Jan 18
AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
Jiri Hudler of the Detroit Red Wings takes a page out of Henrik Zetterberg’s book as he pulls of a one handed deke on netminder Richard Bachman. Hudler’s goal was the one and only of the shootout which saw the Dallas Stars lose their third game in a row. The Wings, on the other hand, have won 4 games in a row and currently sit on top of a highly competitive Central Division.
Alexander Semin has been scrutinized a lot by the coaches in Washington this season, now the trade rumors are getting hot
As it turns out, Washington Capitals winger Alexander Semin does not have a shoulder injury. Instead, new coach Dale Hunter has told media sources that Semin has been a healthy scratch the past two games. Semin has been practicing with the team, so news of his scratches has put fuel on the Alexander Semin trade rumor fire that has existed for a while now.
One possible suitor for Alex Semin would be the Detroit Red Wings. Rumors have swirled in the past with Jiri Hudler or Dan Cleary being involved in a deal for Semin. Hudler has not been the same since his return from the KHL. His off-season training program this past summer has gotten him off to a better start than last year, but he’s still not quite the 60 point player the Wings had before he left. Cleary has been struggling this season as well, and could potentially need a change of scenery. His grit and work ethic would be a good addition to a Capitals club looking to build for the playoffs. This trade would suit the Red Wings nicely as it would give them a scoring threat with huge potential, in addition to being surrounded by a mature team with plenty of Stanley Cup experience. Semin could thrive playing alongside fellow countryman Pavel Datsyuk, and all he would have to do is find open ice and wait for the pass. Beyond this season, the Red Wings would have additional salary cap space free to either re-sign Semin, or pursue a bigger free agent such as Shea Weber or Zach Parise.
Another rumored landing spot is Los Angeles. The Kings, however, have much less cap space available currently. They would be forced to make a pretty bold trade in order to acquire Semin. Nashville has been included in rumors as well, and would add a great scoring threat to the team. They have plenty of cap space available. The New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes are being thrown into the mix too. The Islanders have a lot of young talent they could offer to the Capitals, but Washington is probably looking for players who can contribute to a long playoff run. The Hurricanes are in a similar spot with plenty of cap space, but not a lot in terms of trade bait.
While it seems the Caps would love to unload Semin sooner rather than later, his $6.7 million per season salary will make him difficult to trade. However, it is possible that the team could waive Semin in an attempt to remove his salary. If no other teams claim him, Semin would join the Hershey Bears in the AHL where his salary would not count against the big club.
Where do you think Semin will land? Leave us a note in the comments with your thoughts on his future.
Key Offseason Losses: Brian Rafalski (retirement), Kris Draper (retired), Chris Osgood (retired), Ruslan Salei
Key Offseason Additions: Ian White, Mike Commodore
Last Season Ranking: 3rd in the West
Offense: Top line scoring isn’t a problem in Detroit with guys like Datsyuk and Zetterberg in the lineup. If both players stay healthy, they are both capable of producing at a point-per-game pace. Don’t worry about them. Instead, this is the year for guys like Filppula and Hudler to prove their worth.
Detroit fans have been waiting for a breakout season from Valtteri Filppula. He has the skill, he has the hockey sense, now he just needs to put it together into one cohesive season. At the very least, Filppula should be a 20-goal, 50 point player with the Wings. He has yet to top 40 points in a single season. This could be his year if he centers the second line with Henrik Zetterberg on the wing. Filppula so far has impressed in the preseason and needs to carry that confidence into the regular season.
Hudler had a disappointing season last year after returning from the KHL. Fans called for Hudler to be traded, and Hudler responded with intense offseason workouts with UFC trainers. The result? Well, Hudler is in a contract year and the Wings expect him to be back into the 20 goal, 50 point range again. Coach Mike Babcock has alternated Hudler on Datsyuk’s wing at times this preseason, which could spark his offensive production if it carries over into the regular season. If Hudler doesn’t produce, however, he will likely be on the trading block come March.
