pretty damn well over in Sweden.
I both agree and disagree with you. I disagree because I think he deserves the raise. I agree because I hope he will take less than what he is making now which would help the team a lot.
I hope he'll sign for 6-6,5 and give the team some discount.
I'm expecting the deal to be at least as long as Datsyuk's contract. Those two are the franchise players on this team. Along with Datsyuk, Z is the other guy we are building our team around. The core of this team is going to be Datsyuk and Zetterberg on offense, Kronwall and Kindl on defense, and obviously Howard in net, although Larsson is playing pretty damn well over in Sweden.
Zetterberg's deal will probably end the year before or after Datsyuk's. I hardly doubt that they will sign both of their best players in such a way that will make both of the UFAs in the same year.
I have no problem resigning Lids, although theres no reason for him to earn over 7.5 mill. Its nothing personal but Lidstrom isn't the best player in the league and hes over 35. He may be the definition of the consistency BUT you can't count on that forever. You also can't have $10 mill of the cap spent on a guy who is watching from the press box.
The thing with Lids is, he could easily command the league maximum salary and Detroit would probably give it to him. But the guy has honor and integrity in everything he does, and realizes that if he does command the maximum, that could mean not icing the best possible team we can. I think Nick will be happy with $7.5-$8M. Not too little for what he brings to the team, and ensuring that he'll be the highest paid player on the team, but not too much to cripple us.
Nick knows that if he asks for the maximum, he'll be partnered with Lilja again indefinitely.
The threat of this alone is enough to knock a few mil off his asking price.
Nothing personal against Lidstrom but if he asks for the max, then he can go "Raise his children in Sweden". Or go to the highest bidder. With Hossa and Jagr becoming free agents next season, I think its an obvious choice. Maybe the Wings can correct the mistake they made in 2003 and actually went after Jagr.
Lids is great and all but Jagr is approaching some all-time NHL records, hes the guy who can't put ***** in the seats. On a line with Datsyuk or Zetterberg, reaching Gretzky's all time goal total would come with ease.
I'd rather have Lidstrom than Jagr. Lidstrom is always going to be Lidstrom.
With Jagr, you'll get Gretzky for 20 games and than Alexander Daigle for the next 10. But than again I've never been a huge fan of rollercoasters either...
Nick knows that if he asks for the maximum, he'll be partnered with Lilja again indefinitely.
The threat of this alone is enough to knock a few mil off his asking price.
amen!
off in my fantasy land here's the moves i see the Wings making over the course of the season:
1) sign Forsberg
2) trade Lilja for cap room
3) trade Lebda or Meech for roster room
4) call up Quincey or Ericsson
5) sign Markov
6) extend Liddy at a 'discount'
7) trade for either Hossa or Naslund (and extend)
#7 will cost us quite a bit (some of Huds, Flip, Kronner, tier-2 prospects, and high draft picks) but is worth it if we can re-sign.
i know Liddy should/will get paid, but if the difference between making $6mil and $7mil is playing opposite Lilja vs Markov, or passing to Cleary vs Hossa on the 2nd PP... it's a no-brainer, right?
(i know i'm pulling this out of my ass, and even if he takes a discount it wouldn't mean the team can pull off any of those moves, but it definitely makes it more possible.)
I'd rather have Lidstrom than Jagr. Lidstrom is always going to be Lidstrom.
With Jagr, you'll get Gretzky for 20 games and than Alexander Daigle for the next 10. But than again I've never been a huge fan of rollercoasters either...
With Jagr you have a point per game forward who will be making ESPN on a nightly basis. Hes extremely close to Messier's career point total and realistically, if he stays healthy hitting Gretzky's goal total is possible.
With Jagr you have a point per game forward who will be making ESPN on a nightly basis. Hes extremely close to Messier's career point total and realistically, if he stays healthy hitting Gretzky's goal total is possible.
