According to The Athletic’s Craig Custance, the Detroit Red Wings have special interest in four unrestricted free agents: goaltender Robin Lehner, center Valtteri Filppula, winger Thomas Vanek, and defenseman Mike Green. What all four of these players have in common is that the Red Wings have a very specific role in mind for each player. Detroit is seeking to replace, or in some case retain, players who had success in a certain organizational role.
Lehner, 26, appears to be a priority for the Red Wings. The former Buffalo Sabres starter reportedly visited Detroit today to meet with the Red Wings’ front office and coaching staff. Custance points out that Lehner is still young enough that he could get his game back on track and step into the starter role if and when 34-year-old Jimmy Howard leaves when his contract expires after next season. This was the exact role that the team had planned for Petr Mrazek, ironically the other big-name non-qualified goaltender. Mrazek was ahead of schedule and took Howard’s job for much of 2015-16 and 2016-17, but a drop-off in his performance eventually ran him out of town. The Wings seem to now see Lehner as a second chance at their plan, replacing Mrazek in hopes of landing a young heir apparent behind Howard.
Filppula is a name that Red Wings’ fans are familiar with. The veteran pivot was drafted by the team back in 2002 and spent eight seasons in Detroit. Who better than a wise, capable long-time Red Wing to replace a wise, capable long-time Red Wing? Custance writes that Detroit is worried that injuries may keep Henrik Zetterberg from returning this season and pursuing Fippula gives them a back-up option if their seasoned leader isn’t around. Both players are versatile, two-way centermen who can help the team in many ways. Even if Zetterberg is healthy, Filppula’s return to Detroit could help to groom some of their younger talent.
Vanek and Green are interesting targets in that the Red Wings want them back to avoid having to find another way to replace them. Vanek scored 38 points in 48 games with Detroit in 2016-17, but was traded to the Florida Panthers at the deadline. Almost immediately it was rumored that the Red Wings hoped to bring him back as a free agent. Instead, Vanek signed with the Vancouver Canucks and again was a deadline acquisition, this time by the Columbus Blue Jackets. While Vanek registered 56 points in 80 games, Detroit struggled to make up his production. They are now back in the running for his services this off-season in hopes that he can again provide a spark on offense. They are also trying to avoid losing Green and, like Vanek, immediately regretting the loss due to a difficulty in replacing his ability. Green is the lone high-end offensive defenseman on the free agent market and Detroit is far from the only team in the running. Custance reports that they are willing to match salary, but won’t seem to budge on a maximum two-year term. If the Red Wings were to lose Green to free agency, they would surely have a hard time making up his 30+ points and more than 22 minutes of ice time per game over the past two seasons.
The Red Wings have not been a strong team for the past few years, but there have been some facets of their game play that have worked out well. Detroit is hoping to continue, replace, or revive those successful pieces in hopes of finally returning to a complete, competitive team. Are Lehner, Filppula, Vanek, and Green the right moves? Or should the Red Wings forget about past successes and move on to a new, younger strategy?
The Red Wings seem out of touch with the reality of their situation. There is no reason to bring back Fippula and Vanek. They need ti get younger not older
Zetterberg is going to help the red wings circumvent the cap by claiming his is to injured to play. He played 82 games and the injury occurred 2 or 3 years ago. This is a total joke
The only player on the list who should be in a wings jersey next year is lehner, we need a 1B this year and he’s possibly a Howard replacement. Everyone else has 0 reason to be on the team, they need to understand how to rebuild with youth and stop bringing in these guys who steal spots from svenchnikov and bertuzzi and Rasmussen and zadina and hronek and cholowski. Give the kids a chance already, enough with these vets that do absolutely nothing, it’s a joke and as a wings fan I’m over it already. We won the Tatar trade, we drafted really well we are on the way to rebuild, stop with the idiot no need vet moves. As a wings fan watching a zetterberg flip vanek line makes me want to watch 0 games, as a wings fan watching Rasmussen Larkin mantha zadina bertuzzi AA lines makes me hopeful for the future and want to actually watch the games. Nobody gives a crap about these guys and it won’t help sell tickets, the upper management needs to embrace this rebuild and stop with these morbidly obese contracts to people who are not needed. Freaking over it already, 8 years of this crap already
Really Holland? You’re such a meme. Bringing back Green, Vanek and Filpulla doesn’t improve the team, it just blocks a youth movement.
Seriously Holland? You’re such a meme. Adding Vanek, Filppula and Green doesn’t improve the team. It only blocks a youth movement.
Ignore this. Thought the first one didn’t post.
Could not agree more with last two posts!!!! Let the kids play already!!!!
I thought I read something about the Red Wings trying to bring Mrazek back. I could see Lehner in Detroit, unless another team offers him some ridiculous contract.
Filppula is still a serviceable player, but I feel like he is better suited to be a 3rd line center on a good team than a top six player on a bad team. He’s still a good penalty killer and can help a team win. If you are asking to be a go-to guy, I think it is a bad fit
The only way I’d be in favor of any of them would be if they came with a low cost. Really tired of overpaying for veteran (aka old) talent. Perhaps if they were able to dump some of their other albatross contracts first, but don’t add to them.
Aside from Lehner, the other three players only make sense on short term deals (1 or 2 year deals), with a reasonable cap hit, and with the intention of flipping them at some point in their contracts (next offseason or either of the trade deadlines). Green is the only one it makes sense to give a two year deal for as it buys the Red Wings some time to develop their defensive prospects. Plus, there will always be a market for right-handed defensemen and especially for those that can contribute on the offensive end. Vanek is a perennial rental deadline acquisition and players of Filppula’s skill can be found every offseason for a reasonable price.
I’d like Lehner for them, but the other 3 only make sense on 1 or 2 year deals with the intention of trading them for picks at the deadline, but I don’t think Holland is that smart.