The Wings would love to see more consistency from Johan Franzen, who scored five goals in one game against the Ottawa Senators last season and then went scoreless for more than 20 games. But Franzen, along with Dan Cleary and Todd Bertuzzi, provide the Wings with solid depth scoring. Expect the Wings to be among the league leaders in goals scored per game again this season.
Defense: Hockeytown breathed a collective sigh of relief when Nick Lidstrom announced his return, especially after Brian Rafalski blindsided Wings fans by announcing his retirement. But this season may be the year of a different Nik as Niklas Kronwall looks to shoulder more responsibility.
Kronwall will get heavy minutes this season and will fill roles usually occupied by Lidstrom on the penalty kill. Coach Mike Babcock wants to use Lidstrom sparingly, leaving room for Kronwall to blossom into a top defender.
Newcomer Ian White has bounced around the league the past few years, but he may finally find a home with the Wings where he will be counted on to help replace some of the offense the team lost when Rafalski retired. White, a good puck-moving defenseman, will see power play time and will likely be paired with Lidstrom this year, putting the chances of having a career season offensively firmly within reach.
Mike Commodore will help add some toughness and grit to the blue line, something the Wings lacked previosuly, while Jakub Kindl will likely challenge Commodore for the 6th spot on the blue line. Kindl has shown promise in limited playing time in the past and needs to prove his merits as an NHL defenseman.
Goaltending: Playing with the Wings, a goalie doesn’t have to steal many games. But Jimmy Howard was a big reason why the Wings were able to force a Game 7 against the San Jose Sharks in the spring. Coming into his third full NHL season, Howard needs to show more of that poise consistently throughout the season. This isn’t a make-or-break year for Howard, but he’s shown how good he can be and now he needs to realize that potential all season long. Expect Howard to win 30+ games this season.
Behind Howard will be a familiar face in Ty Conklin, a former Wing returning to the squad after a stint with St. Louis. If nothing else, Conklin is solid and capable when he’s called upon and should be a great addition to the roster.
Playoff Prediction: Playoff bound. The Wings are contenders, and with $5 million in cap space they could be big trade-deadline buyers as well. The team looks solid now and they could look even better when the playoffs start in April.
The Detroit Red Wings, after sweeping the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round, are now one game away from a potential sweep at the hands of the San Jose Sharks. Déjà vu perhaps? A trending storyline though is the absence of Mike Modano from the Detroit roster. As a home town fan, I wonder why he is not playing.
Mike Modano signed with the Detroit Red Wings this year in attempt to not only avoid retirement, but to win the one and only, Lord Stanley’s Cup. Modano’s season though was cut short (no pun intended) due to a freak injury; his wrist cut accidently by the skate of Columbus forward R.J. Umberger.
Modano only saw 40 games throughout the season due to the injury, leaving him little time to mesh with the Detroit style of play. Already a competitive roster with Jiri Hudler, Patrick Eaves, Drew Miller and veteran Kris Draper competing for ice time, Modano never really received a chance.
Since returning to the roster from the injury, Modano played 20 games until the end of the season. In those games Modano contributed for 2 goals and 5 assists. To the untrained eye, you would think this is a low production for such a talented player. Modano averaged roughly around 11 minutes a game, not enough to really get the motor going. Still though, Modano was utilized on the power play, and to his talents, 4 of the 7 points since returning were all on the power play.
So the question still arises why isn’t Mike Modano playing in the playoffs? This is an answer only Head Coach Mike Babcock knows unfortunately. Modano did see one game in the first round against Phoenix, and yes, Modano reached the scoreboard with an assist on the first goal of the game. His ice time was second to lowest, barely edging out Drew Miller in the game, which in comparison only has 3 more points in 26 additional games.
Game 4 is tonight at 7:00 PM in Detroit at the Joe Louis arena and to be aired on Versus & TSN. It is still unknown if Modano will be playing, and even further down the road, if he will be returning next year to the Red Wings, any other team, or perhaps retiring. It is unfortunate Modano has not been given a chance to prove his worth this season and in the playoffs. Currently holding the record for most goals and points by an American born player, and having 175 playoff games under his belt, Modano surely would be an asset to a back-against-the-wall Detroit Red Wings.
