Future thoughts and Taking Age into consideration

The Future Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings are currently leading the Stanley Cup finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins three games to two games. But I’m sure front office executives and certainly the GM Ken Holland has already started looking forward to the future of the Franchise. I was certainly stunned when I took a look at what the GM has done for the wings in long team deals of star players. Hank is signed a 12 year 73 million dollar deal this January which would put him with the wings through the 2021 season. Franzen also have a very very long deal to be with us until the 2020 season and Datsyuk will be with us until at least the 2014 season.

Looking toward next year specifically the Wings look like they are in excellent shape baring some type of trade that would dramatically shake up the team. If they were currently just to stick to their current roster they would have everyone coming back from this Stanley Cup Final run. The only real large decision I see that seems feasible for Mr. Holland to make would be to see what is out their goal tending wise. Marian Hossa is a great player and has not been effective in the point and goals column for the Wings this playoffs. The big question is, should Ken Holland go shopping with Hossa’s name tag out there looking for a goaltender in this off season?

Bonus: This is a stat that I looked up for myself and is accurate I will post my links at the bottom in case you decide to double check me.

Six of the Wings that have been consistently in the playoffs line up for the Wings are over the age of thirty. Draper is one of these and it sure looks like it from the tube that he is one of the fastest players on the ice. Lidstrom and Rafalski are also included in this stat as well and you can tell me but if there are any 2 current defense men in the league that are more calm under pressure I would really like to know.
Wings not included in this stat. Cleary, Datsyuk, Hossa and Franzen are all not included in this
stat. Datsyuk and Hossa are both currently 30 years of, Cleary is 29 and Franzen is 28. I believe that at one point or another in the playoffs one can make an argument that any of the players I listed above are the best player on the wings team. So why does everyone always say the wings are an old team?

Mike Babcock said something along the lines of, well I will give ya chilly, heck hes older than me. Other than a select few players I believe that we aren’t that old.
I would have to agree with him.

Please send me comments about what you think about my articles, email address is posted above.

Link I used for stats:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/det/stats?sort=14&year=postseason_2008
http://salaries.hockeyanalysis.com/teams/pittsburgh.php
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/pit/stats?sort=14&year=postseason_2008
http://letsgowings.com/salarychart/#