Life without Rafalski
Posted 12:55 AM ET | Comments 0
Hi my name is Mike Rizzo I am a frequent visitor to Hockeybuzz.com and I have read a lot of these blogs all of them are fantastic by the way, and I just want to give my opinions on my favorite team the Detroit Red Wings. What better way to start my first blog then to tlk about a great career that just ended Brian Rafalski.
Brian Rafalski officially retired on Wednesday after 3 years as a Red Wing and a 11 year NHL career, the question us Red Wings fans have is what is next? This offseason the Wings have the possibility albiet remote (in my humble opinion) of also losing Nick Lidstrom which would leave me panicked. Now all signs and things I have been hearing all point to Lidstrom coming back for another year, so for arguement sake lets say he comes back what do the Wings do. I believe Ruslan Salei is gone and therefore Brendan Smith or Jakub Kindl will and should finally get their first shots as the 6th or 7th Dmen. Ericsson is also a UFA this offseason he is only 27 and I believe Ken Holland resigns him hopefully to a deal similar to Jimmy Howard.
But what do the Wings do to replace Brian Rafalski the question is do the Wings start bringing up there defensive young guys like a Brendan Smith or Jakub Kindle, or do the Wings do something in Free Agency personally I believe the free agent defensive class is very weak, but it would not surprise me in the least if Ken Holland goes out and signs Ed Jovanovski to a 1 or 2 year deal to add a veteran presence to the blueline. I personally would not be against that signing for the right price but I am also a fan of Ian White a free agent this summer from San Jose he is a young defenseman who I believe could be a great future defensive partner for Nicklas Kronwall when Nick Lidstrom finally decides to hang them up whenever that sad day is lol.
Finally there is also the trade route. There were rumors during the Trade Deadline that Detroit was trying to acquire Zach Bogosian from Atlanta and could that be an option again during the NHL Draft, or is there another player the Wings would or could go after? Either way as a Wings fan for the first time since the lockout this offseason will be very very intriguing.
Brian Rafalski officially retired on Wednesday after 3 years as a Red Wing and a 11 year NHL career, the question us Red Wings fans have is what is next? This offseason the Wings have the possibility albiet remote (in my humble opinion) of also losing Nick Lidstrom which would leave me panicked. Now all signs and things I have been hearing all point to Lidstrom coming back for another year, so for arguement sake lets say he comes back what do the Wings do. I believe Ruslan Salei is gone and therefore Brendan Smith or Jakub Kindl will and should finally get their first shots as the 6th or 7th Dmen. Ericsson is also a UFA this offseason he is only 27 and I believe Ken Holland resigns him hopefully to a deal similar to Jimmy Howard.
But what do the Wings do to replace Brian Rafalski the question is do the Wings start bringing up there defensive young guys like a Brendan Smith or Jakub Kindle, or do the Wings do something in Free Agency personally I believe the free agent defensive class is very weak, but it would not surprise me in the least if Ken Holland goes out and signs Ed Jovanovski to a 1 or 2 year deal to add a veteran presence to the blueline. I personally would not be against that signing for the right price but I am also a fan of Ian White a free agent this summer from San Jose he is a young defenseman who I believe could be a great future defensive partner for Nicklas Kronwall when Nick Lidstrom finally decides to hang them up whenever that sad day is lol.
Finally there is also the trade route. There were rumors during the Trade Deadline that Detroit was trying to acquire Zach Bogosian from Atlanta and could that be an option again during the NHL Draft, or is there another player the Wings would or could go after? Either way as a Wings fan for the first time since the lockout this offseason will be very very intriguing.