Just my .02. Bench Jiri Hudler who left the Wings to go play oversees and has done nothing this series, let alone his lack of effort in the corners, and put Modano in to man the 3 for 12 (25.0%) power play this series.
With only two goals and six assists in 20 games on the season, Detroit Red Wings forward Mike Modano was by no means a Fantasy Hockey stud before his injury over the weekend against the Columbus Blue Jackets. But his injury, which is expected to sideline Modano until close to playoff time, could allow some other Red Wings players to step up and shine both on the ice and on your Fantasy roster. Here are a couple players that might be look a second glance in the coming weeks if you’re in need of an offensive boost.
Justin Abdelkader will see significantly more playing time as he steps in to center the third line with former 20-goal scorers Jiri Hudler and Dan Cleary on his wings. With seven points in 13 games, most of which came as a fourth line grinder, Abdelkader has the skill set to play in the top-6 and seems to get better every game. He will get ample opportunity to create offense and help fill Modano’s shoes on the third line. Abdelkader also excels in hits and shot block categories if your league rewards for those stats.
Dan Cleary, who is already off to an impressive start with 10 goals and five assists in 21 games, will also be looked upon to shoulder the load and help carry the offense. He might be worth a look if your league is deep and he hasn’t been snatched up already.
One real anomaly on the team is Jiri Hudler. In his first stint with the Wings before defecting to Russia for last season before rejoining the team this year, Hudler managed to increase his scoring production in each season he played and finally topped out at 23 goals and 57 points in 2008-09. However, Hudler has struggled to find his way this year and only has six points in 18 games and has often found himself the odd man out as a healthy scratch. However, Hudler replaced Modano on the point of the second power play unit this past Sunday against Columbus. With a bomb of a shot and excellent play making abilities, Hudler could see a lot more power play time this season as a point man which will give him more ice time and hopefully help increase his sluggish production.
The Wings currently boast the second best goals per game average in the league and the 10th best power play percentage. Some of these players may be worth keeping an eye on if your league is deep and you need options for players with the possibility to have breakout campaigns. At least stash them on your watch list and see how things pan out over the next few weeks. Abdelkader seems to have the most room to benefit and will finally see steady ice time for the first time in his young career. He has been a workhorse this season and continues to get rewarded for his stellar play and his work ethic.
While no exact timetable has been given for Modano’s return after suffering a severed tendon and some nerve damage in his right wrist, the team hopes that Modano can make it back in time to get back up to speed before the playoffs roll around in April.
Jiri Hudler Returns to Detroit Next Season
With Jiri Hudler and the Moscow Dynamo seeing an early first round exit from the KHL playoffs, talks began to heat up around the potential return of Hudler to the NHL, and the Detroit Red Wings. Now, it has been made official, Happy Hudler will wear the winged wheel once again. Hudler has been released from his contract with the KHL, and will honor the two year deal he was awarded in arbitration last summer.
Hudler re-joins the the Red Wings during what looks to be the prime of his career. During the 2008-09 season, he amassed 23 goals and 34 assists for 57 points in 82 regular season games. His contributions in the playoffs have been vital as well, adding to the secondary scoring that is most crucial for long playoff runs. Last season in the KHL, Hudler finished the season on a point per game pace, notching 19 goals and 35 assists for 54 points in as many games. Expect Hudler to make an impact immediately with the Wings next season, seeing time on one of top two lines.
This addition for the 2010-11 roster, leaves a lot of questions for the Wings this off-season. Forwards Tomas Holmstrom, Todd Bertuzzi, Jason Williams, Kirk Maltby, and Brad May are all unrestricted free agents. In addition, Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, Patrick Eaves, Drew Miller and Mattias Ritola are all restricted free agents. With 7 forwards still under contract for next season, it looks like about half of the aforementioned players could be seeing ice time elsewhere next season, or decide to retire.
