...so he’s agreed to terms with Detroit and he’s headed to the KHL?

Posted by Garth on 07/08/09 at 08:23 AM ET

It would be a nice get by the KHL and I’d miss Happy but I won’t be crushed either.

There are still a few UFA’s that would fill his role.

Posted by Moocat on 07/08/09 at 08:36 AM ET

Garth, I agree.  Its a complete contradiction.  How can you agree to a contract w/ the Wings and then play in Russia?  Yeah the NHL is really good at poaching players from the KHL.  Questions is, if he does leave, who takes his place?

Posted by TEMO from LANSING, MICHIGAN, U.S.A. on 07/08/09 at 08:52 AM ET

Good Lord, this is depressing.  The Wings have now lost more than a full line of forwards (Hossa, Sammy, Kopy, Hudler).  Helm and Leino fill two of those slots, and you have to wonder whether this increases Justin Abdelkader’s shot at staying up full-time, but, man.  This still sucks.  It’d be easier to take if two of the aforementioned departures weren’t so freaking enjoyable to watch (and, hell, in contrast to most of the 19, I loved Sammy too).

There are still a few UFA’s that would fill his role.

I think Leino fills Hudler’s role fine.  Wings still have a top 6 of Z, Datsyuk, Franzen, Filppula, Cleary, Holmstrom.  The spot this (and the Samuelsson signing in Vancouver) hurts most, in my eyes, in is that they are not going to have the luxury of two forwards who can play in the top 6 or the third/forth line as they did.  I, for one, feel the wings are going to miss having the ability to roll Happy or Sammy up to a top line when Holmstrom is out with a groin or back injury, etc, like they have so often in the past.  I think Darren Helm can do this to a large degree, as can Leino, but not quite like the two departing players could.

Posted by shanetx on 07/08/09 at 08:55 AM ET

Leino, is going to have to fill Samuelson or Hudler’s role as far as goal production goes either way.

As for style of play, I hope Leino is able to be more effective than Hudler in regards to physical play.

If Hudler signs with the KHL then maybe Alex Tanguay, Mike Comrie, or Saku Koivu get a look from the Wings or God forbid, Jason Williams.

No matter what the Wings still need a foward, this would just make it even more critical that get someone that can play.

Posted by Moocat on 07/08/09 at 09:07 AM ET

I think Leino is going to show he’s better than many think and more than fill up the holes these players are leaving.

Posted by Navarath on 07/08/09 at 09:08 AM ET

Hudler’s agent also said that they’d continue to negotiate with the Red Wings.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 07/08/09 at 09:11 AM ET

It is just a bad translation. It shoul say taht he didn`t agree to a contract. Here is another article about it. They basicaly say, that Dynamo offered him a very good 2 year contract and want him to play as their first center. And his european agent said, that it didn`t mean he won`t return to the nhl after those 2 years.

Posted by murphy on 07/08/09 at 09:13 AM ET

I hate these tactics. Tell this dude “Good luck and good riddance.”

Welcome to the KHL Gulag, Jiri… although Moscow is the best of the bunch.

Posted by JAMESinMI on 07/08/09 at 09:24 AM ET

wtf is happening here.

Posted by moore00 from the Ohio State University on 07/08/09 at 09:27 AM ET

I’m actually more ok with the prospect of Jiri signing with the KHL than with him having taken an offer sheet from another NHL club.  I’d love to have him on the Wings, but if that’s not the case, then I don’t want him playing against them.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 07/08/09 at 09:43 AM ET

Quite frankly I’d rather have a guy that scores 15 goals, but goes around and destroys Dman.

That’ll be Helmer.

I’m honestly not worried at all.  My hope, since he thinks the $2.5M the Wings offered him was too low, that Detroit would trade him if he’s given a bigger contract through arbitration, now I don’t have to worry about them having to try and move an overpaid Hudler.

And frankly, this says a lot about his character, to me.  Any young player who’s willing to play in an inferior league just for the money can go, as far as I’m concerned.  I wouldn’t want them on my team.

I think Hudler fit well on the Wings, but come on, he wants $3-4M?  Let him go.

See ya, Jiri, and we’ll see how “Happy” you are watching your former teammates skate the Stanley Cup around the Joe next June.

Posted by Garth on 07/08/09 at 09:45 AM ET

I’d love to have him on the Wings, but if that’s not the case, then I don’t want him playing against them.

I wouldn’t be all that worried about it, and I’d frankly like have at least gotten a draft pick or two out of him leaving.

Posted by Garth on 07/08/09 at 09:46 AM ET

The walls are closing in on me.

Posted by moore00 from the Ohio State University on 07/08/09 at 10:20 AM ET

If you are following this post via email, I have added a few more details.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 07/08/09 at 10:52 AM ET

Hi, Im from Czech republic and this story is true. Ive also found this on novinky.cz. Looks like there will be press conference.

Posted by CForce from CZ on 07/08/09 at 11:03 AM ET

“It’s a real possibility he’s going to take this (Russian) offer,’’ Holland said. “He’d be taking a lot less money to stay in the NHL.’’

