Hockey Info

The NHL offseason is certainly a season to follow in Detroit. Though the recent addition of an NHL salary cap prevents the Red Wings from simply out-spending their opponents, they are a prestigious organization that always shops around to improve, adding veterans and foreign players into the mix. There are already several areas of the team where change has been afoot. Watch for things to start heating up in the fall when the NHL season begins. The Red Wings’ preseason kicks off on September 18 in Minnesota, and the regular season schedule has also been announced. The games that count begin at home against the Stanley Cup Champions, the Anaheim Ducks, on October 3 at 7:00pm. Things should be heated with Schneider and Bertuzzi jumping ships. For the rest of the schedule, visit NHL.com.

• The Wings signed Dallas Drake to a one-year contract. He should add a level of toughness, but he is definitely a veteran at 38-years old. Detroit originally drafted him in 1989, but since that time he has played for the Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, and, most recently, St. Louis Blues. The Blues placed him on waivers last season and Drake finished the campaign on the injured reserve with a wrist injury. [ESPN]
• Goaltender Dominik Hasek continues to move on in his NHL career, looking once more to win a Stanley Cup in Joe Louis Arena. The team re-signed Hasek to a one-year contract with a $2 million base salary with the potential to earn a couple bonus millions. At age 42, Hasek posted a goals-against average of 2.05 in the regular season last year. More important was his 1.79 GAA and .923 save percentage in postseason play. Hopefully his health can hold out for at least another campaign… [ESPN]
• Defenseman Brian Rafalski has signed on to be a member of the Red Wings for the next five years. His contract is valued at $30 million — being able to play for his hometown team (Rafalski hails from Dearborn) also gave the Wings a healthy discount — Rafalski turned down at least one offer for 6 years and $40 million. Perhaps the best available defenseman in this year’s crop of free agents, the Wings should be thrilled with this addition. He is still relatively young and offers a formidable replacement for Mathieu Schneider, who quickly bolted Detroit for Anaheim. [Behind the Jersey]
• Detroit and restricted free agent forward Jiri Hudler agreed to a two-year contract that will keep the young player in the Red Wings organization. In 76 games during 2006/2007 as a part-time player of sorts, he notched 15 goals and 10 assists for the Wings. [ESPN]
• Anaheim also signed Todd Bertuzzi. The physical forward will see a payout of around $8 million over two seasons. [BtJ]
• The Chicago Blackhawks signed Robert Lang to a two-year contract with $8 million. In 81 games with the Wings last season, Lang scored 19 goals and posted 33 assists. [ESPN]
• Penguins phenom Sidney Crosby has a contract extension. Life is good for the NHL’s young superstar, who became the youngest captain in NHL history and inked his 5-year, $43,5 million extension before his 20th birthday. Unfortunately, the unbalanced scheduling of the NHL means the Red Wings will not face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins one time in 2007/08. [ESPN]

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