The Hockey News: Ryan Dixon's blog: THN.com Blog: Wings can absorb Hudler’s surprise split

THN.com Blog: Wings can absorb Hudler’s surprise split

Jiri Hudler had 23 goals and 57 points with the Red Wings last season. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Ryan Dixon
2009-07-09 11:45:00

It is the last team you’d expect to get caught in the rain without an umbrella.

The Detroit Red Wings are the kind of organization that prepares for every scenario, happy and sad. The departures of Marian Hossa and Mikael Samuelsson likely weren’t preferred actions, but you have to believe Wings GM Ken Holland and his merry band of smart hockey men accounted for the possibility and were fully prepared to deal with the results.

Jiri Hudler’s decision to play in the Kontinental League, however, seems to have triggered the rare moment when the Wings get caught with their Cooperalls down.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Hudler has been offered upwards of a tax-free $5 million per year salary, $2 million more than Detroit was willing to compensate the small-but-slick 25-year-old.

Based on the fact Holland, coach Mike Babcock and players Kris Draper and Dan Cleary all placed calls to Hudler, it seems fair to assume he was one spoke the Wings were counting on staying in the wheel.

But to reuse an analogy I’m fond of, Detroit, as an organization, is a bit like a tissue box; pluck one quality player out and another just magically pops up.

Draper gets hurt in the playoffs, meet Darren Helm. Pavel Datsyuk goes down, Valtteri Filppula steps up.

Hudler, coming off a 23-goal season, was likely one of the players management expected to fill the void created when Hossa and Samuelsson split. His unexpected decision to sign with Moscow Dynamo changes that.

But don’t expect to see puffs of panic emanating from the Motor City any time soon. Aside from the fact that simply never happens, Detroit can still count on a couple of Finns to supplement its high-end core of forwards.

As mentioned, Filppula already filled in admirably for Datsyuk on the second line during the conference and Cup final last spring. And Ville Leino, who’ll turn 26 right when next season begins, is ready for full-time duty and might well be the next Wings forward to make opposing fans and teams mutter, “Where do they keep finding these guys?”

NO TAKERS FOR TANGUAY
Of the remaining UFAs still wondering where their next million will come from, Alex Tanguay offers far and away the most offensive upside.

The 29-year-old struggled through an injury-riddled year in Montreal one season after posting a disappointing 58 points during his final go in Calgary.

Tanguay isn’t going to run anybody over, but he’s capable of being a productive point-producer on a quality team and thanks to consecutive underwhelming seasons, he’s not in a position to demand outrageous dollars.

Any team willing to chew up about $4.5 to $5 million in cap space could add a quality, supplementary contributor by getting Tanguay on board.

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Ryan Dixon is a writer and copy editor for The Hockey News magazine, the co-author of the book Hockey's Young Guns and a regular contributor to THN.com. His blog appears Thursdays and his column, Top Shelf, appears Wednesdays.

For more great profiles, news and views from the world of hockey, subscribe to The Hockey News magazine.

COMMENTS (13)

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brian_kemp Posted
(2009-07-11 00:34:26)

My money was on Leino to move into Hossa's top six spot, so while I think Hudlers talent will be missed, I also think the Wings in general will still be on top of their division, and most likely the conference, too. Also, Malkin should have been suspended for Game 3, and while I think the Pens and Wings had a lot to say about how the series ended, for good or bad, anyone who doesn't think the league had a vested interest in not seeing their poster boy bow out in a short series is delusional. They won the last two games on their own, and game 4 as well, but game 3 was a gift. Take away Malkin and his 3 points in that game, and we're talking a different series. Congratulations to the Pens, enjoy the summer, you guys played well when it mattered (except Crosby, he might as well have sat out the series for all the good he did his team), but Malkin should have sat out game 3.

dave22 Posted
(2009-07-10 20:06:26)