Who’s playing hardball now, Happy?

Go screw, buddy!

Posted by Garth on 07/08/09 at 11:12 AM ET

Odd that this would happen so quickly after negotiations started.

Also odd that a report would have him accepting $2 million on a one-year deal from Moscow Dynamo.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 07/08/09 at 11:19 AM ET

We aren’t losing Happy. According to the hoke.cz article, Dynamo signed some guy named George Hudlera.

Well, whatever. But as shanetex notes, the biggest loss might be the entertainment factor. Good ol’ George was always fun to watch.

Okay, so here we go again with the numbers…

FORWARDS
Pavel Datsyuk: 6,700,000
Henrik Zetterberg: 6,083,333
Johan Franzen: 3,954,545
Valtteri Filppula: 3,000,000
Daniel Cleary: 2,800,000
Tomas Holmstrom: 2,250,000
Kris Draper: 1,583,333
Kirk Maltby: 883,333
Justin Abdelkader: 850,000
Ville Leino: 800,000
Darren Helm: 599,444

DEFENSEMEN
Nicklas Lidstrom: 7,450,000
Brian Rafalaski: 6,000,000
Brad Stuart: 3,750,000
Niklas Kronwall: 3,000,000
Jonathan Ericssonv900,000
Brett Lebda: 650,000
Derek Meech: 483,333

GOALTENDERS
Chris Osgood: 1,416,666
Jimmy Howard: 716,666

ROSTER SIZE: 20
SALARY CAP: 56,800,000
PAYROLL: 53,850,653
CAP ROOM: 2,949,347

Not including Lilja (for a number of reasons), the Wings now have $2.9M with which to sign two forwards...one that can play on the third line and one that can sit in the press box until someone gets hurt. That means the forward lines might look something like this in the fall…

Hank - Pavel - Homer
Cleary - Fil - Mule
Leino - Helm - [?]
Abbi - Draper - Maltby

That’s still looks like a pretty potent group to me.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 07/08/09 at 11:22 AM ET

Also odd that a report would have him accepting $2 million on a one-year deal from Moscow Dynamo.

If Happy signs a 1-year deal, what do you think the odds of him being a Wing again in 2010-2011 are?  I wonder if the bridge will be burned or if there’s a chance.

Posted by shanetx on 07/08/09 at 11:22 AM ET

Wow Wings fans, what kind of emotional wreck are we that suddenly everyone’s worked into a tizzy over the possibility of Hudler leaving?

I’d rather see Hudler stay (who else is going to stare down Chris Pronger and facewash him?), but he certainly can be replaced.  Easily.

There’s nothing to see here, regardless of the outcome.

Posted by Primis on 07/08/09 at 11:27 AM ET

Note that Wings beat writer Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press changed her original story.

I caught her original thoughts in the post above, then, poof, they are gone and another view from her is posted.

Click the link from her original post to see the new story.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 07/08/09 at 11:28 AM ET

If Happy signs a 1-year deal, what do you think the odds of him being a Wing again in 2010-2011 are?

The articles state that Happy will sign a two year contract.

Just for comparison sake, here’s what the payroll totals would look like if Lilja can play and the Wings trade Lebda…

ROSTER SIZE: 20
SALARY CAP: 56,800,000
PAYROLL: 54,450,653
CAP ROOM: 2,349,347

That’s still enough money for a third-line forward and a “depth” guy.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 07/08/09 at 11:28 AM ET

Every article says it’s a two year deal, and yet St. James says it’s 1 year for 2 mill while the Wings are offering 2.5 mill.

That can’t be right. Dynamo has to be offering two years at the numbers originally quoted otherwise why would he even bother?

Posted by Moocat on 07/08/09 at 11:44 AM ET

Moocat - I believe the KHL salary is tax free

Posted by mc keeper on 07/08/09 at 11:56 AM ET

i had heard months ago that this might be something the wings would wish for. hudler would be off the books, but the wings still retain his NHL rights. this means when we get a bunch of cap room in the next couple of years, he comes back.

i wouldn’t be surprised if Tick Tock’s encouraging him to do this. it solves all of his problems and they lose NOTHING.

Posted by perfection on 07/08/09 at 12:00 PM ET

Moocat - I believe the KHL salary is tax free

Posted by mc keeper on 07/08/09 at 12:56 PM ET

It is (assuming, of course, the player actually receives all of it - sometimes that can be a little iffy).

I’m not so much emotional over this as puzzled.  This is the kind of move that would make more sense after a period of contentious negotiations when two sides are at an impasse.  It just seems early.  Huh.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 07/08/09 at 12:41 PM ET

Hudler on why he signed.  A new post on KK.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 07/08/09 at 12:59 PM ET

Not including Lilja (for a number of reasons), the Wings now have $2.9M with which to sign two forwards...one that can play on the third line and one that can sit in the press box until someone gets hurt.

Meech is already your second guy there.  We’ve got $2.9M to sign one guy, or about $3.7M to sign two, because we know that they’d prefer to let Abdelkader play another year in GR.

Posted by Garth on 07/08/09 at 02:27 PM ET