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Rafalski to hang 'em up

puckhead

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according to Kypreos.

announcement to come as early as this week
would be walking away from $6m that he was under contract for next season.
 

Winged_Wheel88

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This is shocking. He was going to make 6 mil next year. All the talk was whether Lidstrom would return...there wasn't anything to suggest Rafalski was also considering retirement.
 

puckhead

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This is shocking. He was going to make 6 mil next year. All the talk was whether Lidstrom would return...there wasn't anything to suggest Rafalski was also considering retirement.

word is he had basically no ACL left in the playoffs.
 

Automattic

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I wish the Preds wouldn't match anything we throw at Weber. They will though.



The Wings had an interest in Bogosian before, right?
 

sherbert1421

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holland has not been told that he is retiring so it's not a done deal yet but if he does he will be missed in detroit. he was somewhat poor defensively but he was still one of the premier puck moving dman. this is going to be the first time i am excited for the offseason in a while
 

Eddie_Shack

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Interesting. It's been a few years since he was worth that $6M, but he compliments Lidstrom quite well. That's a big hole on the power play.

Now things get interesting. It's been a while since Holland pulled a big trade, I wonder if he still remembers how?

We could see a lot more of Kindl next year, we could see more of Brendan Smith, we could see Holland take a run at Bogo or Weber. I'd really really really really really like to see Holland try and nab up Suter in a trade, but I don't see that happening.

One thing that worries me, is this increases the odds of resigning Errorcsson, and increases his.... "value".
 

puckhead

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with $6m to spend, does he take a run at Bieksa or Ehrhoff?

I hope not.
 

Eddie_Shack

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Ehrhoff seems more like Holland's type. Bieksa is too big and physical to play defense in Detroit.

For Green? We have some Robert Lang trading cards you might be interested in... also a smoldering crater that used to be the Novi Old Country Buffet...
 

SLY

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lol... I think the Red Wings need a face lift anyway. <--- lol

Not that they are really lacking talent, but some players not near retirement age might be a good change.
 

Eddie_Shack

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I don't really remember seeing a lot of the free agent market for defensemen this year. At least not anyone who could step in and fill Big Brian's size 7 shoes. I think Holland is going to have to swing a pretty big trade and then make some smaller signings to fill gaps.

I would personally like to see Kindl get some serious ice time.
 

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Kindl was indeed getting better quickly. I don't really mind Janik playing. Not highly skilled, but pretty poised. Having a level head can get you a long way in Detroit on D.
 

Eddie_Shack

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I have a feeling Holland is going to make a run at Kaberle or Markov, maybe both depending on TPH's decision.
 

Eddie_Shack

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I hear he's excellent at reading plays and is a quick study...

He's still very raw, I remember watching him in GR and he had a lot of trouble deciding what kind of defenseman he wanted to be. If he was mad, he was Chris Pronger, if he wasn't he was Uwe Krupp (sans the sled dogs).

Towards the end of his tenure in the A he was starting to get more comfortable and become a complete defenseman. I think it's going to take time for him to grow into his body, his role, and his skill set.
 
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