I am not a Wings fan, but let's not forget that 9 of those 24 penelties in the SC finals were called in game 5 when the Wings won 5-0 and the pens couldn't control their emotions. And Malkin should ahve been suspended automatically for game 6 after his game misconduct penealty but wasn't thanks to Bettman. That is a game/series changing decision. Pens played well on the penalty kill but got away with murder at times.

tx_flame Posted
(2009-07-10 08:37:00)

In the SC Final, the Wings had 24 PP opportunities vs. the Pens' 17. If anything, the officiating might have been slanted in Detroit's favour. Overall though, there were good and bad calls both ways. (Too many men call missed against Pens, interference against Detroit on the hit that injured Crosby in Game 7, Cleary's 2 handed slash to Crosby's ankles in 2nd period of Game 6 (?)) However, on those PPs Pittsburgh was 4/17 while Detroit went 4/24. Special teams were the difference, not officiating.

snowboarderx Posted
(2009-07-10 00:59:33)

singollo I agree with you on Hudler having more upside than Helm and Abdelkader. Both are more suited for checking line roles. Helm looks to be the Wings next Draper. A good face-off guy that causes problems with his speed which makes him great for killing penalties and keeping the puck away from the opposition. As for Filppula in my opinion he was always the more talented one between him and Hudler. Hudler has a little more flash but Filppula is the more solid player. He's a much better two way player and just seems to have more upside. Even other excutives around the league have specifically mentioned Filppula when talking about the young players on the Wings who they thought could be special. I mean we all saw how much Filppula stepped up with Datsyuk out while Hudler got benched at times during the playoffs because he had become so ineffective. As far as Leino it's too early to call. He was impressive in the limited time he had last year. I'd like to see how he fares in a full season though.

cerebres Posted
(2009-07-10 00:56:42)

I have to agree to an extent. While I'm by far no fan of Bettman and believe his time should come to an end, I don't think there was any undue influence in the final. Detroit had the series won and let it slip through their fingers (though not to take anything away from Pittsburgh).

theblizz Posted
(2009-07-09 22:03:42)

LOL... it reminds me of Sam's favorite line (about spies) on Burn Notice... "bunch of whiny b*tches". Even in a post about losing Hudler, certain Red Wings fans (the ones deluded enough to believe that they are entitled to the Stanley Cup) can't get over the fact that they were outplayed in the Finals. Did Gary Bettman cause Lebda to make an ill-advised pass that Malkin deflected to Talbot for the first goal? Did Bettman cause Osgood to overplay his angle on the 2nd goal? Where was Gary Bettman when the "poster boy" for the league (Crosby) was run into the boards without having touched the puck and taken out for the last period and a half? The Red Wings team and organization are unquestionably classy and great. It's a shame that a vocal part of their fan base are such poor losers.

billycee Posted
(2009-07-09 17:26:25)

Perhaps Brown's hit had an impact?

imanism Posted
(2009-07-09 17:10:06)

Well...I was initially surprised, but only initially. In fact, all of the news coming out of Detroit that should be shocking is completely expected. That Final this year was like something out of a horror story. Worst thing I ever saw. Think about how the players must have felt. I'm sure that if more guys could get out of their contracts this year, they would. Get a fresh start and put that demoralizing end behind them as quick as possible. Yeah, maybe it's about the money....but then again maybe it's about something else.

redwingincolorado Posted
(2009-07-09 16:41:59)

singolo - Good post re: Hudler and I agree. Also, I think he'll go to Russia and make his $10 million then in 2 years come back to the NHL and to the Wings, since they'll still have his rights. And the good thing is he'll only be 27 yrs old!! I can't wait for next season, I'm already having withdrawls.

singollo Posted
(2009-07-09 14:02:39)

@stoneperf: My fault- you're right, I forgot about Radulov. I still think the situation is slightly different though: he was on his entry-level contract and wasn't willing to wait for his payday, he wanted the money. Hudler was an RFA and would have gotten a large raise now, if not by the Wings directly, then through arbitration. But still, good point- I missed it.

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