Jagr for 7 mil or Lids for 7 mil I'd take Lids 100 times out of 100. Lids wins you championships, Jagr slacks off for games on end. Mind you Jagr is one of my favorite players of all time but in terms of value especially to the Wings it isn't even close. Yes Z-Dats-Jagr would be the most exciting line in the NHL but with a D of kiddies and no legit number 1 dman and a rookie goalie we'd be lucky to make the playoffs. If we are talking about the Pen's Jagr maybe I'd think about it, but we are not. Now as for the deal to land Jagr previously I totally agree with ya, but he is going to want at minimum 6 mil a year and probably closer to 7mil. At that price I take Nick.
As for the extension this is very good news. I expect the deal to be somewhere in the 6-7.6 mil range. I'd probably lean towards him extending for 2 more years at 7.6 mil. With Raffy getting 6 mil I can't see Lids taking less or equal to that really. One can hope for a major discount but I don't see it happening as he has a great chance at winning his 6th Norris.
Jagr is 351 points behind Messier. If he keeps producing like he has over the past several seasons (89.8 points / year avg.), it will take 4 years to catch Mess including this one. At age 35 it's distinctly possible he'll play long enough to do it. The fly in the ointment is Sakic, who is older but just as productive as Jagr still and roughly 60 points ahead. Whichever can stay healthier and effective longer will end up with more than the other.
As for career goals, there's no way Jagr will get even close to Gretzky. Over the past 5 seasons, Jaromir has averaged 36.4 goals. He is currently behind Wayne by 272. That's eight years! I sincerely doubt Jagr will even surpass Howe for #2 on the all time list, needing 179 to reach his total. He's got a sporting chance at tallying 119 more to catch Hull for #3 though, that would again be about 4 seasons of work at his recent pace.
Back on topic: Nick doesn't show much in the way of slowing down so I have no problem with a 2 year re-up. Hopefully it would be for about what he makes now.
Jagr is 351 points behind Messier. If he keeps producing like he has over the past several seasons (89.8 points / year avg.), it will take 4 years to catch Mess including this one. At age 35 it's distinctly possible he'll play long enough to do it. The fly in the ointment is Sakic, who is older but just as productive as Jagr still and roughly 60 points ahead. Whichever can stay healthier and effective longer will end up with more than the other.
As for career goals, there's no way Jagr will get even close to Gretzky. Over the past 5 seasons, Jaromir has averaged 36.4 goals. He is currently behind Wayne by 272. That's eight years! I sincerely doubt Jagr will even surpass Howe for #2 on the all time list, needing 179 to reach his total. He's got a sporting chance at tallying 119 more to catch Hull for #3 though, that would again be about 4 seasons of work at his recent pace.
Back on topic: Nick doesn't show much in the way of slowing down so I have no problem with a 2 year re-up. Hopefully it would be for about what he makes now.
Anyone expecting Lidstrom to take a discount is out of their minds. The guy's a first ballot HOFer already. He's the reigning Norris Trophy winner, winner of 5 of the last 6, and is the glue that holds the team together. If you can't accept that, imagine this defense without him.
Why in the world would he take a discount? Besides those having wet dreams that he's this superduper altruistic human being who cares only about the team? Hockey's a business and he's shown no reason why he should have to take a decrease in salary.
I thought it was pretty cool of him to re-up at the same price in the same year he won the Norris Trophy for the fourth time. Here you go, best defenseman in the NHL with the hardware to prove it several times, we'll pay you THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT that you made last year! No raise! And he was fine with that. Why would anyone even expect this guy to sign for less than he's making now? If you're one of them, get yourself to your supervisor and explain how you'd like to take a paycut.
Don't get me wrong, it'd be nice if Lidstrom said, "You know what? I've been paid enough for all these years...I'll play the next two years for free. Or for two million dollars." I'd be all for that. But it's not going to happen. And it shouldn't because that would be crazy and I'd have to wonder about his sanity. Well, maybe that's not why it shouldn't; businesses just don't work that way.
I'd like to see him sign an extension. And obviously, a bit of a raise wouldn't bug me.
